Organisers confident of staging another Winter Games

Organisers of the Winter Games in New Zealand are already talking about hosting another event in 2011. The nine-day festival, which ended on Sunday, attracted hundreds of the world's best skiers and snow sports athletes to Queenstown, Wanaka, Naseby and Dunedin. Medals were won by representatives of 17 countries in the first-ever winter games held in the southern hemisphere. The event's chief executive, Arthur Klap, says more than 800 competitors from 40 nations took part - including gold medallists from the Olympics and X-Games.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

NZ studies centre in UK under threat of closure

There are indications the London-based Centre for New Zealand Studies could be closed in the near future. Emails seen by Radio New Zealand quote plans by the University of London's Birkbeck College to formally withdraw its involvement with the centre by November this year. The centre, which opened in 2007, was heralded by former Prime Minister Helen Clark as a unique academic facility focusing on the country's culture, identity and history. Last year, the Government gave $255,000 for its development. A memorandum of understanding was also signed, ensuring that the university would protect the centre until April 2011. London-based New Zealand poet Fleur Adcock says the reasoning is unclear, but Birkbeck is in the process of restructuring and the New Zealand Government does not seem to be willing to continue supporting the centre.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Medsafe alert on Xenical liver risk

By KATHERINE NEWTON - The Dominion Post
Medicine watchdog Medsafe will keep a close eye on an American investigation into the weight-loss drug Xenical after reports it may cause liver damage. The United States Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the safety of orlistat marketed under the brand names Xenical and Alli Of 32 reports the agency received between 1999 and last year, 27 patients required admittance to hospital. The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has received 137 reports of suspected liver damage from orlistat users since the drug was licensed in 1998. No definite association has been made yet between liver injury and orlistat and the FDA has told users they can continue to take the medicine in the meantime.

Full extent of road crash injuries hidden - researcher

Many more serious road crash injuries occur in New Zealand than statistics show, according to researcher Dr Gabrielle McDonald of Otago University. Researchers studied five years of records which revealed 15% of injuries recorded as minor, were revealed by hospital data to be life-threatening. Dr McDonald says there are potential for flaws in collecting the road injury statistics, which are based on a police officer's assessment of a patient at a crash scene. The breadth of the categories used by police are also problematic, she says. For example, a fracture is classed as serious regardless of whether it involves a broken arm, or a back. Dr McDonald says statistics should be based on hospital data because it is informed by medical professionals, and this would result in better targeting of road safety funding.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Big quake drill planned

New Zealand's biggest earthquake drill is being planned for the West Coast. ShakeOut director Chris Manuel says the drill is based on a hypothetical 8.2 magnitude earthquake on the Alpine Fault. He says those who register for the drill will take part in the 'drop, cover and hold' exercise at 10:10am on Friday September 18. Chris Manuel hopes to get all 30,000 people who live on the West Coast involved. He says recent earthquakes in Southland and Friday morning's 5.2 magnitude earthquake in Wellington serve as a reminder to be prepared for the 'big one'. People can register for the drill by going to www.shakeout.org.nz
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

NZ rowers take four gold medals at world champs

The New Zealand Rowing squad doubled its gold medal tally on the final day of the World Rowing Championships at Poznan in Poland. Duncan Grant retained his lightweight single sculls title on Sunday, while Storm Uru and Peter Taylor won their first world senior title in the lightweight double sculls. On Saturday, sculling great Mahe Drysdale became a four-time champion, retaining his single sculls title and setting a new world best time in the process. Eric Murray and Hamish Bond maintained their unbeaten record, winning the men's pair, while Rebecca Scown and Emma Feathery won the bronze in the women's pair.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Maternity care debt in millions

By RUTH HILL - The Dominion Post
Foreigners having babies in New Zealand hospitals are leaving behind unpaid bills totalling millions of dollars for their care. Figures supplied to The Dominion Post under the Official Information Act show that in Counties Manukau alone, the health board writes off about $1 million a year in bad debts for maternity services but the Health Ministry admits it does not know how many babies are now born to non-resident women. Chief executive Geraint Martin said about 250 mothers a year were ineligible for publicly funded maternity but fewer than one in five paid up. "This amounts to approximately $1 million per year in outstanding bad debt for our DHB." Before 2003, all maternity care in New Zealand was free but the rules were tightened after revelations foreign women were cashing in with "childbirth expeditions". Since then, taxpayer-funded care has been limited to mothers who have New Zealand citizenship or residency, have appropriate working visas or refugee status, fall under the reciprocal agreement with Australia and Britain, or whose partners are eligible.

Plane design business strong, says Air NZ

Air New Zealand says its interior design business for planes is still attracting work from wealthy private jet owners and other airlines despite the downturn in air travel. The airline set up the stand-alone company Altitude Aerospace Interiors about a year ago. While its contribution to the national carrier's profit is small in terms of the group's overall revenue, Air New Zealand says it makes good margins and can use the expertise on its own planes. Demand from the super-wealthy who have private jets has not fallen off and Boeing is also feeding business to the design company, Mr Fyfe says.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

2,000 public servants in Fiji retired in past four months

Over 2000 public servants in Fiji, who have reached the age of 55, have left the civil service in the past four months. The Permanent Secretary of the Puplic Service Commission, Parmesh Chand, said they are now carrying out performance audits in all government ministries to look at the need to re-engage some of these retirees. A total of 241 retirees, with skills badly needed in the ministries have been re-engaged but Mr Chand hopes the audits will bring the number down to 216.
© Radio New Zealand International

Kash in on free entry

NewstalkZB
Auckland Zoo hopes to give a regal farewell to a treasured elephant today. Kashin was put down on Monday after 36 years at the zoo. Entry to the zoo is free today, in her honour. Mayor John Banks says it will be a fitting tribute. People will have an opportunity to visit Kashin's final resting place and pay their respects. It will be the only time the public will be able to access the area.

Rugby-South Africa too strong for Australia in Tri-Nations

South Africa has moved closer to wrapping up rugby's Tri-Nations with a 32-25 win over Australia in Perth,. The unbeaten Springboks scored four tries to seal their first bonus point of the season and extend their lead over New Zealand at the top of the standings to nine points with two games remaining. Australia replied with three tries to earn a bonus point for losing by seven but their fourth straight defeat left them out of the running for this year's title.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Netball-Silver Ferns salvage some pride

The New Zealand netballers knocked out some of the dents in their pride with a 46-41 win in an entertaining and tightly contested third test in Auckland after losing to the World Seven in Wellington and Rotorua . The World Seven led 5-1 early in the first quarter before the Silver Ferns began putting together some smart attacking moves to lead 14-11 going into the second quarter. They trailed by up to five through the middle stages though after England's Sonia Mkloma stiffered the world side's defence. But Ferns were always in touch and and with captain Casey Williams inspirational on defence and Temepara George marshalling the midcourt they shut out the World side in the fourth quarter.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

NZ man rescued after yacht skipper falls overboard

A New Zealand man has been rescued after the skipper of the yacht he was travelling on fell overboard. Alexander McDonald, 65, from Canterbury, agreed to join Briton David Parkinson, whom he'd met in the Cook Islands, on board his yacht Santana on a trip from Rarotonga to Nuku'alofa. Tonga's police commander, Chris Kelley, says Mr McDonald told rescuers that when he woke to take over the watch from the skipper, Mr Parkinson had disappeared. He says Mr McDonald is "no sailor", but tried to search for the British man, going round in ever-decreasing circles for just over three days, before he set off the emergency beacon. He was picked up by the Tonga Defence Service.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Rugby-Canterbury outclass Wellington to reclaim Ranfurly Shield

Canterbury outclassed Wellington on Saturday night to reclaim rugby's Ranfurly Shield. The game at Wellington's Westpac stadium was effectively over by half-time, when the challengers led 26-0 thanks to two converted tries and three Dan Carter penalties. The tide didn't change in the second half as the Wellington scrum crumbled and they fell off tackles, their rather light grip on the shield broken. Two late tries were poor compensation for the home side, who have much to work on for the rest of the NPC season. Canterbury controlled the game from start to finish to win 36-14 and take the shield back to Christchurch after two years without it.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Second coroner calls for stronger guidelines on bed-sharing with babies

A second coroner is urging the Ministry of Health to strengthen its guidelines on safe infant sleeping practices. The recommendation comes from the Rotorua coroner, following an inquest into the death of a four-week-old baby boy who died in November 2007 while sharing a bed with his mother. In a ruling released on Saturday, Rotorua coroner Wallace Bain finds that the child died from asphyxia. He says sharing a bed with a baby is dangerous, and the issue should be of major public concern. In May, Wellington coroner Garry Evans found that four babies had died as a result of sharing a bed with one or more parent. He said bed-sharing with babies under six months should be avoided.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

All imported second-hand cars to be emissions-tested

The Government is going ahead with a new emissions-testing regime for second-hand imported vehicles, despite the opposition of used-car importers. The Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Rule has been phasing in since May last year, but some used-car importers wanted its implementation delayed in an attempt to boost flagging car sales. The Government has decided, however, that from January all second-hand imported diesel cars will have to meet a new standard designed to improve air quality - as will all second-hand imported petrol cars from 2012. The new standard does not affect vehicles already in New Zealand or those imported brand-new.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Stormy weather warning

MetService is warning of a stormy day for much of New Zealand tomorrow with heavy rain and galeforce winds. It said torrential rain in the South Island could well cause flooding and traffic disruption while strong winds in Wellington, Wairarapa, Marlborough and Canterbury could bring down trees and powerlines. MetService said people planning outdoor activities, particularly in mountainous regions, in both islands should consider alternative plans.
NZPA

Tonga ferry missing now identified

Tongan police have released the names all but one of the 72 people presumed drowned in the Princess Ashika ferry disaster this month. Most were Tongan, but foreigners among the dead include a Niuean with a New Zealand passport, two Germans, two French people and a Briton. Assistant police commander Itu Tupouniua says the authorities believe a Hungarian man may also have perished on the boat, however survivors had not positively identified him from pictures and officers are still investigating. Tonga's government has not yet decided whether to seek help from other countries to retrieve the bodies from the wreck, which lies at a depth of 110 metres. The Princess Ashika sank on 5 August, about 90km northwest of the capital Nuku'alofa.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Canterbury University under-performers told to leave

By REBECCA TODD - The Press
Canterbury University excluded nearly 200 failing students in the first half of this year as it looks to rid itself of under-performers. By the end of the first semester, 1371 cases of failing students had been reviewed, 759 warning letters sent out and 181 students excluded from their faculty or qualification and 14 from the university. The first semester total of 195 was one more than the total number of exclusions for all of last year. At a university council meeting this week, vice-chancellor Dr Rod Carr said he was committed to keeping an open entry system into first year "for as many as possible for as long as possible". A university spokesman said students who were excluded from the university could not re-enrol unless they could show they had been elsewhere and improved their abilities for study.

Girl blocked from solo round-the-world sailing voyage

A court in the Netherlands has forced a 13-year old girl to delay her plans for a solo sailing trip around the world while a psychological test is carried out. Laura Dekker, an experienced sailor, was born at sea off the coast of New Zealand. Her parents had warned that she might emigrate to New Zealand and claim citizenship if the court banned her from sailing. She had planned to begin a two-year voyage on 1 September on her eight metre yacht Guppy. Child welfare authorities said it would be irresponsible to let her depart, and the Utrecht court agreed the trip posed risks to her psychological development. The court has placed Miss Dekker under state supervision for two months while a psychologist and child protection authorities examine how she would cope alone on the boat.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Solomon Islands Fisheries Minister denies live dolphins about to be exported

The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Solomon Islands says he’s not aware of any immediate plans for the export of live dolphins, but he supports the practice. An export trade in live dolphins has been ongoing since a high court ruling two and a half years ago overturned its 2003 ban by the government. Lawrence Makili, the director of Earth Island Institute’s Pacific programme for marine mammals, says 30 dolphins are being held in pens and 18 are bound for Panama.
© Radio New Zealand International

New safe haven for NZ's little penguins

The world’s smallest penguins are about to be given a big hand up with their own VIP - very important penguin - nesting area at EcoWorld in New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds. The little blue penguins, a New Zealand native, will be free to come and go from Picton’s EcoWorld Aquarium and Terranium but can nest in safety away from the threat of predators and other dangers. While the small penguins aren’t uncommon in the Marlborough Sounds, the species is in decline and the EcoWorld colony will not only provide safety but also an added attraction for visitors. EcoWorld sits on Picton’s foreshore next to the South Island’s inter-island ferry wharf - the arrival and departure port for boat travel between the South and North Islands.
Copyright 1999-2009 Tourism New Zealand

English, Collins off overseas

Two senior Government ministers will be doing a bit of international jet-setting as parliament goes into recess next week. Finance Minister Bill English is off to Tokyo, New York and Boston where he will talk to international lenders about the Government's economic recovery plans. Veterans' Affairs Minister Judith Collins is heading to Poland for commemorations marking the 70th anniversary of the start of the Second World War. She will also spend some time in France where she will meet with ministerial counterparts.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Pacific Ocean checks hailed as success

An annual hunt for illegal maritime activities in the Pacific Ocean has been hailed as a success by the Forum Fisheries Agency. The purpose of Operation Kurukuru was to detect activities such as illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, smuggling and people trafficking. New Zealand, Australia, France and the United States provided planes and support. Radio New Zealand International reports the 10-day operation covered an area of 10 million square kilometres in the exclusive economic zones of the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Of 191 vessels looked at, the FFA says 21 were boarded, three were apprehended and a fine of $US10,000 was levied.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Top young scientist staying in NZ

NewstalkZB
This year's Young Scientist of the Year plans to stay in New Zealand to continue working on his anti-pollution project. The 27-year-old Wellington PhD chemistry student has won the MacDiarmid award for his use of the metal palladium to remove carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide from vehicle exhaust fumes. Mr Watt says when injected into a car's exhaust, toxic particles are captured by the palladium and converted into something less toxic. He believes there huge commercial applications for the technology the marketplace is enormous.

McCahon painting sells for NZ record

A Colin McCahon painting has set a record for the highest auction price paid for a work by a New Zealand artist. A private New Zealand collector bought Let be, Let be for $1,144,832, The Dominion Post reported. Dealer John Gow bid on behalf of the collector at the Australian auction. It had been in a private Australian collection for 10 years.
NZPA

John Key set to appear on Letterman Show

Prime Minister John Key is going to sell New Zealand to the worldwide tourism market when he appears on a top US television show next month. Mr Key is booked for the Late Show with David Letterman while he is in New York to speak at the United Nations. "It's an opportunity to promote New Zealand, it's gold when it comes to New Zealand from a tourism point of view," Mr Key said today. "This is a show that millions of people watch worldwide, it really is a magnificent opportunity." Mr Key holds the tourism portfolio and since the election he has focused on attracting more visitors to New Zealand.
NZPA

Jetstar's trillion-dollar airfares a shocker

By Beck Vass
Customers booking international flights on the cut-price airline Jetstar have been shocked by some sky-high fares - one customer's flight was quoted at more than $1.3 trillion. The airline yesterday said a computer glitch had led to the inflated prices and apologised to anyone surprised to find such costly fares. One booking summary sent to the Herald showed a return ticket to Japan that would cost $1,324,930,000,000. The correct total was $1324.93. The price of another passenger's return flights from Auckland to Sydney was $321,630,000,000 when it should have been $321.63. Jetstar spokesman Simon Westaway said no one had paid the huge prices that appeared on the website's display page as customers booked their flights throughout Wednesday morning.

Meteors put on impressive show

There have been reports of a meteor shower in Canterbury this morning. A witness says she saw a meteor land near South Eyre Rd in North Canterbury at around 6am. She initially thought the bright light was a flare but changed her mind when she saw it fall to the ground.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Food shortages in Solomons atoll communities

A team of Solomon Islands Government officials, the Red Cross and the Temotu Province Disaster Mitigation office have been conducting a weeklong assessment of the Reef Islands after reports of severe food shortages in the atoll communities. The current cycle of food shortages is also affecting Santa Cruz, whose residents help supply the town market in the provincial capital, Lata. For four weeks people in Lata have been scrambling for the little produce that come into the market. Lata residents now mainly rely on grain and wheat supplies from overseas that they obtain from wholesalers in Honiara, which is over six hundred kilometres away.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

NZ real estate roadshow to be held for UK investors

Foreigners are eyeing New Zealand farms as they look for more stable investment options following the global financial melt-down and the collapse of some banks and financial institutions. A New Zealand real estate company, Bayleys, has formed an alliance with Smiths Gore, one of the biggest agricultural and rural property companies in Britain. It's planning a roadshow in October with the aim of selling New Zealand farms, vineyards and horticultural properties to investors in England, Scotland and Wales. Manager Richard Graham says there's growing interest from the United States and Asia as well.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Downtown Auckland rail tunnel mooted

A detailed study is to begin into the route of a possible rail tunnel beneath downtown Auckland. KiwiRail and the Auckland Regional Transport Authority will jointly consider an underground route to link Britomart with Mount Eden railway station. The twin-track tunnel would allow trains to travel in a loop out of the central city, rather than having to backtrack through a single-track tunnel that feeds Britomart. Ontrack says a tunnel is an unobtrusive means of unlocking Britomart as a gateway to the city. Two underground stops will be considered, including a station 30 metres beneath Karangahape Road.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Lightning lit up the night sky

Many parts of the country were treated to a spectacular lightning display overnight as thunderstorms moved in from the Tasman. At its peak, there were around 1300 strikes an hour in Auckland, some of which hit the SkyTower. More than 10,000 strikes were recorded around the country. Between 9pm and approximately 2am lightning was recorded mostly around the Auckland region, but also in Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Taranaki and along the West Coast.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Tom cruises into town

By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI - NewstalkZB
Hollywood royalty has flown into Wellington this morning. Sources tell Newstalk ZB that Tom Cruise is back in New Zealand. The actor was met at Wellington Airport by filmmaker Peter Jackson. It is not known why he is in the country. Jackson is producing The Dam Busters and The Hobbit. He has just completed The Lovely Bones and was a producer for the critically acclaimed District 9.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Severe fire season expected in Australia

Temperatures are unusually high throughout parts of eastern Australia this week, raising concerns the bushfire season will hit early and be severe. Experts are predicting trouble, especially for Victoria and New South Wales. The ABC reports Queensland also expects extreme temperatures and fire conditions. August temperatures in Brisbane have rreached of 36 degrees. Scientists say the rising temperatures are a sign that everyone should be worried about bushfires this summer.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Surgical safety checklist to be launched

A surgical safety checklist is to be launched at Parliament on Thursday in a bid to encourage hospitals throughout New Zealand and Australia to make simple changes to improve patient safety. Radio New Zealand's health correspondent says the 21-point list is designed to ensure operations are done at the correct place on the correct patient, with the correct equipment and medicines. It follows an international trial that included Auckland city hospital, in which there was a significant drop in the death rate for surgical patients when the checklist was used.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Zoos' fears for Tasmanian devils

New Zealand zoos are so concerned that Australia's marsupial Tasmanian devils are sliding to extinction that they have sought biosecurity approval to import animals for captive breeding. Auckland and Wellington zoos have sought permission to import the devils. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is seeking public submissions on the proposed imports by October 7. The Tasmanian devil is the size of a small muscular dog. It has black fur, gives off a skunk-like odour when stressed and earns its devil name for its ferocious temperament and disturbing call. Devils are nocturnal hunters and widespread across Tasmania, living mostly on carrion but also capable of hunting small animals, including wallabies. Australian zoos have started breeding 500 devils and New Zealand zoos plan to breed disease-free animals to provide back-up.
NZPA

Asparagus shortage predicted

There are predictions of an asparagus shortage as growers look to leave the industry. Many typical growing areas have been replaced with dairy farms and grapes. Horticulture New Zealand says low returns, high land prices and the intensive nature of harvesting the crop have seen grower numbers dwindle in the past 20 years. It estimates that 84% of current asparagus blocks in New Zealand will be gone by 2014. Because asparagus plants take five years to reach full production, the industry says new blocks must be replanted now or a massive shortfall will result.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Netball-Ferns dumped again by invitation side

It got worse for the Silver Ferns in Rotorua last night - they lost again to the World Seven 53-44, double the margin of their first game loss in Wellington and the series is gone. New Zealand were behind throughout the match, the second in a three-game series against a composite team before a five-Test series against Australia. Coach Ruth Aitken struggled to explain her team's second disappointing effort, simply saying they were just flat. The third game is in Auckland on Saturday.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Spring has sprung early

A bitterly cold winter is already becoming a distant memory as spring arrives early in the South Island. The Botanic Gardens in Christchurch, only weeks ago covered in heavy frost, have bloomed with flowers not usually seen until September. "Loads of people [are] coming into the gardens, making the most of the day, throwing off the shackles of winter and really enjoying themselves," says Chris Smith of the Christchurch Botanical Gardens. This week has seen extremely mild temperatures with the mercury topping just under 20 degrees, while Tuesday was a warm 21 degrees. Invercargill had a record high of 17 degrees in August.
Source: ONE News

Quit smoking aids get cheaper

Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges are about to get cheaper for smokers trying to quit the deadly habit. Those with a Quit Card or prescription from a doctor will get a bigger subsidy on the nicotine replacement therapies from next Tuesday. An eight week supply which normally would have cost $20, will now be available for just $6. Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia says one of the Government's priorities is to help people quit smoking.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Ski resort to rival Queenstown mooted

The owners of the second largest ski field in Canterbury are planning to build a new European style resort. Porters Ski Area hopes to create a tourist area rivalling Queenstown. Porters owned by three Sydney and Christchurch families who bought the area for redevelopment nearly two years ago. It is about an hour from Christchurch. Managing director Michael Sleigh says the company has been in discussion with the Department of Conservation to negotiate a land swap to enable the plans to go ahead. He says the company wants to swap about 15 hectares of land near Springfield for 21 hectares of land owned by DOC at the foot of the ski area.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Youth holiday programme announced by PM

Prime Minister John Key has announced a plan to fund holiday programmes for young people from poorer communities. In a speech at the Salvation Army in Wellington, Mr Key said the programme will eventually enable 30,000 students aged between 11 and 17 to attend the programmes. Those on the programmes will be involved in sport, drama and outdoor adventure activities. Some 15,000 young people will take part in the programmes this year, before increasing to 30,000 during the Christmas holidays in 2011. It will cost $10.5 million over four years and will be targeted at young people from deprived areas and from families under stress.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Teenager seeks Kiwi home so she can sail away alone

By Vaimoana Tapaleao
A 13-year-old Dutch girl born in New Zealand is fighting to be declared a Kiwi so she can sail around the world alone. Laura Dekker is battling child protection authorities in her Netherlands homeland who are taking the case to court in a bid to stop the teenager from making the trip. But the teenager, who was born on a yacht off the coast of New Zealand during a seven-year world trip her parents were making, is now looking to gain residency and a New Zealand passport to get away from Dutch authorities and make the solo trip from here. Laura and her father, Dick Dekker, yesterday spent the day pleading with judges and child protection authorities to let her make the trip. Social workers and child protection authorities are fighting to have the teenager made a ward of court so her parents - who support her plans - will lose the right to make decisions on her behalf, for a short period of time. Laura is reported to have had her own yacht at the age of six and was only 10 years old when she started sailing by herself. A Dutch judge will decide on Friday whether the teenager will be taken into child protection custody.

NZ a safe place to invest

New Zealand has been rated one of the safest countries in which to invest in the Asia Pacific region. Dun and Bradstreet's Asia Pacific Risk Indicator has placed New Zealand in the top four countries, behind Australia and Japan and equal with Hong Kong. Spokesman John Scott says the risk indicator assesses economic, commercial, external and political risks. He says the rating demonstrates that although the economy is facing a number of challenges, it is faring relatively well compared with other countries in the region.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

More effort needed from NZ govt says Samoan language group

A group focussed on maintaining the survival of the Samoan language in New Zealand says pacific communities and the government must realise that if pacific languages are not protected, they will be lost. Cook Island maori, Niuean and Tokelauan are the languages most at risk but even languages once thought of as ’strong’ languages, like Samoan, are being lost. The national president of F.A.G.A.S.A Galumalemana Feleti Hunkin, says while communities certainly have a huge part to play there needs to be more effort from the government. He says there is no policy to safeguard the use of languages within the education system. The Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs says it’s working to ensure there is a more comprehensive approach to Pacific language in all government policies and services, not just the education sector.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

Helicopters being used to watch illegal whitebaiters

The Department of Conservation is using helicopters to keep illegal whitebaiters at bay on the West Coast of the South Island. The whitebait season there does not start for another week, but a weekend sting operation picked up several nets laid out in the area. DoC says helicopters are being used for surveillance on almost 30 rivers.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Countdown on for digital TV

As the countdown for the country's switchover to digital TV broadcasting continues the Government's setting up a special group to help manage the transition. On current plans, the country will switch off old analogue broadcasting technology when 75 percent of homes have digital TV or by 2012, whichever comes first. Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman says a joint government and industry steering group is being established to assist the transition.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Angus burgers to put $5m into Kiwi farmers' coffers

By JON MORGAN - The Dominion Post
World burger giant McDonald's has given the New Zealand meat industry a boost with a deal to buy an extra 500,000kg of angus beef for two new premium burgers. The contract is estimated to be worth at least an extra $5 million to the industry. The meat will be used in angus burgers in the United States, Canada and Australia, as well as in New Zealand, where they will sell for $7.20. In North America, the grass-fed New Zealand angus meat will be mixed with grain-fed American angus.

Spate of attacks by falcons

The Department of Conservation is advising people in Palmerston North to keep pet birds inside after a spate of attacks by native falcons. Flocks of pigeons and chickens have been destroyed by the New Zealand falcon on the outskirts of the city in the past few weeks. DoC ranger Lorraine Cook says young falcons, are seeking easy prey in urban areas. She says people should keep birds in a coop or shed, until the falcons move to other hunting grounds. The New Zealand falcon is relatively rare and is protected under the Wildlife Act.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Souvenirs aken from 1904 wreckage - DoC

The Department of Conservation says souvenirs have been taken from a shipwreck on the Onoke Spit beach in Wairarapa. The Addenda ran aground there in 1904. DoC says a clean-up at the beach last weekend revealed signs of digging and pieces of timber appeared to have been removed. Wairarapa area manager Chris Lester says the area may need to be fenced to preserve what is left of the wreck.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Asia-Pacific free trade deal near - minister

A Free Trade Agreement involving the major Asia-Pacific economies could be a step closer. New Zealand already has free trade deals with China and the ASEAN group. Trade Minister Tim Groser says he has met the trade ministers of Australia, South-East Asia, Japan, India, China and Korea. He told Parliament they agreed to recommend to their leaders a study into a Free Trade Agreement. Mr Groser said the topic will be considered at the East Asia summit to be held in Thailand in October.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Record Lotto sales generate $189.3 million for lottery board

New Zealand Lotteries has made a payment of $189.3 million to the Lottery Grants Board. The money is from record Lotto sales and is the biggest payment to be made to the board. It will go to community groups. Two big jackpots have driven up Lotto sales by nearly 17%, creating more cash for community groups. Two major recipients are SPARC and the New Zealand Film Commision. SPARC gets about $30 million annually and is getting an extra $2.84 million.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Study: Kiwi women most jealous

When it comes to the green-eyed monster, Kiwi women rule. A study has found that New Zealand women are some of the most jealous and possessive in the world. Fourteen percent of Kiwi men say their partners get angry if they speak to other women, compared to 9% of women saying the same about their male partners. Kiwi women are also more likely to stop their partners seeing friends and relatives, and keep track of them "in a controlling or frightening way", than vice-versa. The results of the national Families Commission research suggest women in New Zealand are more possessive than those in Canada and Britain, where females are more likely to feel controlled than men. The report's principal analyst, Radha Balakrishnan, says the controversial results will spark debate in New Zealand, where newspapers carried headlines on Tuesday like "women strike fear into their partners".

Public asked to avoid seal pups

The beginning of the seal pup weaning season is creating a headache for conservation workers who are warning people not touch or pick up lone pups. It follows a case where a woman found a baby seal in Picton and took it to Wellington, where it had to be put down because of the trauma it had suffered on the journey. Last week, Lower Hutt police officers discovered a baby seal on the banks of the Hutt River and stored it in a cell while a decision was made on what to do with it. Peter Simpson from the Department of Conservation says baby seals are wild animals and should be left alone. Mr Simpson says if a seal is in an inappropriate place such as on a road or in a garden and needs to be removed, DoC officers should be contacted. He says seals are quite capable of fending for themselves.
NEWSTALK ZB

New noise limits for vineyard frost machines

Grape growers in Marlborough will have to meet tougher standards on frost fan noise because of a plan change adopted by the district council on Monday. It means that frost machines will become a controlled, rather than a permitted activity under the Resource Management Act and will have to meet World Health Organisation standards. Marlborough has about 1200 frost fans, although the district council believes only a few are causing problems to neighbours living close to vineyards. The new rules will lower the allowable noise level from 60 to 55 decibels at a distance of 300 metres from the machines.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Bank deposit guarantee extended

The Government has extended the retail bank deposit guarantee until the end of 2011. The guarantee was due to end in October next year and the extension brings New Zealand into line with Australia. Finance Minister Bill English says extending the guarantee will help maintain confidence in New Zealand banks and other financial institutions. But there will be some changes under the extension. Eligible bank deposits will be covered up to a maximum of $500,000 for each depositer per financial institution, compared with $1 million under the present scheme.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Stormy weather starts to roll in

The South Island is due for stormy weather today and MetService has issued rain and wind warnings. Heavy rain is forecast for most of the South Island with northerly winds rising to severe gales tonight. The winds could reach up to 130 kilometres an hour. Up to 280 millimetres of rain is forecast over the next 27 hours. MetService forecaster Jared Barrow says eastern areas will not be as badly affected as the west. Severe northerly gales will also strike Taranaki, Wellington and Wairarapa tonight.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Long-term netball goals keep Aitken focused

By CATHY WALSHE
New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken kept her eye firmly on the big picture following the Silver Ferns' 44-48 loss to a combative World 7 team in Wellington yesterday. The Silver Ferns, with an oddly familiar new-look midcourt, struggled throughout to find consistency in the first of three tests against a team featuring a potent combination of mainly Australia, English and Jamaican players. Trailing 25-22 at halftime, the Silver Ferns never stopped trying but just couldn't seem to find any rhythm against a World 7 team with a fiendishly simple game plan: do the basics well.

Memorial service to be held at sea in Tonga over location of Princess Ashika

In Tonga, a Memorial Service will be held at sea today over the location of the Princess Ashika. It’s been more than two weeks since the vessel went down, claiming up to 74 lives. A small flotilla of vessels depart the capital, Nuku’alofa early this morning for the site of where the Service is scheduled to begin at 11 o’clock today. Aboard the vessels are the relatives of those still missing, survivors, members of the royal family, Tonga’s prime minister Dr Feleti Sevele and other officials.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

Maori Language Commission fears dialects will be lost

The Maori Language Commission is calling on Maori communities to build closer ties with mainstream schools to ensure their dialects are not lost. The commission reported feedback on Monday from hui around the country as part of efforts to develop a new Maori language strategy. Chief executive Huhana Rokx says 80% of Maori students go to mainstream schools, and a lack of cohesion between iwi and their schools could lead to a more generic language being taught across New Zealand. She told Waatea News the loss of tribal dialects would be a tragedy.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Rough weather predicted this week

Wind and rain are set to hit New Zealand later this week, the MetService says. The first trough is due to hit the South Island on Tuesday and the MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for Westland and the headwaters of Canterbury rivers. "As this trough approaches a strong and blustery northerly flow should build over the South Island (on Tuesday)," says MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt. Many other South Island areas, as well as Wellington, Wairarapa and Taranaki ranges may be affected Tuesday or Wednesday. The second trough was likely to hit southern Hawke's Bay and northern Wairarapa on Thursday and may cause severe westerly gales.
Copyright © 2009, Television New Zealand Limited

Kashin the elephant passes away

Kashin, the elephant adored by thousands of visitors to Auckland Zoo since 1972, died this afternoon after a long illness. She had been battling complications caused by arthritis and was expected to die within four years. She leaves behind 26-year-old Burma, the zoo's only other elephant. In March, the Auckland City Council approved a succession plan for the zoo, quelling fears that Kashin and Burma would be the last elephants to live there. The zoo plans to build a herd of three males and two females between 2011 and 2015.
NZ HERALD STAFF

Phone, internet cut to hundreds in Far North

Hundreds of Telecom customers in Northland have been without phone or internet access since Monday morning due to a line fault. A spokesperson for Telecom, Robin Kelly, says customers affected were from Kaeo to Kaitaia. Mr Kelly says another company excavating in the area cut a cable line. The connection is expected to be progressively restored by about 6pm.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

No dedicated Maori seats on Auckland super-council

The Government has decided there will not be dedicated Maori seats on the Auckland super-city council. Last week, ACT Party leader and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said he would resign his ministerial portfolios if the legislation provided for Maori seats. Mr Hide and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples made representations at a Cabinet meeting on Monday. The ministers have now been asked to work together to decide upon an effective way to ensure Maori representation at local government level. Prime Minister John Key says the Cabinet believes it would have been inequitable to put in place Maori seats only in Auckland and not throughout New Zealand.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Right whale ... Wrong actions

DOC (Dept of Conservation) is meeting with police today to decide whether or not a self-proclaimed 'whale-rider' will face prosecution. The man claims he swam out and stood on a southern right whale as it rested near Pukerua Bay, just out of Wellington, on Friday evening. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, people are not allowed to be closer than 50 metres to whales. DOC marine ecologist Nadine Bott says they will be talking with police to see whether it is worth investigating. She says they will need witness evidence, if they decide to take the issue further.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

KiwiSaver enrolments continue to grow

More than 1,137,000 New Zealanders have now joined KiwiSaver. (retirement savings scheme) Even during the current economic downturn, Inland Revenue figures show the total number of enrolments has continued to rise by about 32,000 a month over the past six months. There is a relatively even split across all age groups for enrolment. In the last month, 32 percent of new members were between 18-34 years old, while 30 percent of new members fell into the 35-54 age bracket.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Whooping cough outbreak on West Coast

Health authorities on the West Coast have issued warnings after an outbreak of whooping cough This year 28 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, have been reported. Seven of the cases have occurred in the last month. West Coast medical officer of health Dr Cheryl Brunton says the whooping cough rate is three times higher than the national average. She says babies under one year old are most at risk from serious complications and death. Dr Brunton says parents should ensure their children are up to date with whooping cough vaccinations.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Monkey from Wellington zoo recaptured

A small monkey that escaped from Wellington Zoo has been recaptured. Machu, a South American Pygmy Marmoset monkey got out of his enclosure just after 2pm on Sunday. A spokesperson at the zoo Stephanie Gray says Machu was seen near the zoo cafe at the front of the premises. She says Machu has been reunited with his female companion, Picchu.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Cricket-Jubilant England regain Ashes

The England cricketers regained the Ashes with a sweeping victory over Australia in the fifth test at The Oval on Sunday. Chasing a world record 546 to win, Australia were dismissed on the fourth day for 348, giving England victory by 197 runs and a 2-1 win in the series. The series had been tied 1-1 after Australia won the fourth test at Headingley within three days. Two run outs in the space of six balls accounted for Australia's two best batsmen, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. England opening batsman and captain Andrew Strauss was named man of the series.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

NZ, Australia to jointly promote trade overseas

In a further sign New Zealand and Australia are coming closer together, both governments have ordered their trade promotion agencies to set up joint offices overseas. The idea of the two countries collaborating on trade promotion was raised at the Australia-New Zealand leadership forum last year. Finance Minister Bill English says the move now has strong political support. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has made it clear this is the path ahead, as has New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, Mr English says. An office is likely to be set up in a location in South-East Asia first as a test run.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Australian oil slick sprayed amid fears for wildlife

Aircraft have sprayed chemicals to break up a large oil slick off Australia's northwestern coast as environmentalists expressed fears for rare wildlife from oil gushing into the sea from an uncapped well. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the slick from the West Atlas offshore drilling rig had lengthened from an estimated 15kms on Saturday. The first sortie of chemical dispersant sprayed on Sunday from a C-130 Hercules aircraft appeared to have started to break up the slick, a spokeswoman said. But the clean-up cannot be completed until the well is capped, which experts say may take months. An air exclusion zone has been set up and ships have been advised to stay more than 20 nautical miles away from the rig, which is currently considered too dangerous to board.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Govt won't confirm or deny if NZ troops back in Afghanistan

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says he can't confirm or deny if Special Air Service troops are back in Afghanistan. About 50 members of the group, Global Peace and Justice, staged a protest outside the headquarters of the SAS army base in Papakura in south Auckland on Saturday, claiming elite soldiers flew out to Afghanistan a week ago. Mr McCully says it's a long standing policy for the Government not to confirm anything about SAS deployments for security reasons. The Government recently announced the return of the elite SAS to the country and plans to scale back the provincial reconstruction team.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Pressure on to remove cigarette displays

NewstalkZB
There is a fresh push for the Government to ban displays of tobacco products in dairies, supermarkets and service stations. Action on Smoking and Health chair professor Bruce Arroll says it is astonishing that something that kills half its users is displayed like a bottle of milk or a loaf of bread. He says with most forms of tobacco advertising banned, the displays are a loophole for the industry to show off its wares. The criticism comes as the Health Ministry is launching a Face The Facts campaign, warning tobacco is a common consumer product with a 50 percent death rate.

Start of the golden weather

By EMMA PAGE - Sunday Star Times
If you thought there was a hint of spring in the air, you're right. After an extremely cold winter, temperatures for the first few weeks of August have been one to two degrees warmer than normal around the country.Last week, magnolias and cherry blossoms were out in style in Auckland, and daffodils and other spring bulbs were bravely beginning to bloom in Wellington and Christchurch. And the good news is that the outlook is stable. Average temperatures and rainfall - including everything from Nelson's 200-odd hours of sunshine and 90mm of rain for a typical October, to Milford Sound's 690mm of rain, or Dunedin's paltry 145 hours of sunshine - are expected over the next three months.

No need to raise age of criminal responsibility - Govt

The Government has rejected a recommendation to raise the age of criminal responsibility, made by a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The idea is among more than 60 suggested as part of a periodic review of New Zealand's human rights efforts. During the review, individual UN member states were able to ask questions of and make recommendations to the New Zealand contingent. The aim of raising the age of criminal responsibility from 14 would be that it complies with relevant international standards. The Government says New Zealand laws and court procedures make extensive special provision for children and young people, and it does not accept the need for a change. Amendments to lower the age of criminal responsibility for serious crimes to 12 are before a Parliamentary select committee.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Dairy industry urged to drop use of palm kernel

Environmental campaigners are linking the dairy industry with the destruction of rainforests in south-east Asia, because of its use of imported palm kernel. Last year, New Zealand imported 1.1 million tonnes of palm kernel to feed its dairy herds, or 24% of the world's supply, US Department of Agriculture figures show. Greenpeace climate campaigner Simon Boxer says New Zealand is directly financially contributing to the speeding up of tropical rainforest clearance in Indonesia and Malaysia, where oil palm plantations have replaced millions of hectares of forest. The clearances destroy the habitat of the orangutan and contribute to higher global carbon emissions. Green Party co-leader Russel Norman says Fonterra should drop the use of palm kernels, just as Cadbury dropped palm oil from its chocolate last week.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

$20k lure to keep teachers

By CATHERINE WOULFE - Sunday Star Times
New secondary school teachers could be in line for a serious sweetener $20,000 towards a house deposit under a union proposal designed to pull more teachers into schools and to keep them there longer. Schools across New Zealand are struggling to attract enough quality teachers, and the Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) says the incentive would encourage teachers to take jobs in hard-to-staff cities and isolated areas. A bonding system would ensure recipients continued teaching in New Zealand. The union is taking the plan to its annual conference next month, where it will have to pass a members' vote before becoming part of the pay claims package put to the government at next year's negotiations. The PPTA, which has 18,000 members, is also moving to establish a credit union similar to that available to police, and is considering proposals from several banks. This would give teachers special deals on all types of loans, with interest rates about 0.5% below market rates.

Rugby-Wellington sneak home against Auckland

The Wellington rugby side has held onto the Ranfurly Shield after a hard fought 16-15 victory over Auckland at Westpac Stadium. In the other Air New Zealand Cup matches today Bay of Plenty beat Waikato 29-16 and Canterbury beat Tasman 25-21.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Rugby NZ vs Australia-One-point win for All Blacks

By Daryl Fenemor - NewstalkZB
The All Blacks have beaten the Wallabies 19-18 in their Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations test in Sydney. The match was dominated by penalty kicks between Australia's Matt Giteau and New Zealand's Daniel Carter before Ma'a Nonu scored the only try midway through the second half. Carter kicked the winning penalty with time nearly up on the clock. Australia led 12-3 at halftime. The Wallabies and South Africa do battle for the next two weeks with the All Blacks' next test against South Africa in Hamilton on September 12.

Cricket-Sri Lanka win opening test

Sri Lanka have won the first cricket test in Galle beating New Zealand by 202 runs. New Zealand, who were set a target of 413 to win, were bowled out midway through the last day for 210 with captain Daniel Vettori top scoring with 67. Muttiah Muralitharn took 3 wickets. The second Test starts in Colombo on Wednesday.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Queenstown To Host Golden Oldies World Netball Festival

This November Queenstown will host the 13th annual Golden Oldies World Netball Festival, a celebration of fun, friendship and fraternity for netballers 35 years or over. With 50 teams already entered, more than 500 netballers, participants, spectators and supporters are expected from around the world for an exciting week of fun-filled entertainment and on and off-court activities. Game days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All games will be played at the Queenstown Events Centre (QEC) against the stunning backdrop of the surrounding Coronet Peak, Crown and Remarkables mountain ranges.
Voxy.co.nz

Fleetwood Mac heading to NZ

Fleetwood Mac are promising to play all the songs which made them famous when they return to New Zealand for the first time in nearly 30 years. The band have confirmed they will play a one-off, two-hour set at the Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth on December 29 following the success of their 55-city North American tour. The band said the tour had been enjoyable enough to add a two month stint through Europe and on to Australia and New Zealand.
NZPA

Australia oil spill may be extensive, says rig worker

An employee evacuataed from an oil rig in the Timor Sea off north-western Australia that is leaking oil into the sea says the spill may cover eight kilometres of ocean. The oil worker, who spoke to the ABC on the condition of anonymity, was one of 69 people evacuated to Darwin yesterday from the West Atlas Offshore drilling rig, 250km north of Truscott. The incident occurred about 4am local time on Friday. No one was injured. Australian safety authorities are investigating but are not sure how extensive the problem is. A plane was being used on Saturday to assess the size of the spill and how much environmental damage has been caused
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Dentist group wants voluntary bonding scheme

The president of the Dental Association has asked the Government to extend its voluntary bonding scheme to dental graduates. The government's bonding scheme offers student loan write-offs or cash for doctors, nurses and midwives who commit to work for between three and five years in hard-to-staff areas. Dr Mark Goodhew told the association's regional conference in Wellington that is also a challenge to attract dentists to smaller provincial and rural centres and less popular specialties.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Tongan ferry salvage unlikely, say police

Police in Tonga have indicated it is unlikely a salvage operation will be launched to recover either the Princess Ashika or the bodies it is thought to contain. The ferry sank on 5 August, 90 kilometres northwest of the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa. Fifty-four people survived, 72 are unaccounted for and two bodies have been recovered. The air and sea search for the ferry was officially ended at 12pm on Friday local time. New Zealand Navy personnel have left Tonga. Tonga's police commander, Chris Kelley, says other countries with sophisticated equipment are unable to carry out any salvage or body recovery because of the depth at which the wreck has settled. The ferry is sitting at 110 metres below sea level.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Stewart Island singles gear up for big night

One of the biggest nights on Stewart Island's social calendar takes place on Saturday, when hundreds pack the island's community centre for the annual singles ball. Organiser Doug Beck started the first Stewart Island Singles Ball five years ago, after realising there were four times as many single men on the island as women. He says the event has led to two marriages and hundreds of romantic liaisons. Mr Beck says tourists from Canada, the United States and Ireland and Australia have turned up at previous events, giving a tourism boost for the island. Up to 250 people are expected to attend the ball on Saturday night. All money raised from the event will go to Stewart Island charities.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

NZ loses Under 21 netball final

The New Zealand Under 21 netballers have lost the world youth championship final to Australlia in Rarotonga. The defending champions conceded early turnovers and Australia raced to a 21-5 lead after the first quarter and went on to win 64-46.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

NZers vote 'NO' for smack as criminal offence

Almost 90 per cent of people who participated in a referendum asking New Zealanders whether smacking should be illegal have voted no, preliminary results show. Family First is urging the government to respect public opinion and act on the result. The $9 million referendum asked: "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?" The 'NO' camp recorded an impressive result of over 1.4 million, or 87.6 per cent, in the preliminary count, while the 'YES' camp was under 200,000 or 11.81 per cent. The final result will be declared on Tuesday.
NZPA, NZ HERALD STAFF

Winter Games officially opens in Queenstown

Thousands of people have gathered at Queenstown's waterfront for the opening ceremony of the 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games. More than 800 athletes have registered for the event, which organisers are calling the biggest gathering of top skiers and snow sports competitors in the world, and second only to the Winter Olympics. Amid a colourful display of flags and fanfare, New Zealand's Governor-General Anand Satyanand declared the 10 days of competition officially open on Friday afternoon. Events in Queenstown, Wanaka, Naseby and Dunedin will see competition in everything from downhill skiing to figure skating.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Netball-Surprise Silver Ferns call-up for Willcox

There are two new caps in the Silver Ferns netball squad for the upcoming series against the world seven. Canterbury defender Larissa Willcox is the surprise inclusion in the 12-strong line-up. Her Tactix teammate, shooter Anna Thompson, has also earned a call-up. Veteran midcourter Temepara George is back in the squad after two years away from international netball. The Silver Ferns play the world seven in three tests next week, the first of which is in Wellington on Monday. The full squad is Liana Barrett-Chase, Maree Bowden, Temepara George, Katrina Grant, Paula Griffin, Joline Henry, Laura Langman, Larissa Willcox, Anna Thompson, Maria Tutaia , Irene van Dyk , Casey Williams.
© 2009 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

Drop in overseas travel

NewstalkZB
Fewer people are going on overseas holidays. New figures from Statistics New Zealand show almost 200,000 people went on short-term trips abroad in July. That is down two percent on the same time last year. While there were fewer holidays to Australia, Fiji and China, 1,600 more people jetted off to the Cook Islands and the United Kingdom.

The Greatest Show on Earth Has Arrived!!

Forty nations, 800 athletes, 220 media, 400 volunteers, 34 events, 15 sports and 10 days of the best winter sports action ever seen outside of the Olympics - it's the greatest show on snow and it's 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games! No other event has ever had the same calibre of athletes including Olympic medallists, X Games medallists, World Cup winners and World Championship medallists. The event opens Friday 21 August with the Opening Ceremony festivities in Queenstown. The action starts on Saturday 22 August at The Remarkables with the freeski slopestyle and continues through the week with snowboarding, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, freeskiing curling, ice hockey, figure skating, winter triathlon and natural luge. The competition takes place throughout Otago from the coastal town of Dunedin, to the plains of the Maniototo to the towns of Queenstown and Lake Wanaka, high in the Southern Alps.
For further information CLICK HERE

Aust, NZ make bid for $3.1b telescope

Australia and New Zealand have made a joint bid for a A$2.5 billion (NZ$3.1 billion) radio telescope that could help answer questions about the universe, including the existence of alien life. The Square Kilometre Array project would see up to 4000 individual radio telescopes spread across both countries, collecting spacial information from an area of 1 million square metres. The array will help scientists pore over the stars and black holes, help them search for intelligent life and earth-like planets, and discover how galaxies evolve. Australia and New Zealand will have to beat southern Africa for the rights to host the array, which would be funded by international partner governments.
AAP

Japanese street name returns

Wellington has set aside war time hostilities and named a pedestrian pathway between the cable car and Bolton St, Tokyo lane. The council's strategy and policy committee sanctioned the move yesterday, more than 60 years after Wellington's original Tokyo Lane near Stout Street and Lambton Quay, was renamed Farmers Lane during World War II. Councilor Andy Foster says a more prominent site could not be found to take on the name of the Japanese capital city, as the council would not change existing names of streets or other features.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Wind farm poses threat to native birds, says sanctuary

The wildlife sanctuary Zealandia, in the Wellington suburb of Karori, says a proposed wind farm could put endangered native birds at risk. The Mighty River Power proposal involves building 25 turbines, 30 metres high, to the west of Brooklyn and south of Karori. Zealandia operations manager Neil Anderson says the nearest turbine would be just over one kilometre from the sanctuary. He says international evidence suggests turbine blades pose a real risk to birds and other flying species, such as bats. Mr Anderson says the kereru, kaka and karearea (New Zealand falcon) could be vulnerable.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Heat pumps blamed for large power bills

The Domestic Energy Users Network says heat pumps are a major reason why many New Zealanders are paying higher prices for power. Molly Melhuish, a spokesperson for the advocacy group, says many consumers have received winter power bills almost twice as high as they were last year. She says people have put in heat pumps believing they are efficient and will therefore save them money, but the pumps are so inefficient on colder days that can make up for their efficiency on warmer days, putting up power bills. Ms Melhuish says the largest power bills are experienced by households in the coldest parts of the country.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Bill passing allows Cook Islands courts to sit offshore

The Cook Islands parliament has passed a bill allowing the High Court and the Court of Appeal to sit offshore. The Member of Parliament for Tongareva, Wilkie Rasmussen, says an offshore sitting of the Appeal Court will be the exception rather than the rule but it will save the country money. “When they sit in New Zealand it is less costly, for example the retention of QCs to appear in court, it’s less expensive because you know the clients don’t have to pay for their accommodation, their airfares and of course their salaries when they come over to the Cook Islands.” Wilkie Rasmussen says the new laws will take effect in three months.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International

At least nine injured in Lindis Pass crash

At least nine people have been injured in a serious crash in the Lindis Pass in Otago. Police say State Highway 8 is closed to traffic near Tinburn Road, following a collision between a camper van and a car on Thursday night. Police, fire and ambulance staff were at the scene. Medical crews from Dunedin and Christchurch were flown in by helicopter. The road will be closed overnight on Thursday.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Trans-Tasman travel to be easier and faster

New Zealand and Australia have confirmed new rules aimed at making trans-Tasman travel for most passengers faster and easier. The announcements were made following a meeting between New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Australian leader Kevin Rudd in Canberra on Thursday. Mr Key says New Zealand will stop checking every bag coming into the country. Passengers arriving on either side of the Tasman will be able to use Smartgate kiosks to scan their passports and avoid queuing in immigration lines. This will be introduced to airports progressively, beginning for arrivals at Auckland International Airport in December this year. Wellington and Christchurch will follow next year. As well, New Zealand will introduce a new system to only target visitors who pose a high risk to the country's biosecurity - meaning many will bypass the current process of having their baggage X-rayed.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Record increase in elective surgery, says minister

The Government says there has been a record increase since it took office in the amount of elective, or non-urgent, surgery being performed in hospitals. Health Minister Tony Ryall says 12,000 extra procedures have been done in the past year - three times its goal for the period. The minister says the Government has delivered on its three-year goal and across nearly all surgical specialties.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

NZ and Australia to work on Anzac force

CANBERRA - New Zealand and Australia are working on linking their defence forces to create a new Anzac contingent, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said today. The group would potentially draw on the troops and resources of both the Australian and New Zealand governments, although the details were yet to be worked out. Mr Rudd and his New Zealand counterpart John Key announced the plan today at Canberra's Parliament House, one of several stops in Mr Key's five-day Australian tour. "We're both willing to explore the possibility of forming, over time, an Anzac contingent...which might be commonly deployed to various security environments in the future," Mr Rudd told reporters. "We believe given the bonds that already exist between our armed forces, their common training, the compatibility of so much of their equipment (that) this is actually a useful thing for us to do together."
AAP

Hard times add zing to WOW (World of WearableArt)

It seems the global pinch is providing a positive creative spin-off for New Zealand’s largest art event - the Montana World of WearableArt Awards (WOW) in Wellington. Designers, including the largest-ever international contingent, have been inspired to use recycled and interesting materials - from cricket pads to bed springs - in a variety of creative ways to produce garments for the 2009 event. WOW, to be held this year from 25 September - 4 October, has become world famous for its unique combination of theatre, dance, colour, movement and art. The 2009 panel of judges has selected 165 garments from the UK, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, the USA, Canada and New Zealand for the event. WOW began in 1987 as a promotion for a rural art gallery when Nelson sculptor Suzie Moncrieff conceived the idea of exhibiting art in a live theatrical show. The annual show is now held in Wellington, and many costumes from previous shows are on public display at the World of WearableArt museum in Nelson.
CLICK HERE for the World of WearableArt link
AND HERE for the Tourism New Zealand website
Copyright 1999-2009 Tourism New Zealand

Helen Clark one of world's 100 most powerful women

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has been named as one of the most powerful women in the world by Forbes magazine. Topping the 100 Most Powerful Women list is German Chancellor Angela Merkel followed by leaders of major international companies. Miss Clark, who is now head of the United Nations development programme in New York, has been named at 60 in the list. Cristina Fernandez, president of Argentina, is named at number 11, with Sonia Gandhi president of the Indian National Congress Party at 13. Michelle Obama, wife of US President Barack, just pips Oprah Winfrey at 40. Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, is at 36 in the list.
Copyright 2009, APN Holdings NZ Limited

Single-sex schools better, research shows

New research has backed the argument that single-sex schooling narrows the gap in educational achievement between boys and girls, and may even give boys the edge. Evidence has been mounting in recent years that boys are slipping further behind girls in their schooling. Statistics from the 2008 NCEA results added fuel to the fire, with girls outperforming boys at every senior level. Research released today by the University of Otago from the long-running Christchurch Health and Development Study showed that single-sex schooling may be the answer. The study, published in the Australian Journal of Education, compared the educational achievements of more than 900 boys and girls who attended single-sex and co-educational secondary schools in New Zealand. It found that for students attending single-sex secondary schools, there was a slight tendency for boys to outperform girls. In contrast, for students attending co-educational schools, there was a clear tendency for girls to outperform boys.
NZPA

More extreme spring, summer predicted

New Zealanders should expect more extreme conditions this spring and summer as a result of an El Nino weather pattern, says the World Meteorological Organisation. In its latest update, it says there are rapid changes occurring in the tropical Pacific that will have an impact on the climate throughout the Pacific Basin. Spokesperson Jim Salinger says the pattern often brings cooler south westerlies in spring and more westerly winds in summer. Dr Salinger says that means it is likely to be cool and wet in the south of the country, but dry in the north and east, and in the northeast of the South Island. He says the El Nino pattern is likely to be weak to moderate and will last into first quarter of 2010.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Profit-pumped Kiwbank looks to keep expanding

Kiwibank says it remains focused on expanding its market share, after a lift in annual profit. The New Zealand Post subsidiary recorded a 19% increase in profit to $36.8 million in the year to June, mainly from growth in loans and deposits. Retail deposits rose 46% to $4.8 billion, and its lending portfolio rose by 57% to $5.6 billion, though a third of that increase in loans came from its acquisition of AMP's book. With a market share of about 6%, it is still a small player in the banking sector compared with its Australian-owned major rivals. The bank has 650,000 customers, and is attracting up to 2,000 customers a week.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

Lovely Bones could premiere in Wellywood

By Lesley Deverall - NewstalkZB
The premiere of Peter Jackson's blockbuster movie The Lovely Bones could be held in Wellington. The film, which is based on the book by Alice Sebold and features Hollywood stars Susan Sarandon and Mark Wahlberg opens in theatres on Boxing Day. A Wellington City Council spokesman says discussions are underway to hold the premiere on December 11 at the Embassy Theatre. The capital last hosted a New Zealand premiere for a blockbuster movie in 2005, for Peter Jackson's King Kong.

Review urges cold medicine ban for kids

By Martin Johnston
A Health Ministry review group wants to ban giving cough and cold medicines to children under 6. The proposal follows reports of deaths and hospital admissions overseas. The medicines, some of which contain pseudoephedrine, have been required since May to carry a label saying they should not be used for children under 2. The review group wants to extend that and remove the medicines from general sale for children aged 6 to 12. This would mean they could be supplied for that age group only by a registered pharmacist or on a doctor's prescription. The new labelling would go on more than 100 cough and cold medicines, including Vicks Formula 44, Benadryl Nightime syrup and Lemsip Chesty Cough linctus.

Fresh supplies en route to the ice

The first flight to Antarctica for six months will depart from Christchurch today. Following three months of darkness and half a year in isolation, the arrival of spring means the flights can resume to the icy continent. A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster is being used for the mission. Scott Base Winter Leader Nathan Cross says the plane will deliver fresh fruit and vegetables, mail and new staff to the New Zealand and US Antarctic stations. Twenty-six New Zealanders have been stationed at Scott Base for the winter to research the formation of sea ice.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd

Deposit scheme to be extended

By COLIN ESPINER - The Press
The government guarantee on lending deposits is set to be extended. Prime Minister John Key told a business audience in Melbourne yesterday that the Government was likely to extend its guarantee on deposits by a year to match the Australian guarantee. New Zealand's scheme was implemented by the former Labour government and will end in October next year, while Australia's has two more years to run. Key said that did not make sense, given that the New Zealand banking sector was dominated by Australian-owned banks. The Cabinet was considering the extension. "I would anticipate us making a decision on that within the next few weeks," Key said. The scheme underwrites almost the entire New Zealand and Australian banking system, worth about $150 billion.

Fish just passing visitors - judge

By MARTY SHARPE - The Dominion Post
A man caught fishing in a marine reserve during one of the country's biggest game-fishing tournaments has been fined $500 after a judge said the fish he was after were "just passing visitors". Pierre Van Der Zwet was on his boat, Black Mail, when he and three mates were caught trolling in Te Paepae Aotea marine reserve, near White Island, in January. He pleaded guilty in Napier District Court yesterday to fishing in the reserve. The Conservation Department wanted him to get a "substantial fine" and also wanted forfeiture of his $3500 fishing gear, but Judge Tony Adeane said the fish he was after were not resident in the reserve and fined him $500. "He's simply passing through your reserve hoping to meet a marlin or two," the judge said to DOC prosecutor Kevin Smith. Ocean fish in a marine reserve were just passing visitors "just as Mr Van Der Zwet was a passing visitor", he said.

NZ govt puts Pacific regional bodies on notice to lift their performance

The New Zealand Foreign Minister says non performing Pacific regional bodies face cuts to the millions of dollars of funding they receive through the New Zealand aid budget, while others could get more in this year’s allocations. Murray McCully says he expects the agencies to lift their performance and put more emphasis on issues such as fishing and transport. Last year, New Zealand provided about 13 million US dollars annually in aid to regional agencies such as the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the Pacific Islands Forum, the Forum Fisheries Agency and the University of the South Pacific. Mr McCully says he wants to send a transparent signal about what they should be delivering
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Energy drinks may get compulsory warnings

Food watchdogs are closely monitoring the energy drink industry to make sure products are not marketed at children. It follows an incident in Upper Hutt last week, where a teenager collapsed after consuming a Demon energy shot before school. The issue is also a hot topic across the Tasman, where supermarkets and school canteens are being asked to crack down on children buying large amounts of energy drinks. New South Wales' Parents and Citizens' Association is calling for a state wide ban on the sale of high-caffeine drinks such as Red Bull and V to school children. Experts claim the drinks cause behavioural issues, dizziness, headaches and dehydration - and some students substitute energy drinks for food. The association says schools should be banned from stocking the drinks.
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Welcome Home Loan scheme extended

First home buyers will be able to borrow more under the Welcome Home Loan mortgage insurance scheme. The scheme allows low income earners to borrow up to $200,000 without a deposit. A 15 percent deposit is needed to borrow more. The previous cap was $280,000, but Housing Minister Phil Heatley announced today that will be extended to $350,000.
NZPA

Polynesian artist debut in British Museum

A Wellington artist has become the first Polynesian to have work acquired by The British Museum in London, with a painting of the famous explorer Captain James Cook who discovered New Zealand in 1769. Artist Michel Tuffery's work ‘Cookie in the Cook Islands’ was purchased by The British Museum after a lengthy process, and not only becomes the first painting by a Polynesian artist to be acquired by the museum but also the only representation of Captain Cook by an indigenous artist in the Museum’s collections. Michel Tuffery, 43, was born in Wellington, and is of Samoan, Rarotongan and Tahitian descent. He is an acclaimed printmaker, painter and sculptor renowned for his ability to cross art forms and explore new boundaries. In 2008, Tuffery became the youngest recipient of a Member of the New Zealand Merit of Order in the Queen's Honours list for services to the Arts.
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Disgruntled employee crashes into IRD building

A disgruntled Inland Revenue employee who intentionally drove through the organisation's Christchurch building has appeared in court. David Jerrold Theobald, 47, appeared in Christchurch District Court on Tuesday charged with intentional damage and reckless driving, after driving into the building at 6.30am on Saturday. The car crashed through two sets of glass doors and smashed a third on the other side of the foyer before coming to a stop. Inland Revenue would not comment on the incident, but Theobald says he had received a letter from IRD's human resources saying: "Information has come to my attention which indicates that you may have intentionally driven a car through Inland Revenue's Christchurch building ... I am concerned that your conduct may be inconsistent with the Code of Conduct."
NZPA

Powerful quake rocks Kermadecs

A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake has struck off the remote Kermadec Islands north of New Zealand on Wednesday morning. The quake struck at 9:20 am, 370 kilometres north of Raoul Island in the Kermadec Islands at a depth of 280 kilometres. No tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre. The Kermadec islands are uninhabited apart from Raoul, where New Zealand's Department of Conservation maintains a field station. They lie 800 - 1000 km northeast of the North Island.
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Non-immunised pupils face ban from schools

Children who are not immunised against measles risk being sent home from school, the Ministry of Health warned today. The warning comes amid growing concerns about a potential epidemic, with the number of notified measles cases this year already seven times higher than the total number of cases last year. The ministry said in a statement that infected students and teachers would be excluded from school for seven days from the appearance of the rash. Those who were not immunised and were exposed to infected people would be excluded from school for 14 days from their last contact, the ministry said. The ministry's chief adviser for child and youth, Pat Tuohy, said it was important for parents to get their children immunised. "Measles is a highly infectious notifiable disease, with serious complications including ear infections, pneumonia and encephalitis or inflammation of the brain," Dr Tuohy said.
NZPA

Chemical residues in food continue to decline

Chemical residues and contaminants in food products are continuing to decline, a Food Safety Authority survey has found. The finding is contained in the authority's latest total diet study, a five-yearly survey that includes testing residue levels in commonly eaten foods. The first round of tests covered more than 60 regional foods from supermarkets and shops in Auckland, Napier, Christchurch and Dunedin. From 60,000 analyses it found only one sample where a residue was slightly above the maximum limit - tomatoes from Taupo containing the pesticide azaconazole. But the authority says the residue was still well below a level that would raise any health or safety concerns.
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Too much demand for subsidised home insulation

Demand for Government subsidised home insulation is outstripping supply according to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority. Figures for July, the first month of the Warm Up, Heat Smart initiative, show great regional variation, with some areas having no approved providers. The number of houses retrofitted last month was 3,282. Insulation was installed in 2,519 houses, 508 houses were retrofitted with clean heating appliances and 255 houses had both kinds of work done on them. Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee says those numbers were higher than he expected, and ahead of the Government's target of 27,500 homes in the first of four years of the scheme.
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Minister puts family before rugby

Transport Minister Steven Joyce has opted for a day out with his family rather than watching the All Blacks take on the Wallabies this weekend. Eight Cabinet ministers, including the Prime Minister, will be in Australia this week and six have accepted an invitation to the Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney on Saturday. Bill English and Steven Joyce have opted to return home early. Mr Joyce says family comes first. He says he does not get to see his family often so coming back Saturday night gives him a full day with them on Sunday.
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Victoria works on bushfire plans for at-risk towns

Fire authorities in the Australian state of Victoria are developing plans tailored specifically to 52 towns considered vulnerable to bushfires this summer. On Tuesday, the Bushfires Royal Commission issued its interim report on Victoria's Black Saturday fires, which killed 173 people in February. The Victorian government says the township protection plans will relate to centres in areas between Bendigo and Ballarat and in far east Gippsland. State Premier John Brumby says specific attention must be given to those regions. Mr Brumby says bushfire conditions for the forthcoming summer could be even worse than those that led to the Black Saturday firestorms.
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Australia, China sign huge energy deal

An energy deal has been signed in Beijing that will fuel the biggest single investment ever made in Australia. Chinese resource company PetroChina has signed a deal to buy $A50 billion of liquefied natural gas from Australia over 20 years. The gas will come from the Gorgon field off the coast of Western Australia. Exploiting the gas field will result in Australia's biggest construction project and the creation of thousands of jobs.
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Aucklanders don't want assets sold, survey finds

A vast majority of Aucklanders say they do not want to see the planned super-city council sell off significant regional assets, a survey has found. The poll conducted by UMR Research shows 85% of Aucklanders questioned oppose selling water supply assets to private companies and 82% of those polled do not want things like parks, libraries and recreational facilities sold. The idea of getting rid of transport assets such as the port and airport was opposed by 78% of respondents.
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Wine exports just shy of $1b

New Zealand wine exports have hit a new high, just short of $1 billion. In the year to June, companies sold a total of 113 million litres of wine, which returned a record $992 million. New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan says it is a substantial increase on the previous year, which was also a record. Highlights of the past year include 51% more wine being sold in Australia and a 22% increase in exports to Britain, he says.
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Snow stars swoop in for Winter Games NZ

The record-breaking 2009 winter season that’s kept New Zealand ski resorts humming is set to ramp up as the inaugural 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games get underway this weekend. Six winter sports destinations in the New Zealand’s South Island will host the high profile international snow and ice show - the biggest winter snow sports event outside the Winter Olympics - from 21 to 30 August. Hundreds of top sports stars representing 30 nations have signed up to compete in 24 snow sports, including ski racing, curling, snowboarding and skating. Queenstown - New Zealand’s adventure and snow sports capital - is gearing up for the outdoor spectacle that will launch Winter Games NZ on Friday.
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McCully defends sending troops to Afghanistan

The National Government was forced to defend its plan to send SAS troops back to Afghanistan during a snap debate in Parliament on Tuesday. The Cabinet has approved the return of the elite troops and plans to withdraw the Provincial Reconstruction Team from Bamyan province over the next three to five years. Greens MP Keith Locke led the debate on Tuesday, saying his party opposes the redeployment of SAS troops. Mr Locke told the House the Greens do not want New Zealand soldiers fighting and dying in an unjustifiable war that is not helping the Afghan people. Maori Party MP Hone Harawira agreed that SAS troops should not be sent and questioned whether the decision was in New Zealand's best interests.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand

More NZers diagnosing illnesses online: Survey

More New Zealanders are diagnosing their illnesses online instead of going to their GP, according to a new survey. More than a third of those surveyed in the 2009 NetGuide Telecom broadband survey had looked for medical advice from the many internet-based resources available rather than visiting their GP. There are 22 million possible results for swine flu on Yahoo!Xtra, 83 million results for how to treat a cold, and more than 69 million for how to tell if your child is sick. There are also many websites providing medical advice including answers.com, diagnoseme.com and healthline.com. But New Zealand Medical Association chairman Peter Foley warned there was no substitute for a face to face consultation with a doctor for diagnoses.
NZPA

NZ's young netballers still have plenty to work on

The New Zealand under 21 netball side will move a step closer to retaining their world title as they enter the quarter finals of the World Youth championships in Rarotonga . New Zealand will play Malawi tonight. And despite going through pool play without any problems, coach Yvette McCausland-Durie says there's still work to be done. In the other quarter-finals, Australia play Cook Islands, Jamaica play Northern Ireland and England play South Africa.
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Ngai Tahu offers Aorangi lifeline

By REBECCA TODD - The Press
Ngai Tahu has offered to pay for the rebuilding of Christchurch's Aorangi School in what would be the first public-private school partnership between an iwi and the Crown. The proposed deal for the school, which faces closure because of a falling roll and a dispute over replacing its dilapidated buildings, would see its buildings owned by Ngai Tahu and leased to the Crown. Aorangi board of trustees member Andrew Oh said the school, which has a 40 per cent Maori roll and a bilingual unit, had been put in a difficult situation by the announcement of a Government review of its future in June. Education Minister Anne Tolley is expected to make a decision next week. Oh said the Government had been promoting the idea of a public-private partnership (PPP) and Ngai Tahu's commercial arm had been looking at getting into education, so Aorangi School was a "perfect opportunity".

Physiotherapists: We'll have to pass on higher cost

A decision by ACC to cut physiotherapy funding by up to 30% will force practitioners to pass on the extra cost to clients, says a group representing physiotherapists. The Society of Physiotherapists says the profession was shown to be already under-subsidised two years ago. From November, the Accident Compensation Corporation will offer only a partial subsidy to patients at a flat rate, paving the way for physiotherapists to add their own charges, the way doctors do now. ACC has confirmed it is to cut funding by as much as 30%, contributing $44 for the first appointment to a physiotherapist and $32 for follow-up visits.
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Higher driving age, lower alcohol limit floated by Govt

Raising the driving age to 17 and further tightening of alcohol limits are two of the ideas to improve road safety the Government has put forward for public consultation today. Transport Minister Steven Joyce released the "Safer Journeys" discussion document which puts forward more than 60 suggestions of changes to laws, regulations and policies to reduce the road toll. Lifting the minimum driving age from 15 to 17 is one of them. There is currently a bill before Parliament to raise the age to 16 and to extend the learner licence period from six months to 12 months. Another idea is to reduce the legal blood alcohol limit from 80mg per 100ml to 50mg per 100ml, or alternatively leave the limit at 80mg and increase the penalties. There could also be a zero blood alcohol limit for those under 20
NZPA

Shot Put Champ settles back into the mundane

Champion shot putter Valerie Vili is keeping her feet on the ground, after receiving her medal at the World Championships for successfully defending her title at Berlin's Olympic Stadium on Sunday. The 24-year-old is now a two-time Olympic gold medalist and world champion as well as a world indoor champion. Vili says it was hard to sleep last night for the excitement but it is business as usual in her world. She says Val is still Val and this morning she has to do her own washing and that of her coach. Vili will take a few days off to recover but is competing again next weekend.
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Cement plant will employ hundreds

A new multi-million dollar cement plant near Oamaru is tipped to bring hundreds of jobs to the region. The Environment Court has granted resource consent to Holcim New Zealand to build the facility at Weston, near Oamaru. Holcim's capital projects manager, Ken Cowie, says the three year project will be good news for the region, with up to 400 people on site during construction and 125 jobs created afterwards.
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Aussies book in advance

Most people book their accommodation before travelling. The Ministry of Tourism's Regional Visitor Monitor survey shows nearly two-thirds of international visitors book ahead. Australians are more likely than other nationality to book at least some accommodation before they arrive at a destination. Seventy-five percent of Aussie visitors booked accommodation prior to arrival compared to 60 percent for all other markets. The survey says it is surprising that Australians are more likely than any other market to pre-book accommodation using a travel agent. Ministry of Tourism Research Manager, Bruce Bassett, says the shorter length of stay by Australian visitors is a likely factor in the pre-booking behaviour.
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Dunedin council buys Carisbrook for $7m

Dunedin City Council has bought hallowed southern rugby ground Carisbrook for $7 million. The deal was struck by the council and the Otago Rugby Football Union and includes a $2 million loan repayment in return for a three-year lease. Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin says the agreement represents a sound investment, based on a rigorous independent valuation.
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