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Wednesday, September 30

Parliamentary staff set to go on strike

Staff at Parliament have voted to go on strike in protest at their employer freezing their pay. The dispute involves more than 120 parliamentary staff and includes security officers, parliamentary library staff, reception workers and messengers. The industrial action is due to begin on Thursday, with Parliament security officers who work the night shift attending a one-hour stopwork meeting.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Scores feared dead in Pacific tsunami

More than 100 people are believed to have been killed after an earthquake triggered a tsunami in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday. Hundreds more are injured, according to officials. The quake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale occurred near the islands of Samoa and American Samoa at 6.48am, generating waves of up to five metres high. The quake's epicentre was 190km southwest of the islands, at a depth of 33km. Officials say 47 people are confirmed dead in Samoa on Wednesday, but expect the actual number of those killed is closer to 100. Teams are searching for victims, with reports some villages in the country's southeast have been destroyed. Samoa's health chief says the injured are being stabilised by teams in villages and will be taken to the main hospital, but roads and communications are badly damaged. In neighbouring American Samoa, 24 people are confirmed to have died and the capital Pago Pago is said to be devastated. In Tonga, officials believe five people habe died on a northern island which borders Samoa. The New Zealand Government said it believes that one New Zealander may have been killed in Samoa. Acting Prime Minister Bill English said the unconfirmed report has come from a family member and is being considered reliable.
The New Zealand Government said it has been told that other countries in the area, including the Cook Islands and low-lying Tokelau, have not sustained any damage.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand.



Outdoor code to be released

The Walking Access Commission was to release on Wednesday draft guidelines covering a new outdoor code and a strategy for access to the country's beaches, waterways, mountains and forests. The commission was created to put into effect the previous Government's proposals for improving public access to the coastline, significant waterways and other parts of the countryside. That will be done through negotiation with landowners. The Walking Access Commission is now working on a mapping system that will outline areas of legal public access.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Windfarm near Raglan next Meridian project

Meridian Energy says the 64 megawatt Te Uku windfarm near Raglan is likely to be the next of its renewable energy projects to get underway. The state-owned power company is planning to spend $2.6 billion dollars over next five years on upgrading and building new assets, including wind projects in New Zealand and some in Australia. Chief executive Tim Lusk says some of the projects in its renewable energy development programme are at consenting stage, and total more than 900 megawatts of generation from hydro or wind.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Waves "as high as coconut trees"

The death toll from the Samoan earthquake and tsunami is growing fast with the devastation at its worse on the southeast coast of the Western Samoan island Upolu. A New Zealand man who has had been in touch with his family in Lalomanu has learned 40 people there have been killed by waves of up to six metres which struck the coast. In American Samoa, more than a dozen people have lost their lives. Local schools and halls in Samoa have been turned into emergency centres. National Disaster Centre spokeswoman Philomena Nelson is advising people to stay on higher ground while authorities look for bodies and survivors.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Pacific role for Anzac force

By MARTIN KAY - The Dominion Post
A planned Anzac contingent is likely to focus on peacekeeping and disaster recovery and operate only in the South Pacific, says Defence Minister Wayne Mapp. Dr Mapp and Australian Defence Minister John Faulkner will meet in Sydney today to begin talks on how the proposed Australia-New Zealand unit might work after it won backing from both countries' prime ministers. Dr Mapp said it was likely the contingent would include army, navy and air force personnel, and go a step further than the existing close co-operation between Kiwi and Australian troops brought together to quell unrest in the Solomons and East Timor. "We're thinking something more of a, literally, joint force ... an Anzac force. Within that there's a range of options."



NZ poised to help Samoa - govt

By HANK SCHOUTEN - The Dominion Post
New Zealand stands ready to assist Samoa and the wider Pacific region following today's quake and tsunami, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today. New Zealand diplomatic posts throughout the Pacific were gathering as much information as possible and how New Zealand may be able to assist, Mr McCully said. The Government is likely to send an Orion to Samoa to help search for survivors and assess damage. Mr McCully said there were 76 New Zealanders registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as being in Samoa, but the numbers were likely to be far higher given it is the school holidays here. People concerned about family members in Samoa should try to make contact with them in the first instance. Those with ongoing concerns can call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 04 439 8000, and provide as many contact details as possible. Anyone worried about the safety of non-New Zealand relatives in Samoa should contact the Samoan High Commission on 04 472 0953. The Red Cross is accepting donations for those affected by the earthquake and tsunami.



11.20am NZT-Tsunami warnings for Pacific cancelled

A tsunami warning for the Pacific region has been cancelled, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre says on Wednesday. However, warnings are still in place for people to stay off all beaches.
Source: Reuters/ONE News



10.47am NZT-Deaths in Samoa after huge quake, tsunami

A magnitude 8.0 earthquake in Samoa has triggered a tsunami that has killed five people, flattened houses and swept away cars. A spokesperson for New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister says five people have died and others have been swept out to sea by the tsunami and are still unaccounted for. Russell Hunter, a journalist with the Samoa Observer, says among the dead are three children. Local radio in American Samoa is reporting 14 deaths.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Tsunami causes deaths in American Samoa and Samoa

Posted at 21:30 on 29 September, 2009 UTC
Five people in Samoa are confirmed to have been killed by a tsunami following this morning’s 8.3 earthquake. In neighbouring American Samoa, the tsunami has caused some deaths, but there is no word of how many died. The West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center earlier said a tsunami warning had been issued for American Samoa, and other Pacific countries including Samoa, New Zealand, Niue, Wallis-Futuna, Tokelau, Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Kermadec Islands, Fiji, Kermadec Islands, French Polynesia, Howland-Baker, Jarvis Island, and Palmyra Island. There is a red alert in French Polynesia as a tsunami is expected to hit shortly.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



10.30am Latest-Civil Defence warnings throughout NZ

Civil Defence organisations all over New Zealand are issuing tsunami warnings after an earthquake off Samoa. Residents in low-lying areas of the Coromandel coast are being urged to move to higher ground immediately and fire service staff are driving around urging these residents to move. Harbourmasters are being told by Environment Waikato not to move on the water. Waikato Civil Defence says people living or working on the coasts should be on high alert especially residents in Raglan, Kawhia and Mokau and all coastal settlements near these areas. Hawke's Bay Civil Defence is telling residents to keep away from beaches and residents of Te Kaha, East Cape have been instructed to go to high ground. Napier, Northland and Southland have also issued alerts. Auckland regional authorities are advising people on Great Barrier Island, Waiheke Island and on regional coastlines to seek higher ground.
Copyright © 2008, Television New Zealand Limited



Update-Tsunami hits Samoa after huge earthquakedate-

A tsunami has hit Samoa in the wake of an 8.3 magnitude earthquake, flattening houses and sweeping away cars. Civil Defence in New Zealand is warning of a tsunami. The epicentre of the quake was 190 km southwest of the islands, at a depth of 33 km, at 6.48am (NZ time). A resident of a coastal village, Theresa Falele Dussey, says her house has been destroyed by the tsunami, as were houses and cars in a neighbouring village. She has been evacuated to Mt Vaea and said people were simply thankful that they had survived. A New Zealand tourist, Graeme Ansell, says a village on the south-east coast was flattened. He says he clambered up a nearby hill, and one of the people he is with has a broken leg. The earthquake lasted as long as a minute-and-a-half, the spokesman for the national disaster office of Samoa said, and people in Apia are continuing to experience aftershocks.
Warning issued by NZ authorities
Civil Defence in has issued a warning for all of New Zealand. The head of Civil Defence in New Zealand, John Hamilton, says the Ministry has alerted the country's emergency groups and has activated the National Crisis Management Centre. It advises people to listen broadcasts on radio from local civil defence authorities and local emergency services. It does not expect New Zealand to experience the same impact as Samoa, but people in coastal areas, especially on eastern and northern coasts, should be ready to be evacuate promptly if they are told to.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Tsunami warning issued for New Zealand

Published: 7:14AM Wednesday September 30, 2009
Source: Reuters/ONE News/Newstalk ZB
A tsunami watch is in effect for New Zealand, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and other small Pacific islands. The epicentre of the quake was located 204 km southwest of American Samoa. It struck at a depth of 33 km. An earthquake of this magnitude is capable of causing a tsunami. The Centre told ONE News if a tsunami does reach New Zealand it would hit the North Island after 10.00am. New Zealand is around 3,000ks southwest from American Samoa. The agency noted that its warning did not mean a tsunami had necessarily been generated by the quake but the Centre says three metre high waves have been reported in Samoa.



Huge earthquake shakes Samoa

The earthquake that hit off the coast of Samoa has been upgraded to a magnitude 8.3, and sea levels indicated a tsunami was generated, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says. The epicentre of the quake was 190 km southwest of the islands, at a depth of 33 km, at 6.48am (NZ time). The warning includes Samoa, American Samoa, New Zealand, Niue, Wallis-Futuna, Tokelau, Cook Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Kermadec Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Howland-Baker, Jarvis Is and Palmyra Is, the Center's website says.
Warning issued by NZ authorities
Civil Defence in has issued a warning for all of New Zealand.
The head of Civil Defence in New Zealand, John Hamilton, says the Ministry has alerted the country's emergency groups and has activated the National Crisis Management Centre. Detailed evacuation advice will come from local authorities and local emergency services. It says people should act on any advice they receive promptly and evacuate if they are told to.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, September 29

Entertainer Sir Howard Morrison laid to rest

Sir Howard Morrison has been laid to rest at Kauae cemetery near Rotorua. Sir Howard, one of New Zealand's best-loved entertainers, died in his sleep at his home in the Rotorua suburb of Ohinemutu last Thursday. He was 74. Thousands of people have turned out to celebrate his life, following a five-day tangi culminating in his funeral and burial on Tuesday afternoon. Sir Howard's casket was accompanied to the cemetery at Ngongotaha by close family. Sir Howard was buried among the family of his wife Lady Kuia Morrison, close to his own whanau's resting grounds.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



First home-grown vanilla crop harvested

A Tauranga-based company has harvested its first crop of home-grown vanilla beans. Heilala Vanilla has been growing the beans in Tonga for the past four years already. Director Garth Boggiss says the vanilla plant, which is actually an orchid, usually flourishes only in tropical areas around the equator, but the company wanted to try to grow them in Tauranga. Using a special geo-thermal heated plastic house to re-create the climate the orchids need, the young crop first flowered last year. Mr Boggiss says it has produced about 1000 vanilla beans. He says it will take six weeks for the flavours to develop and how the New Zealand environment may have affected the taste is 'anyone's guess'. Mr Boggiss says the first harvest will not be available in shops, but will be sold for use in restaurants in New Zealand, Australia and South-East Asia.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Customer service back in vogue with business

Businesses appear to be returning to the old fashioned value of customer service, in a bid to improve their top line. A survey of 620 companies by PricewaterhouseCoopers found nearly half of them plan to boost revenues over the next year by putting customers first. In addition, more than a third plan to sell into new markets to grow revenues. Only a quarter are focusing on cost cutting, which was the dominant trend in the previous survey. PWC partner Owen Gibson says the shift in attitude reflects growing confidence in the business environment.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Kordia considers undersea cable

Kordia directors are meeting to discuss the future of a proposed fibre-optic trans-Tasman cable. The telecommunications cable, which its estimated will cost about $200 million, is planned to run between Auckland - Sydney. The State-owned Kordia last year signed a memorandum of understanding with Pipe Networks of Australia intending to build the cable. Kordia says the submarine cable would provide competition for Telecom's Southern Cross Cable.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Kiwi takes flight

Some people discover the image of Jesus on their toast while others see the Virgin Mary's reflection in a waterfall. Now a kiwi has been discovered in outer space. Astrophotographer Fraser Gunn claims he has picked up the outline of New Zealand's national icon in the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy which is 26,000 light years away. He spotted the bird image using a high powered astro-photograph at Tekapo's Mt John Observatory. He says it is difficult to locate the kiwi when looking at the area with the naked eye but his camera allows greater light into the image, giving it more definition.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Bowie missing from BDO line-up

The first announcement for next year's Big Day Out line-up is out. Missing from the list is David Bowie, who was widely rumoured to be the event's major draw card. Lily Allen is among those winging their way here, having said just five days ago that she was taking a break from the music scene. Other big name acts set to take the stage at Mt Smart Stadium on January 15, include Muse, Peaches, Dizzee Rascal, The Mars Volta, Powderfinger and Groove Armada.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Tickets sell like hot cakes

Tickets to Wellington's biggest party sold out in a record three minutes this morning. Eight and a half thousand rugby sevens tickets went on sale at 9am. Tickets have already gone on sale on Trade Me with one set of four attracting 20 bids, reaching more than $900. Organisers say they will be cracking down on anyone trying to make a profit from the tickets and anyone caught on-selling them will run the risk of having them cancelled. The tournament is being held at Westpac Stadium on February 5 and 6 and has sold out every year for the past eight years.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Steven Joyce backs TranzAlpine train

More money should be pumped into the TranzAlpine passenger train, Transport Minister Steven Joyce says. A day after saying he wanted to axe KiwiRail's $90 million taxpayer subsidy "as quickly as possible", Joyce said yesterday he did not mean there should be cuts to services such as the TranzAlpine. He said the tourist trip between Christchurch and Greymouth was one of the top train journeys in the world. "If anything, I'd like to see them look at ways to develop it further, to make more money. I would have thought it was the same for the TranzCoastal [Christchurch to Picton]," he said "I think there's a range of things they could do to possibly invest further in them." Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism chief executive Christine Prince said Joyce's comments were positive.
The Press



Primary School looking to unearth the next top athlete

By NATHAN BEAUMONT - The Dominion Post
A primary school has developed a special class that will base its curriculum around sport to capture pupils' attention and unearth the next top athlete. The sports academy at Naenae Primary School – for year 4, 5 and 6 pupils – will still have normal lessons, but they will all be taught with a focus on sport from term one next year. Maths will use scores and statistics from All Blacks and Silver Ferns matches, spelling and writing will involve jargon words from various sports and major events such as the football World Cup will be used for geography lessons. Pupils will write stories about their matches, read the sports sections of newspapers every day, get specialist coaching and learn about nutrition and health. They will also work on sports skills during two PE lessons each day. Education Minister Anne Tolley praised the idea, saying it was a perfect example of a school using the new curriculum to match its needs.



Shortage of labour expected by timber company

A timber company expects to run into trouble finding enough workers to harvest wood to meet demand from China when the season peaks over the summer months. Figures from Statistics New Zealand show that log sales to China have risen fivefold in the past 18 months to a value of $150 million in the last quarter. Professional Harvesting Systems issued a warning about the lack of available workers last year. With the increase in demand from China, the Rotorua-based company now says the labour shortage may be worse this year.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Monday, September 28

Henry on future of rugby

All Blacks coach Graham Henry is advocating one point penalties in the future. He's told Britain's Independent newspaper it comes with the increase in technology to both boots and ball where it can be kicked up to 15 metres further out of the hand and to goal. Henry says kicking the ball 60 metres these days is a skill but it is not one of the original ideas of the game, given the length of the field is unlikely to be increased. He says it changes both the nature of the game and the penalty. Henry said he fears New Zealand and Australia have most to worry about if the game contracts. South Africa dominated the Tri-Nations on the back of a kicking strategy.
© 2009 NZCity, NewsTalkZB



Chinese legal help sought in hunt for couple

The help of Chinese legal authorities is being sought in the hunt the Rotorua couple who vanished after $10 million was mistakenly credited to their bank account. Leo Gao and Kara Mary Jo Hurring, who left the country in May, are believed to be hiding out in China. Some of the miscredited money was recovered but the Westpac bank says it is still owed $3.8 million. The Crown Law Office has now sent legal requests to China's Attorney- General and the administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Australia intercepts two more boats

Two more boats carrying asylum seekers have been intercepted off the north-west coast of Australia. The ABC reports one of the boats was intercepted late on Sunday afternoon north-west of Darwin and was carrying 12 passengers. The second boat was found north of Ashmore Reef and had 28 passengers and 4 crew on board. All on board are now on their way to Christmas Island for security, identity and health checks. Nine boats have tried to enter Australia illegally in the past month, bringing a total of about 470 passengers and crew.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Cigarette warning rules not strictly followed

Researchers at Otago University say tobacco companies are not following the rules around displaying graphic images of the effects of smoking on cigarette packs. Tobacco companies are required to distribute the health warnings, which include images of a diseased mouth and gangrenous toes, evenly across all cigarette packets. But Marketing Professor Janet Hoek says the most offensive pictures are being printed on packs less frequently than those that are less disturbing. Professor Hoek says the results suggest that tobacco companies are trying to reduce the impact of the Government health warnings by limiting the number of the most disturbing images.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



$65 million LPG plant at Taranaki for Todd

Todd Energy is to spend $65 million building a liquefied petroleum gas plant in Taranaki. Todd says the plant, at its McKee site near New Plymouth, should be built within 12 months. It says the plant will produce LPG from its Mangahewa and Pohukura fields to be sold through its retail company, Nova Energy. Todd says the plant will help reduce New Zealand's dependence on imported LPG.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Deep water could meet all NZ's energy needs

By Eloise Gibson
The drive to run New Zealand on 100 per cent renewable power could get a boost if scientists discover pockets of energy they suspect are buried between 5km and 7km deep. Geologists think there may be enough scalding hot water locked in underground reservoirs to power more than half the country's homes - if it can be found and tapped. They have embarked on a four-year project to plumb the country's main geothermal hot-bed, the Taupo Volcanic Zone in the central North Island, to depths twice what existing geothermal drilling projects can reach. Project leader Greg Bignall of GNS Science said there could be the equivalent of up to 10,000MW of electricity, every year for 100 years, in fissures deeper and hotter than they ones they have tapped.



Lunch bargain at top restaurant

Wellingtonians are being given the chance to eat a three course meal at a top restaurant for just $3.50. The award-winning Logan Brown Restaurant & Bar is offering 80 people the cheap lunch to raise awareness about climate change. The $3.50 lunch competition is a reference to climate change action group 350 Aotearoa. Logan Brown managing director Steve Logan says the idea came to him after watching the documentary 'The Age of Stupid.' He says it is a powerful movie and made him want to do something to raise awareness about climate change. People can enter the competition online and the winners will be announced on October 14.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Sunday, September 27

'A bit more crying to do yet' - Temuera Morrison

Hundreds of people have spent the day on Te Papaiourou marae near Rotorua where the body of Sir Howard Morrison lies in an open casket. Acting Prime Minister Bill English and New Zealand First Party leader Winston Peters were among those who came to the marae on Sunday to pay their respects. The funeral of Sir Howard, who died on Thursday aged 74, is at Kauae cemetery, Ngongotaha, on Tuesday. For the whanau, says his nephew, actor Temuera Morrison, there's "a bit more crying to do yet". A condolence book is open at the Rotorua Civic Centre.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Oxford University out-rowed by Waikato in annual boat race

Waikato University has beaten Oxford University from England in the annual boat race on the Waikato river. The Waikato eight led all the way along the 4.2km route through central Hamilton. A large crowd lined the route. Each year Waikato takes on either Oxford, Cambridge or Harvard university crews. In an earlier women's race Sydney University beat Waikato University.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Storm moving in

By Tim DOWER - NewstalkZB
A wall of thunderstorms the length of the country is moving in from the Tasman Sea. The weather extremes are being driven by the same large low pressure system which was responsible for another dust storm in Sydney yesterday. Weather Analyst Philip Duncan says we can expect heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong winds and even snow across New Zealand over the next 3 or 4 days. The thunderstorms are likely to move over the South Island overnight, and tomorrow morning across the North Island.



Iodised salt now required as bread ingredient

Bakers in New Zealand are now required to add iodised salt to bread, in an effort to counter a growing problem of iodine deficiency. From 27 September, iodised salt is to be added to all types of bread, except for organic and flat breads, replacing plain salt. The Food Safety Authority says iodised table salt has supplied a sufficient amount of the mineral to people's diets in the past, but many people are now using other salts, believing they too contain iodine. The agency says tests show rock salt and sea salt don't contain iodine, so adding it to bread will help ensure people get the required dose.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Cooper shocked over look-alike garment in UK

Fashion designer Trelise Cooper says she is shocked that a garment closely resembling one in her latest collection, is on sale in a British chain store, Top Shop. A grey jersey with a red sequinned bow was featured in her catwalk show during New Zealand Fashion Week. Ms Cooper says the design of the garment is her own, but her knitwear supplier in Hong Kong suggested the bow - and she liked it. She says the supplier may have also sold it to the designer of the Top Shop jersey about the same time - and if that's the case, she will not be happy. Ms Cooper has had intellectual property disputes in the past, challenging Arrowtown designer Tamsin Cooper over the use of the name Cooper.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Commonwealth group wants Fiji excluded from Games

Fiji's chance of participating in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi is looking less likely after a meeting of the Commonwealth ministerial action group. A spokesperson for the group says the Commonwealth Games Federation will be asked to review Fiji's participation. Eduardo del Buey told Radio New Zealand that a decision was made at the meeting in New York on Saturday to try to have Fiji excluded from the Games. Mr Buey said Fiji will have to be boycotted in line with its suspension from the Commonwealth, unless the interim government commits to elections before 2014.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Plunket-style tables for school reports

By CATHERINE WOULFE - Sunday Star Times
The new primary and intermediate school reports about to be rolled out by National are likely to look like Plunket growth charts - and parents have told the government they want to see three or four each year so they can keep a close eye on their children's progress. The reports are a key part of the controversial new "national standards" system, intended to give officials and parents a clear picture, in plain language, of how each child and school is achieving. The similarity to the Plunket chart is understood to be deliberate, requested by Education Minister Anne Tolley, as they are familiar for parents. Plunket's growth charts track children's weight and height - by contrast the school graph will measure a child's performance in reading, writing and maths against a national benchmark. The new reports will also include sections that give parents a summary of their child's learning and practical steps they can take at home to help their child improve. At the moment, many school reports are full of jargon. Parents can see the skills expected at each year level by searching "The Standards" at www.minedu.govt.nz.



October set to kick off wild weather

By Anna Leask
October is set to live up to its billing as the stormiest month of the year with forecasters predicting violent and windy weather. Weatherwatch analyst Phil Duncan said we could be in for a "pounding" after the spring equinox on Wednesday. "The arrival of the equinox is Mother Nature's green light to kick off the violent spring weather." Duncan said a "massive low" would move in from Australia towards the end of the week - closely followed by another low soon after. We can expect heavy rain and an increased chance of thunderstorms in the west and drier weather in the east, where temperatures could reach 29C.



Food labelling won't work without education: expert

Sunday Star Times
Slapping a high-fat content label on food won't stop people eating it, says a visiting nutrition expert. Josephine Wills, European Food Information Council director general, says food labelling is useless without supporting education and advertising campaigns. Guest speaker at this week's Nutrition Foundation annual meeting, Wills says research shows consumers can identify healthy foods, "but they're not acting on it". In Europe, half of shoppers knew which foods had less salt, fat and sugar - but in a supermarket aisle, only between nine percent and 27 percent made the healthier choice. "Taste and price are the strongest drivers when it comes to food choice. Nutrition is a little bit lower down." Wills said there were lessons for New Zealand. "Don't put all your eggs into thinking you must get the exact nutrition labelling system and then forget to put money in the 'let's communicate' pot.



No agreement between Commonwealth and Fiji

The Commonwealth has described as "disappointing" a meeting between its Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma and Fiji's interim leader Frank Bainimarama. The two met in New York on Friday where the Commodore is attending the United Nations General Assembly. During the meeting, Mr Sharma told Commodore Bainimarama that delays to elections in Fiji until 2014 would not be supported by the Commonwealth. He urged that elections be held as soon as possible and said that the Commonwealth would be ready to support such a process. Mr Sharma also raised concerns about the human rights situation in Fiji and urged the Commodore to rescind the Public Emergency Regulations presently in force. Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth on 1 September. It is also suspended from the Pacific leaders Forum. Commodore Bainimarama overthrew the elected Government on 7 December, 2006. It was the fourth coup in Fiji since 1987.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Saturday, September 26

Clock's go forward overnight

New Zealand goes into daylight saving time for the coming summer months early tomorrow morning. Timepieces go forward one hour at 2am, so 2am becomes 3am. New Zealand Daylight Time, as it is officially known, will end on Sunday April 4 next year.



Dance up a storm in Auckland

If you feel like a bit of a dance today, head to downtown Auckland and get your groove on. Tempo, New Zealand's Festival of Dance, will make a swinging start with its dance parade. Anyone is welcome to join and it starts at Princes Wharf at 1.30pm today. The beat will be provided by a Tongan brass band and drummers. At 2pm, there is a free outdoor salsa lesson in the Britomart carpark. Tempo runs until October 31 and its programme includes dance performances of all styles.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Bottled water ban now in place in NSW town

Bundanoon in New South Wales is the first town in Australia to officially ban the sale of bottled water from Saturday. Bottles of water have been removed from shop shelves and replaced by reusable plastic bottles. (to be filled with tap water). A number of water stations have been installed. The ABC reports more than 350 residents voted in July to support the campaign.
(Ed:The ban has been triggered by concerns about the carbon footprint associated with bottling and transporting the water)
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Another blow for old pub

A Central Otago pub has been extensively damaged in a fire, just months after having its roof ripped off by a tornado. The Bannockburn Hotel, near Cromwell, was built in 1867, but its future is now unclear. The fire broke out at lunchtime on Friday. Fire crews from Cromwell, Clyde and Alexandratook two hours to extinguish it. Assessors are going to the hotel Saturday to determine if it can be salvaged or if it will have to be demolished.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



King Tuheitia pays respect to Sir Howard

The Maori King, Tuheitia, has been welcomed on to Te Papaiouru Marae at Ohinemutu in Rotorua, to pay his respects to the late entertainer, Sir Howard Morrison. Sir Howard died on Thursday, aged 74. His first cousin, Monty Morrison, says King Tuheitia is currently inside the marae with a Tainui delegation of about 500 people. Mr Morrison says up to 3000 people have visited the marae since Friday. Sir Howard's burial at Kauae cemetery is planned for Tuesday.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Tobacco ban not on the cards - National

The National Party says it is willing to look at ways to reduce smoking but will not go as far as some Maori Party proposals that include a ban on smoking. The industry is in the firing line of the Maori Affairs Select Committee, which has announced it will hold an inquiry into the impact of tobacco on Maori. Ministry of Health officials told the committee that 46% of Maori are regular smokers compared to 21% of non-Maori. The Maori Party is pushing for a total ban on smoking and on smoking displays, as well as higher taxes on tobacco products.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Key's top ten a hit on YouTube

Prime Minister John Key is proving to be a hit on YouTube. The Prime Minister's appearance on America's Late Show with David Letterman, where he outlined the top ten reasons people should visit New Zealand, has drawn more than 70,000 viewers. Almost 850 comments have been made, with one person saying Mr Key did a grand job showcasing the country on a major TV network.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Racing Board says new channel a sure bet

The racing industry is expecting a new television channel to generate millions of dollars in revenue. The New Zealand Racing Board is launching TAB TV throughout TAB outlets and on Sky Digital in time for the summer season. TAB TV will also broadcast overseas races from Australia, France, Hong Kong, North America, Singapore, South Africa and the UK.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



New Zealand seeks UN Security Council seat

By TRACY WATKINS in New York - Stuff.co.nz
New Zealand will seek a place on the United Nations Security Council, Prime Minister John Key has announced. Mr Key confirmed New Zealand's candidature in a speech being delivered to the United Nations General Assembly today. He is the first National prime minister to address the general assembly in nearly 15 years. The last was Jim Bolger in 1995. Mr Key said New Zealand would seek a place on the security council at elections in 2014 because it was committed to "upholding the international rule of law" and believed it could be a "strong and principled" voice for small Pacific states. New Zealand has held a seat on the Security Council three times in its 56 year history - in 1954 for a two year term, in 1965, for a one year term, and in 1993 for a two year term. In a wide ranging speech, Mr Key underscored New Zealand's nuclear-free credentials, and said New Zealand was optimistic for progress after this week's historic Security Council resolution to make progress toward ridding the world of nuclear weapons.



New milk dryer makes Edendale processor 'world's biggest'

By MARK HOTTON - The Southland Times
A new $212 million milk dryer commissioned this week makes the Edendale dairy factory the biggest raw milk processing plant in the world, according to Fonterra. The new dryer, called ED4, is the world's largest and most efficient milk dryer, capable of producing 35 shipping containers full of milk powder every day, the co-operative said. Fonterra New Zealand manufacturing general manager Brent Taylor told The Southland Times the new dryer highlighted the importance of Edendale and Southland to the co-operative.



Water rights granted for Waitaki hydro scheme

A large hydro scheme on the lower Waitaki River in Canterbury is a step closer. The Environment Court has granted resource consents for parts of Meridian Energy north bank tunnel concept. This scheme would take water from the lowest dam on the Waitaki River, run it through a tunnel with turbines, and return it to the river 34km downstream. The plan replaces Project Aqua, which was cancelled five years ago. The tunnel scheme would produce 1100-1400 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. The latest consents govern only water rights and conditions relating to wetlands and birdlife.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Pacific shark sanctuary announced

Palau is to create the world's first shark sanctuary, banning all commercial shark fishing in its waters. It will protect about 600,000 square km of the Pacific Ocean, an area about the size of France. The announcement was made at the UN General Assembly on Friday by President Johnson Toribiong, who also called for a global ban on shark-finning, the practice of removing the fins at sea.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Another dust storm ahead for Sydney?

Dust storms are again moving across parts of New South Wales from South Australia. Residents of Sydney are warned they may face more storms later on Saturday. The ABC reports parts of western NSW are experiencing more dust storms, which are expected to reach the coast early on Saturday morning. Massive clouds of dust are moving eastward through the Riverina in southern NSW. Some regions report visibility has dropped below 300 metres.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Friday, September 25

Bakers start using iodised salt this weekend

Bakers start producing bread with iodised salt this weekend. By law they must now use the ingredient to introduce iodine to New Zealanders' diets and help to overcome the risk of iodine deficiency. Only organic and unleavened bread will be excluded from the requirement to use iodised salt. Bread baked with iodised salt will not taste any different. Iodine is an essential nutrient for good health and iodine deficiency is a global health concern and a re-emerging health problem in New Zealand. The World Health Organisation says iodine deficiency causes brain damage, mental impairment and thyroid diseases including goitre, a large swelling on the neck from an enlarged thyroid gland.
NZPA



It's WOW time again

The 2009 Montana World of Wearable Arts Awards opened at Wellington's TSB Arena last night amid a dozen dancing Supermen, buff bodybuilders and near-naked cowboys. The theatre, dance, art and fashion extravaganza featured 165 garments and performances by iconic comedy duo The Topp Twins. Organisers expected the show to draw crowds of up to 40,000 people over 10 performances. The event began in 1987, originally as a promotion for a rural art gallery in Nelson, and sculptor Suzie Moncrieff turned it into a successful live theatrical show. It moved to Wellington in 2005. Each year the award judges select over 150 garments created by designers around the country and worldwide, who compete for over $100,000 in prize money. The prize winners will be announced tomorrow.
NZPA



'Yo judge' lawyer says in court

Standards amongst some lawyers are so poor that one addressed the court by saying "Yo judge", Attorney General Chris Finlayson said today. This week Mr Finlayson said courts were backlogged because "the overall standard of the bar, and particularly the criminal bar, is not high enough in New Zealand". He was considering giving judges the power to impose financial penalties on lawyers who wasted time and increased court costs, and said there were too many "incompetent" lawyers. Today in Parliament, Mr Finlayson said his concerns were shared by many in the profession. "One even told me recently of a lawyer who, having no knowledge of basic court etiquette, addressed the court by saying 'Yo judge'," Mr Finlayson said.
NZPA



NZ to fund Pacific trade adviser position

The New Zealand Government is to provide $US1.9 million to support Pacific Island Forum countries in the Pacer Plus trade negotiations. Pacer Plus is a proposed comprehensive free trade and economic development agreement that will be negotiated by members of the Forum, except Fiji, which is suspended. The New Zealand funding will be provided for three years and will be used to help establish the office of chief trade adviser, Radio New Zealand International reports. The office will provide the island countries with technical skills to negotiate terms with Australia and New Zealand, who want to broaden an existing regional free trade agreement.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Netball-Ferns squad named for tour

Youngsters Charlotte Kight and Camilla Lees have been included in a 15-strong Silver Ferns squad to tour England and the Caribbean. Mid-courter Liana Barrett-Chase also returns after missing most of the Australian series with injury. It means there is no room in the squad for Sheryl Scanlan or Maree Bowden. Kight and Lees were included in the trial squad prior to the international season, before playing in the under-21 team which was beaten in the final of the world youth championships. The Silver Ferns head to Manchester next Friday for the world netball series, followed by a one off test against England and two against Jamaica in Kingston. Casey Williams will lead the squad with Temepara George named as vice-captain. The full squad is : Williams, George, Barrett-Chase, Katrina Grant, Paula Griffin, Joline Henry, Kight, Laura Langman, Lees, Wendy Telfer, Anna Thompson, Maria Tutaia, Irene van Dyk, and Larrissa Wilcox with under-21 representative Grace Rasmussen in the squad as a training partner.
© 2009 NZCity, NewsTalkZB



Key gets laughs on Letterman

Prime Minister John Key has proven a hit on The Late Show with David Letterman. In a dream piece of exposure for Tourism New Zealand, Letterman described New Zealand as a "wonderland" - to which the Prime Minister heartily agreed. Key offered the top ten reasons you should visit New Zealand. They included "it's only a convenient 20 hour flight away, it's like England without the attitude" and "visit in the next 30 days, I'll pick you up at the airport". The number one reason was "unlike most of the world, we still like Americans". To watch the video, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b3VzcK2xqM The full show will be screening here on Prime at 6pm.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Red dust arrives

Australia's red dust cloud has made it to New Zealand. New South Wales was coloured orange when the dust blew in from the parched outback on Wednesday and the Weatherwatch Centre says strong winds have swept the dust cloud over the Tasman. There are reports of fine layers of dust being deposited on cars and buildings in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and New Plymouth. Philip Duncan from the Weatherwatch Centre says Auckland definitely has a haze about it today and it is more than likely the remains of the Australian dust storm passing over.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Another health claim debunked

Medical professionals are doing a U-turn on claims that a quiet daily tipple may be good for the heart. In the latest New Zealand Medical Journal, clinicians have found the benefits from light drinking are over-estimated and it is questionable whether drinking moderate daily amounts of alcohol has a protective effect on the heart. An editorial in The Lancet says alcohol can cause a range of acute and chronic health problems and should not be promoted as a health tonic. Prof Doug Sellman from the Otago Medical School, says reviews dating back to the mid 1980s suggest the health-giving properties of alcohol use are increasingly debatable. "We've been saying that if you have two drinks a day every day, your heart attack rate will be reduced by between a fifth and a quarter and I think that's much too generous." Dr Connor encourages people who want to look after their heart to use the appropriate medication.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



MPs heading to Tanzania

Four MPs are off on an overseas trip next week as Parliament goes into a two week recess. National MP Shane Adern, Green MP Sue Kedgley and Labour MPs Carmel Sepuloni and Moana Mackey, will attend the 55th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in Tanzania early next month. The conference will cover parliamentary democracy, the global financial crisis, climate change, terrorism, and eliminating violence against women.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Green MP Sue Bradford resigns from Parliament

The author of the anti-smacking legislation, Sue Bradford, is quitting Parliament after being passed over for the Green Party co-leadership. Ms Bradford, 57, will formally announce her resignation at a press conference at 10am this morning - but let the cat out of the bag earlier with a message on her Twitter account. Ms Bradford said her departure was prompted by losing the co-leadership battle to Metiria Turei. "The Party made a clear and democratic decision, but of course it was personally disappointing and I'm ready for a change." She will leave Parliament on October 30, but said she would remain a member of the Green Party.
The Dominion Post



Boom in log exports to China

Logging contractors say the forestry industry needs to find a way out of boom and bust cycles. Log exports to China have risen fivefold in 18 months to $150 million in the last quarter. Forest company leaders say the boom has been caused by China's consumption of millions of logs to feed a massive reconstruction effort in earthquake areas, and a drop in competing material from Russia. Forest Industry Contractors Association John Stulen says while companies are happy with the current level of sales, the industry would like to see stability over the long term, rather than boom and bust.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Plans to turn lignite into fertiliser

A new scheme to exploit billions of tonnes of lignite lying underground in Southland and Otago has the potential to make New Zealand self-sufficient in the agricultural fertiliser urea. The plan to use the lignite to manufacture urea was announced on Thursday by state-owned mining company Solid Energy and agricultural fertiliser supplier Ravensdown. The companies are investigating building a plant which would produce more than 1 million tonnes of urea each year, worth $1.5 billion. At present, New Zealand has to import most of the urea it uses on farms to boost grass growth.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Thursday, September 24

Another section of cycleway opens

The second to last section of one of New Zealand's most popular cycleways, the Little River Rail Trail in Canterbury, opens on Sunday, giving cyclists a further 4km. With the Government now offering funding for tracks across the country as part of its New Zealand Cycleways project, the focus for the Little River Trust Board is on securing money to ensure the trail grows in future. Trust board chair Chris Freear would like to see a large circuit that would start and finish in the centre of Christchurch.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Motorists warned to take care in cold snap

High winds, snow and heavy rain are making driving conditions hazardous as an extreme cold front hits New Zealand. In the North Island, the cold snap has brought snow to parts of Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa and Wellington, making road conditions dangerous. The Rimutaka Hill Road, north of Wellington, is closed. Travellers are being warned to avoid the Pahiatua-Aokautere Road between Palmerston North and Pahiatua due to heavy ice. Rain is expected throughout most of the North Island on Thursday night and people are warned to watch for rising streams and rivers, especially in the eastern Bay of Plenty, where the largest amount is expected. MetService says squally thunderstorms, small tornados and wind gusts will affect Northland, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and areas north of Waikato. In the South Island, MetService says heavy snowfalls are possible about the Tararua Range, in Nelson, Marlborough and North Canterbury.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Hotere disputes ownership, auction halted

A rather major hitch means an auction of 60 Ralph Hotere works, which was scheduled in Auckland tonight, has been cancelled. The 58 works on paper and two on canvas, estimated to be worth $500,000, were being sold by Wellington Maori art advisor Annette Ferguson who says she was gifted them in 1968. Art + Object auctioneer Ben Plumbly says the artist is now disputing their ownership. "It's pretty late in the piece. We've received word from the artist, or the artist's representatives, that they essentially are querying the ownership of the collection." Plumbly says at this stage the auction has been postponed indefinitely.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Rudd says Pacific is human face of climate change

Australia’s prime minister, Kevin Rudd, who is also the chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, has told the United Nations General Assembly that the South Pacific is part of the human face of climate change. Mr Rudd says with the impact of climate change, time is already running out for the island states of the Pacific. He says coastal inundation is not a prospect but a reality. Half the population of Pacific island states resides within 1.5 kilometres of the coast.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



US, NZ walk out during Iranian leader's speech

Eleven delegations, including the United States and New Zealand, have staged a walkout in protest at a fiery speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the UN General Assembly. "It is disappointing that Mr Ahmadinejad has once again chosen to espouse hateful, offensive and anti-Semitic rhetoric," Mark Kornblau, spokesman to the US mission to the United Nations, said in a statement. Delegations from Argentina, Australia, Britain, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand and the United States left the room as Mr Ahmadinejad began to rail against Israel, a European source said. Israel had already called for a boycott of the speech, and was not present when the Iranian leader began his address. Canada had already said it would heed the boycott call.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Heavy rain, snow and winds on way

Heavy rain and snow as well as wind gusts of up to 100km an hour are expected in the central and southern North Island today. MetService has issued severe weather warnings for the Waikato, Taranaki, the Bay of Plenty and Taupo, as a deepening low over the Tasman Sea moves north and heavy rain moves in. Heavy rain is expected around the ranges of Wanganui with up to 80mm expected. High levels of rain are also expected in Taihape, Manawatu, Wellington and the Wairarapa. Parts of Wellington, the Wairarapa and the Manawatu could also see snow down to 400 metres. Meanwhile strong easterly winds of up to 100km an hour are set to batter Westland, Buller and the Kapiti Coast. MetService is warning of more snow further south, with dumps expected in Nelson, Marlborough and North Canterbury.
NZHERALD STAFF



Second wave of swine flu predicted

Health officials believe swine flu has affected up to a quarter of New Zealanders, and many others could be vulnerable to a predicted second wave of infections. British health authorities say a second wave may have already begun there, while Australia is poised to begin a vaccination programme. The Ministry of Health estimates that between 11% and 25% of New Zealanders have had swine flu and would be immune in any second wave. To confirm the figures, the ministry will to carry out a survey, which involves medical researchers taking blood from a random sample of people.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Sir Howard Morrison dies

Renowned New Zealand entertainer Sir Howard Morrison has died aged 74. Sir Howard Morrison, OBE, was born in Rotorua and first came to prominence singing as a member of the Howard Morrison Quartet. Morrison was one of New Zealand's most renowned television and concert performers for 45 years. He was knighted in 1990 for his services to entertainment.
Copyright © 2008, Television New Zealand Limited



No beer here

Tourists in Niue are being told there is no chance of a cold beer after a day in the sun. The island nation has run out of beer after delays in transhipping goods through Apia and the breakdown of the ship going to Niue. The owner of Niue's Sails Bar at Makapu Point, Stafford Guest, says for the past week or so, he has only been able to serve customers wine or spirits. "It's a bit of a nuisance. We're in the peak season for tourism and a lot of visitors to the island have been complaining about not having enough beer here." Mr Guest hopes the monthly beer shipment will arrive late this week or early next week.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



DNA database updated

The DNA records of 100,000 people are now in the hands of the police. The police DNA database has been updated with its 100,000th profile, something Police Minister Judith Collins believes is a significant milestone. She says the facility has been instrumental in solving some of the country's most high profile and serious cases. The database could be set to expand even further with the Government considering new laws that would give police broader powers to take DNA from suspects.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Fake birds an owl-ing success

Plastic owls have been appearing in trees in Palmerston North's main shopping area - and seem to be helping stop sparrows and other birds roosting and leaving a mess. The nine owls, with names like Owl-vis Presley, Owl McPherson and Owl Capone, have been fitted to trees in Broadway Avenue for just over a week. The council's roading manager, Graeme Tong, says sparrows see the owls as a threat, and since they've been installed there's been a big drop in both the number of birds and the mess.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Tobacco ban not on the cards - National

The National Party says it is willing to look at ways to reduce smoking but will not go as far as some Maori Party proposals that include a ban on smoking. The industry is in the firing line of the Maori Affairs Select Committee, which has announced it will hold an inquiry into the impact of tobacco on Maori. Ministry of Health officials told the committee that 46% of Maori are regular smokers compared to 21% of non-Maori. The committee's deputy chairman, Maori Party MP Hone Harawira, says one aim of the inquiry is to create a clear public record of the damage caused by tobacco.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, September 23

Netball-Silver Ferns celebrate Irene's century in style

The Silver Ferns crowned Irene van Dyk's world record 100th netball Test for New Zealand with a comprehensive 52-36 victory over arch rivals Australia in Auckland on Wednesday night. The margin was the biggest between the two countries since New Zealand's 61-36 win in Auckland in October, 2005, and represented the third largest win by the Silver Ferns over the Diamonds. Van Dyk's milestone for her adopted country, after playing 72 Tests for South Africa, added an extra element to the match. Australian coach Norma Plummer was gracious in defeat and said van Dyk's accomplishment clearly inspired her teammates. New Zealand centre Temepara George was later named player of the series.
New Zealand 52 (Irene van Dyk 33/36, Maria Tutaia 19/27)
Australia 36 (Susan Pratley 15/19, Sharelle McMahon 13/17, Catherine Cox 7/9, Natalie Medhurst 1/1).
Halftime: 28-18.
Copyright © 2008, Television New Zealand Limited



Dust storm blankets Sydney

A huge outback dust storm swept eastern Australia and blanketed Sydney, disrupting transport, forcing people indoors and stripping thousands of tonnes of valuable farmland topsoil. The dust blacked out the outback town of Broken Hill on Tuesday, forcing a zinc mine to shut down, and swept 1,167 km east to shroud Sydney in a red glow. By noon the storm, carrying an estimated five million tonnes of dust, had spread to the southern part of Australia's tropical state of Queensland. The official air quality index for New South Wales recorded pollutant levels as high as 4,164 in Sydney. A level above 200 is hazardous.
Copyright © 2008, Television New Zealand Limited



20 Fiji police to join UN police deployment to Sudan

An additional 20 police officers from Fiji will be deployed in December to serve in the United Nations Mission in Sudan. Fijivillage reports that the interim regime has approved the additional deployment bringing the total number of officers serving with the UN in Sudan to 28. On several occasions, New Zealand and Australia have called for the UN to stop using Fiji soldiers and police in its peacekeeping operations because of the Fiji military’s role in ousting the elected government in 2006.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



NZ literary festival begins in Menton

A 'who's who' of New Zealand writing is gathering in the south of France to celebrate Katherine Mansfield. New Zealand Week is being held in Menton to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the NZ Post Katherine Mansfield Fellowship. The Festival also aims to generate interest in other New Zealand literature within France.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



US supports NZ climate initiative - Key

The United States has indicated it will financially back a New Zealand-led effort to research climate change and agriculture, Prime Minister John Key says. Mr Key, who has attended a United Nations climate change summit in New York, says New Zealand is launching a global alliance for research into climate change and food production. The US has indicated it will put "quite a lot of money" towards the project, he says, and India is also supporting it. Mr Key has met United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, who wants to see a quarter of a trillion dollars given to developing countries to help them adapt their economies to the reality of climate change.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Sky promises free-to-air Games coverage

Sky Television has given an assurance New Zealanders will see free-to-air coverage of next year's Commonwealth Games, after TVNZ dropped its rights to broadcast the event. Television New Zealand has said that in the present economic climate it does not have the resources to cover the expected $5 million loss on broadcasting the next year's Games in Delhi. In a statement, Sky Television said if its bid is accepted, viewers will be guaranteed comprehensive free-to-air coverage. TVNZ publicist Megan Richards says the state broadcaster will still bid for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but the extent of the bid will be circumscribed by its financial circumstances.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Dust storms turn back trans-Tasman flights

Three Air New Zealand flights bound for Sydney have been forced to turn back to New Zealand because of dust storms and high winds in New South Wales. Clouds of dust whipped up by storms in the outback have been swirling over Sydney and large parts of New South Wales. Air New Zealand is considering what it will do about the stranded passengers and what action to take regarding flights scheduled for later in the day. Pacific Blue says one of its trans-Tasman flight has been diverted. Qantas flights into Sydney on Wednesday have been diverted to either Melbourne or Brisbane.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



PM embarks on busy four days

Prime Minister John Key's whirlwind New York tour was to begin in earnest about 3.15am today (NZ time), with a United Nations General Assembly summit on climate change, and a meeting with Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon. The next four days will include meetings with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen and a brief meeting with President Barack Obama. He will hold a press conference with former Prime Minister Helen Clark - now UN number three - tomorrow morning. His tour concludes on Saturday with a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and a speech to the United Nations General Assembly. But his schedule is not all work - at least not in the traditional sense. He appears tomorrow on the Late Show with David Letterman.
Copyright 2009, APN Holdings NZ Limited



Major NZ map upgrade unveiled

A new topographical mapping series is being launched by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) today and will immediately be adopted by the search and rescue sector. The new Topo50 map series was developed to be compatible with international mapping systems and modern navigational technologies such as GPS, said LINZ national geodesist Graeme Blick. The 1:50,000 scale maps use different longitude and latitude coordinates of points in New Zealand, with the difference being equivalent to an approximate 200 metre change in position. Mr Blick said New Zealand's emergency services and the search and rescue sector would adopt the new maps and coordinates system from today. The website www.topo50.govt.nz has been launched to help map users understand the changes and view the new maps.
NZPA



NZ scientists contribute to potato genome project

New Zealand plant scientists have contributed to a breakthrough in working out the genetic blueprint of the potato. The New Zealand team, led by Dr Jeanne Jacobs of the Plant and Food Research Institute, is part of a consortium of research groups from 14 countries which has released the first draft sequence of the potato genome. Dr Jacobs says while years of work still lie ahead to fill gaps in the information, the genetic blueprint will help breed better potato cultivars and speed up breeding programmes. The potato is the third biggest crop globally, she says, and an increase in yield is needed to feed the growing world population.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Dust storms, gales in New South Wales

Sydney and large parts of New South Wales have been shrouded in dust as the state experiences severe winds and unseasonably warm temperatures. Damaging winds are being forecast for Sydney, where ferry services were cancelled on Wednesday morning and international flights diverted to Brisbane and Melbourne. The Bureau of Meteorology has had reports of dust clouds over a widespread area, including Moree, Dubbo, Canberra and Wollongong, the ABC reports. In Victoria, a flash flooding warning has been issued, while a fire weather warning has been issued for southern parts of Queensland and northern parts of New South Wales.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, September 22

Aussie storm zeroes in on NZ

A storm which has uprooted hundreds of trees, hammered crops and dented car bonnets with three centimetre hail stones in Australia, is heading this way. The fierce storm is also blowing desert winds into Queensland, pushing temperatures to 40 degrees. Weatherwatch.co.nz says the massive low responsible for Australia's extreme weather is expected to deepen as it moves into the Tasman Sea. Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the storm is likely to have its biggest impact in New Zealand on Thursday, with rain warnings likely across a number of western regions, possibly as far north as the Central Plateau.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Bay farmers facing fourth year of drought

Predictions of another El Nino weather pattern have got Hawke's Bay farmers preparing for a fourth consecutive year of drought. The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) says the pattern is already developing, although the effects are currently very weak. The institute says it's likely to bring dry weather to eastern parts of the country, especially as it intensifies over late spring and into early summer. NIWA says the El Nino is likely to last into the first quarter of next year.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Afghanistan could be another Vietnam, warns Goff

The Labour Party leader Phil Goff has warned that the war in Afghanistan could be turning into another Vietnam. Mr Goff has repeated his opposition to SAS troops fighting in Afghanistan, saying the war there is not going well. The United States commander in Afghanistan has admitted that the situation for international forces fighting the Taliban is dire, and says tens of thousands more troops will be needed. "That's reminiscent of of the days of the Vietnam war, when all we need to do to win this war is send thousands of troops in," Mr Goff says. "The truth is, the war is not going well." Mr Goff describes the current Afghan regime as "endemically corrupt", a criticism also levelled by the Green Party, which is questioning why New Zealand troops are risking their lives to support a corrupt administration.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



NZ Pacific MP critical of Tonga’s move not to ratify UN Convention

The Tongan government’s decision not to ratify a treaty to improve the rights of women has come in for criticism at a parliamentary hearing on maternal health in the Pacific. Last week Tonga voted not to ratify CEDAW - the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. At yesterday’s hearing in Wellington, a United Nations reproductive health advisor Wame Baravilala said he was concerned by Tonga’s decision, as maternal survival is better in countries where women have equal rights. And the New Zealand Labour Party’s spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs, Luamanuvao Winnie Laban was critical of Tongan pro-democracy MP, Akilisi Pohiva for voting against the UN convention.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Sharp improvement in balance of payments

Lower payments to overseas investors have significantly improved the country's financial position with the rest of the world. Official figures just released show that the current account deficit fell to $612 million at the end of the June quarter. That compares to a deficit of $2.1 billion at the end of the previous quarter. The deficit was equal to 5.9% of the country's Gross Domestic Product, compared to 8.9% at the end of the previous quarter. Statistics New Zealand says the sharp fall was due mainly to lower profits paid out to foreign investors, particularly the Australian-owned banks.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Daylight saving starts Sunday

Daylight saving begins again on Sunday morning. The Department of Internal Affairs said clocks should go forward an hour at 2am to become 3am. The extra hour of daylight in the evenings would run until April 4, 2010.
NZPA



Qantas honours NZ aviation great

An Australian airline is honouring a New Zealand pioneer of the skies, a literary great and a top class engineer. Qantas is naming one of its new trans-Tasman airliners after Jean Batten. Another of the airline's Boeing 737-800 aircraft will be named after writer Katherine Mansfield and a third after Nelson-born engineer Sir William Hudson, who was in charge of Australia's Snowy Mountains hydro scheme. Twenty-two Batten family members will gather at Auckland Airport with relatives of Sir William and Katherine Mansfield Society representatives to mark the honour.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Carpooling scheme exceeds expectations

The country's first region-wide carpooling scheme has exceeded expectations. About 800 people have signed on to the Wellington Regional Council's scheme since it was launched four months ago. The aim of the 'Let's Carpool' initiative is to reduce road congestion by helping workers find others to carpool with, via a website. A council spokesperson, Ping Sim, says even people from Palmerston North and Pahiatua are now carpooling into the Wellington region, because of the website. She says the next goal is to get more than 1,000 people involved.
CLICK HERE for the website
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



President of Hungary to visit

The President of Hungary will visit New Zealand later this week. Laszlo Solyom will be welcomed by the Governor-General in Auckland on Thursday and meet with Bill English, who will be the Acting Prime Minister. Prime Minister John Key, who will be in New York at the time of the visit, says the Government is keen to work closely with Hungary, particularly in the areas of research, science and technology.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Supermarket giant spending up large on rebranding

The country's second largest supermarket company says a rebranding exercise will create up to 3,000 permanent jobs, with new stores being built and others expanded. Seeking to take more market share from its main rival, Foodstuffs, which operates New World and Pak'n'Save, Progressive Enterprises is dropping its Foodtown and Woolworths brands in favour of a single chain of Countdown supermarkets. The Australian-owned company is investing up to $1 billion to implement the change over five years, with new branding applied as existing stores are refurbished and new ones built.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



SAS lives risked to support 'corrupt regime' - Greens

The Green Party is questioning why New Zealand troops are risking their lives in Afghanistan to support what it calls a corrupt administration with a backward attitude to women. Prime Minister John Key announced Monday that Special Air Service troops had arrived in Afghanistan and 71 of them were being deployed - the first deployment there since the Labour Government withdrew SAS troops in 2005. Green Party defence spokesperson Keith Locke has criticised the deployment, saying: "Why should our soldiers be risking their lives to support a corrupt regime which is in alliance with provincial warlords and has a very backward attitude - to say the least - to women?" But Mr Key says the Government is supporting the regime in an effort to try to stabilise Afghanistan.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Monday, September 21

Hercules rescuing ill American

An Air Force Hercules is on its way to Antarctica to evacuate an American suffering heart problems. The aircraft left from Christchurch this morning with two Defence Force medics and two civilian medical professionals onboard. The American man has been working as part of the United States Antarctic Programme and is believed to be in a serious but stable condition. He will receive further treatment in New Zealand once the Hercules returns tonight.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Australia overdue for volcanic eruption - geologist

In Australia, a scientist has warned a volcanic eruption there is "well overdue" and says there are hundreds of volcanoes that could cause trouble. Melbourne geologist Bernie Joyce says there are 400 volcanoes in Victoria and South Australia, and almost as many in Queensland. Professor Joyce says there has been a volcanic eruption about every 2000 years in Australia, but the last one was 5000 years ago. The ABC reports he wants "eruption response plans" drawn up.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Lonely Hearts kick off Fashion Week

Fashion Week officially launches tonight at Auckland's Viaduct Harbour. For the ninth year the trade show will draw in hundreds of national and international delegates, media and buyers. Following this evening's glittering opening function, the Lonely Hearts label will kick things off. The design trio was so late signing up to the event, it almost missed out on making it into the schedule. It will not be a traditional runway show, but will be more like an art event. Lonely Hearts joins a mix of Fashion Week stalwarts, labels working to cement their place and a handful of debutantes.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



National drops in latest poll

National has seen its biggest drop in popularity since the election, but is still polling over 50 percent. The latest New Zealand Morgan poll showed National fell five points to 51.5 percent, the New Zealand Herald reported. Labour was up four points to 33 percent. The Green Party was on 7.5 percent (down 0.5), the Act Party 2 percent (up 0.2), the Maori Party on 2.5 percent (up 1), Progressives on 0.5 percent (unchanged) and United Future below 0.5 percent. Although not in Parliament, New Zealand First was up 1 percent to 2.5 percent. The number of people who said the National-led Government was going in the right direction was up two points to 67.5 percent.
NZPA



No specific travel warning being issued by NZ about Mumbai

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade says it will not issue a specific terrorist warning to New Zealanders visiting Mumbai, despite Australian travellers being told there is "credible information" indicating further attacks there. Intelligence services in Israel report there is concrete information of plans by the same group that carried out attacks last November, against Western and Israeli targets in India. Some 106 New Zealanders are registered with the ministry as visiting Mumbai. MFAT says it has reviewed its advice for travellers and the threat remains the same across India, without a specific warning on the latest threat. It says that advice is in line with that issued by Australia. However, Australians are being warned specifically about plans of attacks on tourist hot spots in Mumbai during September or October this year.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Migrant numbers fall

A drop in the number of people leaving New Zealand is continuing to boost the population. Statistics New Zealand says there was a seasonally adjusted net gain of 1620 in August - the lowest since January this year. On an annual basis, there is a net migration gain of 15,642 - the highest since 2004. The number of people moving to Australia fell once again, with a net 25,000 heading across the Tasman, compared to a record 35,000+ in January.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Key to stress nuclear-free commitment in UN speech

By TRACY WATKINS - The Dominion Post
Prime Minister John Key will use his first speech to the United Nations to underscore his Government's commitment to a nuclear-free New Zealand. In the first speech by a National prime minister to the United Nations General Assembly in nearly 15 years, Mr Key will reaffirm New Zealand's anti-nuclear credentials and emphasise its determination to keep an independent foreign policy. It is significant that he is making the speech while on his first official visit to the United States, which has been a fault line in foreign policy between Labour and National for most of the past two decades. It flared again when Labour opposed the Iraq war while National was still in opposition. But Mr Key drew a line in the sand before the last election by promising his commitment to a nuclear-free New Zealand and an independent foreign policy. He will use his speech to the General Assembly on Saturday (NZ time) to stress the new bipartisan approach.



Cricket-Black Caps beat India

The New Zealand cricketers have beaten Indian by 103 runs at Potchefstroom in a warmup match for the Champions Trophy one day tournament in South Africa. New Zealand made 301 for 9, with half centuries from Jesse Ryder, Martin Guptill and Neil Broom, then dismissed India for 198 in the 41st over. Skipper Dan Vettori was the pick of the bowlers with two for 46 from 10 overs of left arm spin while the fast bowler Shane Bond took two for 38 off seven overs. Sri Lanka beat West Indies by five wickets with 15 balls remaining in Pretoria.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Small winery scoops top award

A small family owned winery near Henderson has scooped the top award at the New Zealand international wine competition. The competition, which pits wines from all over the world against each other, is the largest in New Zealand. Convener Kingsley Wood says a 2007 Barrique Fermented Chardonnay from Westbrook Wines was judged champion wine of the show. It also took awards for champion commercial white wine and champion chardonnay. Mr Wood says the wine was made from a blend of grapes from the family's Waimauku vineyard and from Marlborough.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



100% Pure NZ tops tourism brand survey

New Zealand Tourism's 100% campaign has topped an international survey of tourism organisations asked to name the best brand. The survey by the World Tourism Organisation and the European Travel Commission saw New Zealand gain the most nominations for best destination branding, ahead of India, Spain and Australia. Tourism New Zealand says those who took part in the survey cited the consistency and credibility of 100% Pure New Zealand as well as the strong imagery and strong positioning statement.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



PM leaves for UN session

Prime Minister John Key will leave for New York on Monday evening, where he will address the United Nations and briefly meet United States President Barack Obama. Mr Key will be one of more than 100 leaders attending the 64th UN General Assembly. He says the gathering is a significant opportunity to connect with world leaders, discuss issues of importance to New Zealand and generally promote this country's interests. His meeting with Mr Obama will come at a presidential reception, with a handshake and a photo opportunity. Mr Key will also meet up with former Prime Minister Helen Clark who is now the head of the United Nations Development Programme.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Another boatload of asylum seekers off NW Australia

Another boatload of asylum seekers has been found off the north-west coast of Australia. It's the seventh boat to have arrived in the past fortnight. The federal government says a plane spotted the "distressed" boat , north of Cocos-Keeling Islands, on Sunday. The ABC reports water and stores were dropped to the vessel which was carrying 54 people. They are being transferred to a detention centre on Christmas Island for health and security checks.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Sunday, September 20

Australia takes trans-Tasman netball champs

Australia has taken the five game trans-Tasman netball series from New Zealand 47-46. Australia went into the fourth game at Invercargill on Sunday with two wins already in hand. The final match of the series will be played in Auckland on Wednesday.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Zambian schools benefit from NZ exchange

Resources as simple as pens and paper do not seem much to ask for a teacher. However, those every day basics are luxuries in the southern African nation of Zambia. The problems have seen an exchange programme set up, allowing teachers from New Zealand and Zambia to learn while they teach in both countries. In Zambia, Chibunda Nanunwa teaches classes of more than 50, in a school that is short on chairs, desks, books and paper. Nanunwa is currently visiting Glenfield Intermediate, while Glenfield teacher Sonia Youle spent the July holidays working at Nanunwa's school, sharing teaching styles and ideas. ChildFund New Zealand started the teacher exchange programme with Zambia and it has been so successful, ChildFund International plans to roll it out across four more countries in Africa.
Source: ONE News



Wellington rock quest winner

A Wellington College student has taken out the 2009 Smokefree rock quest. Singer/song writer Jesse Sheehan, aged 17, beat five other high school bands from around the country at last night's final in Auckland. Judge Scott MacLachlan from Universal Music says Jesse performed like an established artist, even at this early stage of his career. It is the first time a male solo artist has won the competition.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Hotere art auction

By Jacqui Stanford - NewstalkZB
A collection of Ralph Hotere works which has not been seen publicly since 1968 is about to be auctioned. The 60 works by the iconic New Zealand artist are gathered in a collection called This Land. The collection is on display at the Art+Object auction house in the Auckland suburb of Newton. It includes 58 works on paper and two canvasses, which Hotere created during his stay in London and France during the 1960s. Mr Hotere handpicked them himself to give to their owner, who has held onto them for 41 years. The collection will be auctioned on Thursday 24 September.



Conchords up for Emmy awards

It could be a big night for the comedy duo Flight of the Conchords. They are short-listed for this year's 61st Emmy awards in the US today, with a nomination for best comedy series. Jemaine Clement, who makes up half of the team, is also nominated for best actor in a comedy Meanwhile the Topp Twins have won an award for the documentary account of their lives. They have been named winners of the audience prize for top documentary at the Toronto Festival in Canada.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Albert Park anniversary

A free concert in Auckland this afternoon will mark 40 years since the liberation of Albert Park. The park was opened up as a designated speech area and a place for gatherings, concerts and performances in 1969. The events back then were known as Jumping Sundays, and changed the way Aucklanders use their parks.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Heavy rain coming

Forecasters predict some heavy rain in the Far North today, possibly enough for localised flooding. MetService says there is a slow moving front over the region, and the risk will last until tomorrow evening. Forecasters also predict heavy rain in Fiordland tomorrow morning, and south Westland tomorrow afternoon.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Lawyers failing their clients - Attorney-General

Attorney-General Chris Finlayson says as many as 20% of lawyers are failing their clients. He wants to see judges issue financial penalties to lawyers who waste time or create unnecessary costs. Mr Finlayson says as many as 400 lawyers currently practicing at the bar, are not representing clients properly and need to lift their game. He says many are not able to carry out the basic functions. The Attorney-General says he welcomes moves by the Law Society to introduce competency tests for lawyers. Judges in England and most states in Australia can issue waste costs orders.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



10th anniversary of multi-national force in East Timor

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the arrival of an international peacekeeping force in East Timor. In 1999, East Timor was rebuilding after the violence which followed an overwhelming vote for independence from Indonesia in a referendum sponsored by the United Nations. On 20 September, the International Force for East Timor arrived in Dilli. Australia and New Zealand contributed troops to INTERFET. The ABC reports Australia was the lead nation and also supplied the commander, General Peter Cosgrove. New Zealand also contributed troops. The ABC reports a commemorative address is being held on Sunday at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to remember Australia's contribution.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Toronto award for Topp twins documentary

The audience award for top documentary at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday went to the Topp twins. The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is the story of the New Zealand lesbian country and western singing duo. The 84 minute documentary was made to mark the twins' 50th birthday. Containing archive footage and home movies, it documents their career and 25 years of social change in New Zealand. The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls also recently won the audience award at the Melbourne International Film Festival and won best feature film (under $1 million budget) at the Qantas New Zealand Film and TV Awards 2009.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Saturday, September 19

Nigeria moves to stop all screenings of District 9

The Nigerian government has asked all cinemas in the country to stop showing the film District 9 - produced by Kiwi film-maker Peter Jackson - because, it says, it denigrates Nigeria's image. Information minister Dora Akunyili says the movie, which was partly filmed in Wellington,NZ portrays Nigerians as cannibals, criminals and prostitutes. She says she has asked the film's distributor, Sony Pictures, for an apology for what she calls an unwarranted attack on Nigeria's image. The film is about alien refugees who set up home in a South African shanty town called District 9, and Ms Akunyili says it clearly took aim at Nigerians.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Rugby-All Blacks sweep to three-try 33-6 win over Australia

The All Blacks swept to an impressive 33-6 win over Australia in the final Tri Nations rugby test of the season at Wellington's Westpac Stadium on Saturday night. Three Daniel Carter penalties and a converted Cory Jane try gave the All Blacks a 16-6 lead at halftime, and two late tries, by Ma'a Nonu and Joe Rokocoko, clinched a win that always looked to be in the home team's grasp. With this win, New Zealand retains the Bledisloe Cup.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Indycar-Dixon climbs to top in Japan

Source: ONE Sport
NZer Scott Dixon has taken the Indycar championship lead after winning the Japan 300 race on Saturday. Dixon, starting from pole, finished just ahead of nearest rival and team-mate Dario Frachitti. Dixon also picked up the extra two bonus points for leading the most laps throughout the race at the Twin Ring in Motegi. The fifth win of Dixon's season now gives him the tie-breaker over Franchitti the two finish tied on points.



Maori artist wins trust award

A New Zealand woman studying in New York has been named Kate Sheppard Memorial Trust Award recipient for 2009. Bethany Edmunds, a 31-year-old student from Ngati Kuri, completed her Bachelor of Applied Arts in Maori Design and Technology at Northland Polytechnic in 2000. She is now studying for her Masters of Arts in visual culture at New York University. She is specialising in costume studies, using traditional Maori concepts and weaving techniques as her inspiration. The scholarship will help her complete both her Masters and an independent research project in the United States, said trust chairwoman Karena Brown.
NZPA



Virtual water emerging as vital debate - scientist

A scientist says the emerging debate of virtual water will soon become as important as the issue of greenhouse gas emissions. Virtual water is typically measured as the number of litres required to grow, manufacture and market 1kg of any food product. Dr Brent Clothier from Plant & Food Research says research shows it takes 140 litres of water to produce a cup of coffee and even more for a plate of pasta. He told Country Life: "The Victorian State government in Australia has produced a calculation to show that the virtual water in a bowl of pasta is some 200 litres." Mr Clothier said there's currently little accurate data which measures the virtual water content of food grown in New Zealand. For apples, he said it's about the same as in the Netherlands and kiwifruit is about 20% of that in Australia.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Overstayers' children to be allowed to go to school

The children of overstayers will be allowed to go to school under an amendment the Government has made to an immigration bill Parliament is dealing with. Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman said during a debate tonight the Government didn't want children to be penalised by their parents' actions. "What this effectively does is allow the Minister of Education to allow these children to go to school while their parents' immigration status is sorted out," he said. Dr Coleman said the Government was not indicating that sending children to school was a path to gaining residence, but children should not be penalised.
NZPA



Giving to charity via payroll seen as benefit under tax changes

The United Way charity says the biggest benefit to come out of a newly passed Taxation Bill is a change to rules on giving to charity via payroll. Revenue Minister Peter Dunne says employees can now make regular contributions to charity from their pay and receive an immediate tax refund on their donations each pay day. The bill passed its final stages in Parliament this week. Revenue Minister Peter Dunne says it will make it easier for volunteers and community groups to meet their tax obligations and reduce associated costs. The new legislation will also give tax breaks to companies who donate to charity.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Australia-Classy tourism campaign on the way

The federal government is spending $A20 million to make Australia look more highbrow. The ABC reports tenders have been called for advertising agencies to give Australia's international image a sophisticated makeover. Agencies have one month to submit their ideas. Contracts are worth $A4 million over four years.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Rugby Test delays ferry from Picton

There are delays to an Interislander ferry on Saturday. Officials say the Aratere has to wait in Picton to load a mobile television studio that will be used for Saturday night's rugby Test between the All Blacks and Australia. The ship is about half an hour behind schedule. Passengers are advised there will be delays to the 10.05am sailing from Picton and the 2.05pm departure from Wellington.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



$320 handout due today for 307,000 Vector customers

By Mathew Dearnaley
Hundreds of thousands of Auckland households are receiving a mainly tax-free financial boost of $320 each this weekend, as shareholders in an electricity dividend totalling $98 million. The Auckland Energy Consumer Trust is making payments to about 307,000 households, businesses and other customers of power lines company Vector throughout Auckland and Manukau cities and the northern part of Papakura. They will receive the payments regardless of which power retail company supplies them. Trust chairman Warren Kyd said last night that 45 per cent of payouts would be directly credited into customers' bank accounts today.



Tourism growth imminent

Forecasters are confident every region of New Zealand is set to pick up on the the tourism front. International tourism expenditure is expected to grow by an average of 4.2 percent a year. By the year 2015, it should be worth $8.2 billion dollars to the economy. Ministry of Tourism Research Manager Bruce Bassett says everyone is in for a piece of the pie. He says international arrivals tend to travel around the country, so as tourism grows overall, the benefit is pretty evenly spread.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Auction of rare Maori artefacts

A rare collection of Maori artefacts, valued at $150,000, goes up for auction in Auckland next week. The collection of 50 mainly greenstone and bone items includes pieces dating back to the 13th century close to the earliest archaeological evidence of settlement in New Zealand by Polynesians. Among the prized treasures is a whale tooth pendant called a rei puta. It is believed only a dozen exist and the piece on sale is unique because it has a greenstone inset eye. The collection belongs to amateur archaeologist Frances Ryman and it was once on display at Canterbury Museum.
The Dominion Post



Rugby-Old log stays in Christchurch

Canterbury have repelled a strong challenge from Taranaki to retain the Ranfurly Shield. It was 14-all at half time in Christchurch but the holders pulled away in the second half to win 29-17. In Hamilton Waikato beat Wellington 23-18 for some much-needed points to keep their Air New Zealand Cup campaign alive.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



League-Jillaroos end world champions' 10-year winning streak

The Australian women's rugby league team has ended New Zealand's 10-year winning streak, coming from behind to win 18-16 against the world champions in Auckland. The Jillaroos, with 10 debutants, trailed 10-6 at half-time.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Commercial fisherman loses boat for illegal catch

A commercial fisherman from Whangarei has lost his boat for fishing illegally. Kerry Waddal was caught using a dragnet to catch trevally, near Mair Bank in Whangarei Harbour, in March last year. Fisheries officers seized his vessel, nets and 270kg of trevally, worth about $500. Waddall admitted using an illegal fishing method and his catch and boat are now forfeit to the Crown. Fisheries Minister, Whangarei MP Phil Heatley, says the penalty sends a clear message to commercial fishermen who think they are beyond the law.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Friday, September 18

NZ to share flu vaccine with 'poor' nations

New Zealand is among nine well-off countries who have agreed to share extra swine flu vaccine with less-developed countries. The United States today pledged 10 per cent of its vaccine supply, joining Australia, Brazil, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and Britain. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been working to persuade well-off countries to share their supplies of vaccine. New Zealand will spend $7.1 million helping Pacific nations prepare for a possible pandemic. If the Government goes ahead with a pandemic immunisation campaign in New Zealand, supplies will also be provided to the Cook Islands, Tokelau and Niue, Mr McCully said.
NZPA



Tourism NZ launches new UK advertising campaign

By Laura Turner
Tourism New Zealand is ramping up its efforts to entice European backpackers, as the UK prepares to introduce a new long-haul departure tax system. It has launched a new $2 million television and internet campaign aimed at the adventurous backpacker. “We want them to know that unless they’ve come to New Zealand they haven’t really gone all the way,” says Tourism NZ CEO, George Hickton. But the trip will become a whole lot more expensive when UK airports impose the new departure tax system in November 2010. Travel to New Zealand will attract the highest tax, costing about $130 per flight, all in the name of offsetting carbon emissions.
3 News


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