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Monday, May 31

Immigration 'satisfied' at number of overstayers in NZ

By Rebecca Wright
New figures reveal there are almost 16,000 overstayers in New Zealand, and one immigration consultant 3 News spoke to says it's a number the country might have to accept. Politicians like talking tough on immigration, but the numbers obtained by 3 News tell another story. The number of those who illegally stay on in New Zealand seems stuck at just short of 16,000. Approximately 15,880 people are estimated to be overstaying in New Zealand. Five hundred and two were removed last year; a further 537 were issued with removal orders but haven't been deported; and 1,163 overstayers left the country voluntarily.



Samoa win Rugby sevens series

Samoa have won their first ever IRB rugby sevens series after making the final of the last round in Scotland. Samoa clinched the title with a 15-12 victory over England in the semi-finals before beating Australia 41-14 in the final in Edinburgh. Australia beat New Zealand 24-19 to make the final. New Zealand needed to win the Scotland tournament and hope Samoa didn't make the final to have any chance of winning the series.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



NZ trade mission seeks slice of Guam US military pie

By Grant Bradley
A New Zealand trade mission is in Guam this week, hoping to cash in on spinoff from a US$20 billion spend by the United States on military bases in Micronesia. New Zealand's trade with Guam now is around $9 million, and with the Northern Marianas more than $4 million, but the US military plans to re-deploy thousands of marines and their families to Guam from the Japanese island of Okinawa. Mission leaders hope the project will open up significant opportunities for New Zealand businesses involved in construction and infrastructure, including consultants such as engineers and architects.



Leading New Zealand filmmaker dies

By Alice Neville
Merata Mita, one of the co-producers of the hit New Zealand film Boy, has died after collapsing outside an Auckland TV station today. Maori TV spokeswoman Sonya Haggie said that at approximately 1.15pm today, Mita collapsed outside its Newmarket studios. Efforts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful. Staff at Maori TV have expressed their wishes to send condolences to Ms Mita's whanau. Ms Mita, who received the New Zealand Order of Merit during the 2010 new year's honours, appeared in Geoff Murphy's Utu as an actress but was better known as a producer and director. She wrote and directed 1988's Mauri, a tale of a 1950s rural Maori community's struggle to cope with its loss of land and the big-city dreams of its young people.
with NZ HERALD STAFF



107km of national cycleway built

Some 107km of the Government's national cycleway has been built in the 10 months since Prime Minister John Key announced his quick-start construction programme. Mr Key unveiled the seven trails in July last year, totalling about 850km. The project received $9 million in funding, which increased to $18 million in February. A spokesperson for Mr Key says the first cycleway in North Canterbury will open in June. The spokesperson says 2000km of track should be open by October next year.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Another maiden voyage has engine woes

The navy's newest ship, the HMNZS Wellington, has run into engine trouble on its maiden voyage to New Zealand. The Australian built ship has returned to Sydney and the navy is still trying to get full clarification on the problem. The vessel's sister ship, the HMNZS Otago, had similar problems in April.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Rock painting may be 40,000 years old

Archaelogists say they have uncovered a rock painting in Australia's Northern Territory that could be up to 40,000 years old. The red ochre painting, which depicts two emu-like birds with their necks outstretched, could date back to the earliest days of settlement on the continent. The ABC reports that it was rediscovered at the centre of the Arnhem Land plateau about two years ago, but archaeologists first visited the site a fortnight ago. A palaeontologist has now confirmed that the animals depicted are the megafauna species Genyornis - which became extinct more than 40,000 years ago.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Aussies love us more than anyone

By Lincoln Tan
An opinion poll has found that despite the transtasman rivalry, Aussies love Kiwis more than any other nationality. When asked to rate their feelings towards other countries - with 100 being a very warm, favourable feeling and zero meaning very cold - in a Lowry Institute Poll in March, 1001 Australians responded with an average 84 for their feelings towards New Zealanders. This is the "warmest" result since the polls began in 2006, up a point from last year and three points since 2007. Other most-liked nationalities were Canada (82), France (70) and Singapore (69).



Fonterra buys US Italian cheese business

A Fonterra joint venture has bought out a United States cheese business, cementing its position as the number two player in the US hard Italian cheese market. DairiConcepts, a joint venture between Fonterra and Dairy Farmers of America, acquired the US hard Italian cheese business of Swiss Valley Farms for an undisclosed sum. Fonterra says it provides a number of strategic benefits for its shareholders. It says the move gives the company a clear position in one of the fastest-growing and attractive cheese categories in the US market.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Sydney Opera House so hard-up it may have to close

The Sydney Opera House is reported to be in such severe financial straits that it could face permanent closure. The Daily Telegraph newspaper in Sydney reports that damning internal reports reveal the cash crisis is so desperate performers' lives are at risk from ancient stage machinery because there is no money to update it. A senior Opera House source told the paper that government action is needed to keep the venue operating, the ABC reports. The source says the reports indicate that if something radical isn't done, the Opera House will have to close.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Uninterrupted Cup coverage on Maori TV

Maori TV hopes to attract viewers who do not want Rugby World Cup coverage peppered with advertising. A Parliamentary inquiry into the channel's performance reveals its audience grew by more than 18 percent in the last year, to an average of 1.6 million unique viewers every month. TVNZ has more than three million on a monthly basis. Maori TV is confident it can gain even more audience share and does not think it will need to change its business model to do so. It says its coverage of all 48 games of the Rugby World Cup will be Maori and Polynesian-themed and uninterrupted.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Pacific foreign ministers meet to discuss Fiji

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully is meeting with his Pacific counterparts in Auckland today to discuss progress in Fiji. The Ministerial Contact Group - chaired by Tongan Prime Minister Fred Sevele and made up of foreign ministers from New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and Samoa - has the job of monitoring the situation in Fiji and reporting back to Pacific leaders. Fiji's foreign minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, has been given a dispensation to travel to New Zealand for the meeting. Mr McCully says it's important to retain contact with Fiji's regime. He says the group will be looking to see what progress has been made and what steps can be taken to return the country to democracy.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Russia seen as big market for NZ woollen products

The New Zealand textiles industry views Russia as a potential big market for woollen products and a trade delegation is visiting Moscow this week. Textiles New Zealand chief executive Elizabeth Tennet says that New Zealand used to sell a lot of wool to Russia but the Russian wool industry basically collapsed in the post-Soviet era and they have been importing a lot of products from China and Turkey.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Sunday, May 30

More rain coming

More rain warnings are likely as another broad area of low pressure heads toward New Zealand from the Tasman Sea. It is the fifth system to bring rain in a matter of weeks, turning some drought regions into flood zones. Philip Duncan of WeatherWatch says those areas are in the firing line again. Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, the Kaimai and Mamaku Ranges, Bay of Plenty, East Cape, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury are all in for heavy rain. The rain is expected to start in the north overnight tomorrow night and on Tuesday morning and not clear eastern areas until Thursday or Friday.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Latest poll shows fall in support for National

Support for the National Party has dropped five points since the last survey in April, according to the latest One News Colmar Brunton Poll. The poll of 1000 voters was taken in May, following the Budget. It shows support for the National Party on 49%, Labour on 33%, the Green Party on 7%, the Maori Party on 3.6% and ACT on 1.6%.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



$1m more for PET scans

The government will increase funding for PET scans for up to 550 extra cancer patients per year. Health Minister Tony Ryall says an extra $1m almost doubles the number of cancer patients offered PET sans, which enhance the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. In 2008-2009, 650 people received publicly funded PET scans. Mr Ryall says the additional funding will be available to district health boards to ensure there is more equal access for patients, no matter where they live.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Female Dean appointed

The first female Dean has been appointed for the Anglican Cathedral in Auckland. The Reverend Jo Kelly-Moore will become the ninth Dean of Auckland's Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell. She says the Anglican Church in New Zealand has long supported the ordination and ministry of women. Reverend Kelly-Moore says there are still firsts and this one is a privilege and delight for her.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



PHARMAC funds Tramadol

PHARMAC will fund a further pain relief option, Tramadol, from June 1. The government drug-buying agency says it will be sold in 50 milligram capsules. Medical director Peter Moodie says Tramadol is a useful addition to the list of funded painkillers, and has some advantages over other pain relief treatments. He says Tramadol will help fill the gap left by the withdrawal of products containing dextropropoxyphene. He says there will be a number of people who will prefer Tramadol because of its different side-effect profile.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Storms lash New South Wales damaging homes

Homes have been damaged and power lines brought down as the New South Wales south coast is lashed by heavy rain and winds of up to 135 kilometres per hour. The ABC reports a second low pressure system is descending on the far south coast of the Australian state and residents are preparing for another burst of severe weather. More than 9000 people have been left without power in the Eden, Bega, Bodalla and Narooma areas.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Dame Pat Evison dies at 85

One of New Zealand's best known actresses Dame Pat Evison has died after a long illness at the age of 85. Born as Helen June Patricia Blamires in Dunedin in June 1924, she went to school in Masterton, Victoria and Auckland Universities, and Auckland Teachers' Training College. She moved to Britain in the 1940s training as a director at the London's Old Vic Theatre Centre before taking up an role as assistant director with the Young Vic Theatre Company. She returned to New Zealand as a freelance director before turning to an acting career working on stage, radio and TV in Australia and New Zealand. She is probably best known for her roles in the Australian TV series Prisoner and The Flying Doctors. She also featured in the popular Close to Home series. She was awarded an OBE in 1980 for her services to the theatre and was made a Dame in 1993.
NZPA



Rugby-Four new caps in All Blacks squad

There are four new caps in the All Blacks squad to play the three opening tests of the season next month again Ireland and Wales. They are Manawatu first-five eighth Aaron Cruden, Hawke's Bay fullback Israel Dagg, Auckland centre Benson Stanley and Wellington loose forward Victor Vito. As well, two brothers - props Ben and Owen Franks - are part of the 26-strong squad, the first siblings selected together since the Mauger brothers in 2001. At least eight recent All Blacks were not considered for selection because of injury. The All Blacks play Ireland on 12 June, followed by Wales on the following two weekends.
The squad is:
Forwards: Anthony Boric, Aled de Malmanche, Tom Donnelly, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw (capt), Keven Mealamu, Kieran Read, Adam Thomson, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Victor Vito, Tony Woodcock.
Backs: Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Aaron Cruden, Israel Dagg, Zac Guildford, Cory Jane, Richard Kahui, Mils Muliaina, Josevata Rokocoko, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Piri Weepu.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



US-bound Kiwi spellbound by words

New Zealand's top speller is heading to the United States this weekend to what has become known as the world spelling Olympics. In just a few days, he'll be just one of 273 spellers from all over the world vying for top spot at the competitive and cut-throat Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. His proud English teacher mother Penny Olds is going too and says Tom has always had a love of words. "He does love buying sets of encyclopaedias and things like that when we go to church fairs or book fairs and he just likes reading them," says Olds.
Source: ONE News



Soccer-Serbian fans turn nasty during All Whites' shock win

The captain of Serbia's soccer team had to appeal for calm over the microphone as his team's fans rioted during a 1-0 World Cup warm-up defeat by New Zealand. Trouble erupted in the second half when Serbia's 10,000 fans threw burning flares, bottles and missiles on to the pitch, then several invaded the turf. They were dragged away by security, before Serbia's captain, Nemanja Vidic, stepped in to urge calm as the All Whites were getting ready to walk off. The All Whites' next international friendly is against Slovenia in Slovenia on Saturday.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Saturday, May 29

Hawke's Bay thunder storm warning

By Natasha Burling - NewstalkZB
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for Hawke's Bay. A slow-moving trough over the Bay is forecast to drift north and reach Gisborne this evening. The rain watch has been upgraded to a warning, with heavy showers accompanying the trough and isolated thunderstorms a possibility. Any storms occurring in Hawke's Bay are likely to be slow-moving and may bring localised downpours. Rainfall of 50 to 70 millimetres is expected through until 10 o'clock tonight when the system is forecast to weaken.



Australia honours NZer for Vietnam war gallantry

A New Zealand man has received an Australian award for bravery during the Vietnam War. At a service in Auckland on Saturday, Morrie Stanley, a retired Lieutenant-Colonel, was awarded an Australian Unit Citation for Gallantry for his actions during the battle of Long Tan in August 1966. An Australian troop contingent of just 105 men faced a North Vietnamese force of 2500 in the battle. Mr Stanley, who was a member of the Royal New Zealand Artillery attached to an Australian unit, directed artillery fire down onto enemy positions. The Minister of Veterans Affairs, Judith Collins, says the citation recognises Mr Stanley's courage, which probably saved the lives of many of the Australian soldiers he served with.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Fonterra makes cheese in Minnesota

By Tim DOWER - NewstalkZB
Fonterra's joint venture operation with Dairy Farmers of America now owns Swiss Valley Farms. The business runs a plant in Minnesota, supplying grated cheese to retail, food service and industrial customers. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.



NZ signs education agreement with Saudi Arabia

The Government has signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia to increase collaboration in the fields of education and science. Education Minister Anne Tolley says Saudi Arabia is New Zealand's fifth largest source of international students and provides an estimated $250 million of revenue to the country every year. The agreement, signed on Friday, lays out how New Zealand and Saudi Arabia will collaborate in education and science. This could include joint research projects, academic programmes and exchanges between the two countries.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Roads flooded in Otago

A landslip has hit a building at a camp ground, as severe weather continues to batter the Otago region causing flooding and road closures. Floodwaters have closed all main routes into Milton. State Highway 1 is closed from Waihola to Balclutha and State Highway 8 is closed from Clarkeville to Lawrence. State Highway 1 is closed north of Oamaru between Pukeuri and Hildethorpe, as is State Highway 83 from Pukeuri to Seven Mile Rd. State Highway 1 is also closed south of Oamaru at Hampden, the Transport Agency says. Meanwhile, snow has closed State Highway 87 between Hyde and Kyeburn and State Highway 85 from Palmerston To Kyeburn. State Highway 8 between Omarama and Tarras and State Highway 85 from Ranfurly to Omakau are closed to towing vehicles due to snow, and chains are essential.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Friday, May 28

Fiji representative invited to forum meeting

Fiji has been invited to send a ministerial representative to a meeting in New Zealand of the Pacific Island Forum's special group on Fiji next week. The forum suspended Fiji's membership in May last year for failing to commit to a return to democracy. The Auckland meeting on Monday will be the group's first gathering since last year's decision by the interim regime in Fiji not to relinquish power to an elected government before 2014, Radio New Zealand International reports. The group includes the prime ministers of Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu, as well as the Foreign Ministers of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The invitation to Fiji is for a minister to provide perspectives on the situation there and the path back to democratic governance.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Pharmacists "bogged down" by doctor errors

Pharmacists are "bogged down" correcting doctors' prescription mistakes and this is taking away valuable time which could be spent advising patients, an Otago University study has found. The study looked at over 24,000 prescriptions given by 20 Dunedin pharmacies and found that over 5% of prescriptions were plagued by unnecessary bureaucratic and legal issues. These prescription errors were usually as a result of mistakes made by doctors. The majority of mistakes made by prescribers involved the use of trade-names on a prescription instead of naming generic Pharmac funded drugs. Other mistakes prescribers made included failing to provide signatures and on some occasions altered doses which needed to be checked by the pharmacist.
NZPA



South Island road travel disrupted by snow, flooding

Up to 15 centimetres of snow has fallen in parts of north Otago and south Canterbury on Friday morning and more is forecast, MetService says. Snow fell to 300 metres in the region, but that level is now moving higher as temperatures lift. Chains are essential on State Highway 8 between Fairlie and Twizel, and State Highway 87 between Outram and Kyeburn is closed to towing vehicles. Snow is also affecting State Highway 85 between Palmerston and Kyburn. The wintry weather has arrived as flooding still causes disruption in north Otago. State Highway 1 remains closed south of Oamaru at the Deborah underpass, and between Pukeuri and Hildethorpe, though detours are in place. There's flooding on State Highway 83 between Pukeuri and Kurow.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Whitcoulls launches eBooks

Whitcoulls has launched its eBooks, giving New Zealanders the ability to read anytime, anywhere and on any enabled device. Book lovers will be able to choose from over two million titles, including a great range of dedicated New Zealand content. The company will also start selling its own eReader device, which will retail in selected stores and online for $295. New Zealand is only the fourth country in the world, after Canada, the US and Australia, where the Kobo eReader device has been launched. "Customers can download eBooks directly from the Whitcoulls website and read them on iPhones, BlackBerrys and Android smart phones, PC, laptop, on the soon-to-be released iPad, or their dedicated eReading devices including the Kobo eReader."
Source: ONE News



NZ scientists to work with Nasa on $375m project

New Zealand scientists are to work with Nasa in a $375 million satellite project to collect the most accurate data yet on greenhouse gases. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) project will help scientists understand how fast greenhouse gases leave and enter the atmosphere, the Dominion Post reported. It was a great opportunity for National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) scientists to be involved in world-leading research, team leader Vanessa Sherlock said. The project's leader Dave Crisp is in New Zealand to discuss the project with Niwa. The satellite, to be launched by February 2013, would pick up data from 15 measurement stations around the world, Dr Crisp said.
NZPA



Australia to take legal action against Japan over whaling

The Australian Government has announced it will launch legal action against Japan over whaling in the Southern Ocean. Formal proceedings will be lodged at the International Court of Justice in The Hague next week, the ABC reports. Australia's foreign affairs minister Stephen Smith says he is confident the legal action will not affect the country's bilateral relationship with Japan.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Thursday, May 27

Rural Women supreme enterprise award presented

A Waikato woman has won Rural Women New Zealand's supreme enterprise award. Tineke Verkade runs a homeopathic farm business, which supplies more than 200 organic-certified products to farmers. She has also written two books on homeopathy for dairy and alpaca farmers, and employs eight part-time people. The supreme enterprise award was presented at a special ceremony at the Rural Women New Zealand national conference in Oamaru. It recognises an outstanding rural businesswoman running her own enterprise and celebrates the success of all rural women entrepreneurs.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Heart pills recalled

A brand of heart pills is being recalled because some of the tablets are under or over their correct size, meaning they contain higher or lower doses of the medicine. The recall involves Pacific Atenolol 50 and 100 milligram beta-blockers used to treat various heart conditions including high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and angina. Distributor Mylan, says patients should return them to pharmacies as soon as possible for replacements. Chief executive Lloyd Price says in the mean time, patients should keep taking the pills, while avoiding any that look larger or smaller than normal.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



NZ gets eBooks store

Whitcoulls has launched New Zealand's first eBooks platform. Customers can now download whole books from the Whitcoulls website, to be read on their personal devices such as iPhones, BlackBerrys, PCs or laptops. Managing Director Peter Kalan says two million book titles are on the new database and they are value for money. He says the cost of downloading most books will be between $12 and $19. Mr Kalan thinks the concept will catch on quickly, as New Zealanders are avid readers and early adopters of new technology.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



American alligators out of quarantine

Auckland Zoo has welcomed some new residents this morning with the arrival of four American alligators. The alligators arrived a week ago from Australia Zoo but had to stay in quarantine before they could be released into their new enclosure. The new additions, along with the zoo's only other alligator - Doris - will be part of the new tropics exhibition which opens at the end of the year. The public won't be allowed to see the alligators until Queen's Birthday weekend.
Source ONE News



Businessman claims ignorance of $ sign

A man in court on tax charges has claimed in his defence that he didn't know what the $ sign meant. Stephen Blackman was trying to explain why he had not disclosed more than $300,000 in income. He appeared before Judge Robert Murfitt in New Plymouth District Court and pleaded guilty to two charges of filing false or incomplete tax returns for the years ending March 31, 2007 and 2008. "You may have been confused by forms provided to you by my company which contained impressive numbers preceded by a '$' symbol," Blackman wrote. "I am unaware of the meaning of this symbol he said. Blackman is to reappear on July 6 for sentencing.
NZPA



Heavy snow warning for Canterbury

By SHAHRA WALSH - The Press
Snow is now falling in parts of Canterbury, and the Metservice has issued a heavy snow warning for the region. After days of wet, rainy weather, snow has begun falling in Arthurs Pass and in Waimate and forecasters say it will continue to fall to around 300 metres over eastern parts of the South Island today and tomorrow. There have been hail and sleet showers in Christchurch this morning, and the temperature has plunged from around nine degrees earlier today to just four. Met Service says the heaviest snowfalls are expected overnight for inland parts of Canterbury and North Otago overnight.



Houston choice for NZ travellers

Travellers to the US wanting to avoid the notorious Los Angeles airport will have another choice from November next year. Continental Airlines is returning to ply New Zealand airspace with direct flights between Auckland and Houston, using its new Boeing Dreamliner aircraft. The new service will start in November next year and will open up the east and central US and connecting flights to Europe. Tourism New Zealand CEO Kevin Bowler says the airline left New Zealand skies in 1993 and to see it return is very exciting.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Unprecedented feedback on mining proposal

The feedback on the Government's proposed mining of conservation land is unprecedented. More than 35,000 submissions were received on the exploration of protected Schedule Four conservation land when submissions closed yesterday. Gary Taylor from conservation group the Environmental Defence Society says the issue has mobilised public opinion in a way that has not been seen in a decade. "I've been involved in environmental advocacy for a long, long time and I think that's the most submissions that I've ever heard on any sort of environmental policy matter ever."
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Minister asked to pay $15,000 to solo mum

Social Development (Welfare) Minister Paula Bennett has been asked to pay out $15,000 to a mum whose welfare information she made public. Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff's office wrote to her last week suggesting the settlement, the New Zealand Herald reported. Solo mother Natasha Fuller made the complaint to the office after Ms Bennett released her details after she complained about cuts to her Training Incentive Allowance. Ms Bennett told the newspaper the money sought was for "hurt and humiliation" and she would not pay it.
NZPA



Bolger raises rural lending issue

KiwiBank chairman Jim Bolger says he's been told the main Australian-owned banks are not supporting the rural sector. Kiwibank has submitted its 10-year growth plans and capital requirements to the Government. A move into rural lending is included. Mr Bolger said on Wednesday he had received an email two days before in Australia from an unnamed, but prominent, person in the rural sector wanting KiwiBank to invest in farming, which it currently does not do.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Rock art site blocked by landslide

Heavy rain in North Otago set off a major rockslide blocking the entrance to one of the country's best known rock art sites. Amanda Symon from the Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Trust says the limestone cave has been fenced off. Waatea News reports some of the drawings at Takiroa near Duntroon on State Highway 83 probably date back to the earliest Maori settlers in Aotearoa. There are also post European contact drawings of boats and horses. More than 25,000 people per year visit Takiroa.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Autumn warmer than average

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research says the autumn months of March, April and May have been seven tenths of a degree warmer than normal. It says there have only been two warmer autumns in the past 120 years, in 1938 and 1978. May has been particularly warm, with temperatures running 1.2 degrees above normal, and as much as 3.5 degrees higher than in May last year.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Australian banks closely watching KiwiBank

An analyst in Australia says banks there are taking a keen interest in the future of Kiwibank, amid debate in New Zealand about a possible sale. Finance Minister Bill English has suggested there could be a partial float of the State-owned bank if the National Party wins a second term in Government. Southern Cross analyst TS Lim in Sydney says Australian banks take an interest in KiwiBank because it makes life difficult for them in this country. He says the bank has an extensive network and with more capital it would prove strong competition for the Australian banks in terms of attracting deposits. KiwiBank was set up by New Zealand Post as a subsidiary to provide a domestic alternative to the main Australian-owned banks in 2002. It now has assets of $12 billion and 700,000 customers.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, May 26

Flooding closes Christchurch roads

By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI - NewstalkZB
Many roads around rivers in Christchurch have been closed due to flooding, with dozens of others under threat. Rain levels have picked up dramatically throughout the day, leaving the Avon and Heathcote rivers brimming even before high tide. Christchurch Civil Defence Controller Michael Aitken has warned people to avoid roads around rivers around high tide, and to take extreme care at other times. Several schools shut early and some roads in the region are closed due to the dramatic downpours. The Port Hills end of Colombo Street is also starting to flood, with the rain running down Dyers Pass Road.



Northland locals help rescue beached whale

A group of locals helped refloat a 25-year-old killer whale that had beached itself at Ruakaka in Northland yesterday afternoon. It is the second time Putita has beached himself in 11 years. Volunteer surfers and DOC workers, directed by orca expert Dr Ingrid Visser, worked to push Putita back out to shore, while his distressed mother and brother swam back and forther across the shore. Putita was finally returned to his pod around 2.30pm - half an hour after his stranding.
3 News



Kiwi cities rank among world's best

By Michael Dickison
Auckland has the world's fourth-best quality of living, according to a new ranking dominated by European cities. But in another ranking for eco-cities, Wellington beats out Auckland, ranking fifth worldwide. In both categories, New Zealand cities sit at the top of the Asia Pacific, ahead of Australian contenders. The 2010 Mercer Worldwide Quality of Living Survey was released today, ranking cities for overall quality of living based on political, socio-economic and environmental criteria as well as sanitisation, education and transport. The company also compiled a list of top eco-cities. Spokeswoman Georgina Harley said in a statement to media that New Zealand cities had been recognised for having "quality housing close to the city", "political stability" and "transport". Auckland ranked fourth while Wellington was judged 12th worldwide for quality of living.



Tanning clinics exposed in sting

By KAY BLUNDELL - The Dominion Post
Sunbed operators are under fire after an undercover survey by MidCentral District Health Board. A woman posing as a customer visited 25 clinics but found only one had adequate safety warnings. The survey follows similar work carried out by Consumer NZ. The woman was fair-skinned and should have been advised against using sunbeds, MidCentral health protection officer Tui Shadbolt said. Only one operator advised her not to use the sunbed. The survey has prompted the Cancer Society to call for the new voluntary standards introduced in New Zealand and Australia last year to be made compulsory. Cancer Society skin cancer adviser Judith Galtry said yesterday that people under the age of 18 and those with fair skin should be banned from using sunbeds.



Auckland Zoo goes smokefree

Visitors to Auckland Zoo will be told to stub out their cigarettes from Saturday or leave. After complaints from the public, the Auckland City Council-owned zoo said it was going smoke free at the weekend for the first time in its 88-year history. Visitors who wanted to smoke could have a puff in a designated area outside before they entered the zoo or get a leave pass to go outside to light up before returning through the main entrance. The zoo's new policy coincided with World Smokefree Day on Monday and was prompted partly by customer complaints, said zoo board chairman, councillor Graeme Mulholland. He said the smokefree move was in line with the zoo's move to create a healthy environment.
NZPA



Clinic gives $10 for vaccinations and smears

A Hamilton medical centre is offering cash payments to boost vaccination and smear test rates. Radius Medical Davies Corner offers patients $10 cash for undergoing smear tests, vaccinations and B4 School checks. The radical approach, which has the backing of Waikato District Health Board, has immunisation rates and cervical smear rates rising. Radius Medical general manager Navin Rajan said: "Ethically speaking it is a very grey area. We are not trying to buy patients, this is not bribery, this is getting children vaccinated, examined and women through the door for smear tests that could potentially save lives."
The Dominion Post



Major upgrade of medical training lab in Dunedin

A skills training facility for medical students and clinicians in Dunedin has had a substantial upgrade. The Otago Clinical Skills Laboratory had an official opening on Tuesday night after a $600,000 overhaul to ensure it meets modern medical requirements. The laboratory is jointly run by Otago University's Dunedin School of Medicine and the Southern District Health Board. The university paid for the lion's share of the upgrade.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



New TV station in Tonga plans to return to air next week

Nukualofa’s newest TV station will return to air next week on privately-owned DigiTV after falling out with the government-run Tonga Broadcasting Commission. The Taimi Media Network’s Television Tonga 2 Channel was taken off air on May the 7th after it had refused to pay the lease for the previous two months. The network had been on air 18 months. Its owner, Kalafi Moala, says the company had been losing money because of delays caused by the Broadcasting Commission censoring its programmes.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, May 25

Elderly encouraged to give eating habits a WOF

By Angela Beswick
Senior citizens should give their eating habits a “warrant of fitness”, according to an expert dietician. At a New Zealand Nutrition Foundation seminar in Nelson, registered dietician Kaye Dennison warned of malnutrition in those who have not reassessed their eating habits as their age. "As we get older, we are very good at reviewing our housing, hobbies and horsepower to suit our changing needs,” she said. According to the Ministry of Health, older New Zealanders should be eating foots high in calcium, vitamins D and B, folic acid and magnesium. An extra milky drink or a nourishing bowl of creamy meat and vegetable soup can make all the difference, Ms Dennison said. She warns that healthy guidelines for other age groups can be over-restrictive for the elderly, compromising good nutrition.



NZ oil potential to be promoted

NewstalkZB
A two-year programme aimed at promoting oil and gas exploration has been announced by the Government. Crown Minerals has contracted GNS Science to deliver the $7.6 million project, aimed at improving knowledge of new Zealand's petroleum potential. Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee, says the information will help make investing in exploration more attractive for local and foreign companies.



Three strikes becomes law

By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI - NewstalkZB
The controversial three strikes legislation has passed through parliament, 63 votes to 58. It removes eligibility for parole for the worst repeat violent offenders and imposes maximum terms of imprisonment for people who repeatedly commit crimes. Police Minister Judith Collins says it ensures the worst repeat violent criminals have less chance to re-offend and sends a message that parole is a privilege, not a right. Forty serious offences have been named that are punishable by a maximum of seven years prison or more. There has been much opposition to the bill, with Labour, the Greens and the Maori Party all saying it will do nothing to stop offending.



Australians looking at NZ rural bonding scheme

Australian veterinarians are looking to the New Zealand bonding scheme to help keep more young vets in rural practices. More than 1000 vets and industry delegates from New Zealand and Australia are at a Pan Pacific Veterinary conference in Brisbane. The New Zealand Veterinary Association says the Australians are very interested in how the bonding scheme is working here as they face the same struggle in attracting veterinarians in the rural sector. The bond scheme was introduced last year to encourage newly-qualified vets to stay by providing taxable payments for every year they work in a rural practice, for up to five years.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



NZ petrol 4th-cheapest in OECD, says Govt

New global comparisons of petrol prices show New Zealand has the fourth- cheapest petrol in the rich countries' club, the Organisation for Cooperation and Development. Analysis by the Ministry of Economic Development, based on International Energy Association data, found that the cheapest petrol, after government taxes, in the December quarter of 2009, was in the U.S, Mexico and Canada, where the tax component of the pump price is also the smallest.
Copyright 2010, APN Holdings NZ Limited



Study says work is good for you

A new study shows work is good for a person's health but it is a message that is not being heeded. The Royal Australasian College of Physicians has released a report looking at issues and trends, as well as public health policies in New Zealand and in Australia. Its main finding is, that for most people, working generally improves health and wellbeing and reduces psychological stress, however the report says the message is not gaining widespread acceptance. The study says instead there have been increases in the number of sickness beneficiaries, driven by people with common and treatable health problems. The Government is using the study's findings to back its case for welfare reform.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Oamaru floods 'worst in decade'

Oamaru has been isolated by flooding, which is being described as the worst in well over a decade. By 9.45am State Highway One, north and south of the North Otago town, was impassable, and bypass roads were also flooded, cutting off the town. The Waitaki District emergency management office has been fully activated and emergency management officer Chris Raine warned motorists road travel in the area was hazardous. "Drivers can expect substantial delays and impasses and are advised not to attempt to travel in or out of Oamaru," he said. The flooding came as a heavy rainfall warning remained in force for South Canterbury and North Otago. As strong winds and heavy rain pounded parts of the South Island today, locals were warned to brace for snow later this week.
By MICHAEL FOX, Stuff.co.nz, with The Timaru Herald, MARC GREENHILL, PAUL GORMAN, The Press and PAUL EASTON, The Dominion Post, and NZPA



New geothermal power plant completed ahead of schedule

Contact Energy says its $100 million Tauhara One geothermal power plant near Taupo has been completed, ahead of schedule. The listed energy generator and retailer is investing $600 million to boost its generation business, with another $500 million on a peak power plant and underground gas storage field at Stratford.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Half of PNG aid budget spent on consultants - review

A review of Australia's $A400 million aid programme in Papua New Guinea, has concluded more than half of the money was spent on "technical assistance". Australia is PNG's biggest aid donor. A review of the PNG-Australia Development Treaty says there have been some successes, like improving roads and tackling the HIV-AIDS epidemic. But the ABC reports overall the aid was found to have made little difference to life in PNG. The review found Australian aid was being spread too thinly across too many areas and recommended a focus on improving education.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Men get fitter without breakfast

By MICHAEL FORBES - The Dominion Post
Skipping breakfast before training gives male athletes an advantage, new research from Massey University shows. It is the first time sports science has proven men and women burn fat differently, according to Steve Stannard, head of the University's School of Sport and Exercise. The research could also help diabetes prevention, by developing more targeted exercise regimes for both sexes. Dr Stannard said the findings dispelled the long-held "myth" that having a high carbohydrate breakfast before training gave athletes greater endurance. "We've had the wool pulled over our eyes by breakfast cereal companies for so long now," he said. "There's this whole industry, built up around sports bars and drinks, based on the idea that if you have carbohydrates before exercise, you can go for longer and harder. A lot of it's rubbish." By not eating before training, the body was put under stress quicker, and the longer it could endure stress, the more beneficial the training, Dr Stannard said.



Israeli diplomat expelled by Australia

The Australian Government is expelling an Israeli diplomat because of the use of faked Australian passports linked to the assassination of a Palestinian commander in Dubai earlier this year. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says Israel's action was not what Australia expected from a nation with which it had such a close relationship. Britain took similar action in March, after concluding that Israel was responsible for the use of forged UK passports in the plot. The Israeli foreign ministry said Australia's decision was disappointing. At least four forged Australian passports were used in the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh Hamas in a hotel room in Dubai on 19 January. The originals belonged to Australians living in Israel.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Free grocery store opens

A grocery store where the goods are free officially opens in Wellington on Tuesday. The Free Store is collecting food and waste contributions from the Progressive Enterprises supermarket chain as well as leftover stock from coffee roasters and bakeries. The groceries are on display at a shop in the central city for people to take away at no cost. The project is a fortnight-long art installation, which has received some funding from Creative New Zealand. Organiser Kim Paton says the shop will give its remaining stock to social agencies at the end of each day.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Monday, May 24

Sodden, but more rain to come

By james williams - NewstalkZB
As parts of Otago get ready for a huge deluge overnight, people in other parts of the country are also being urged to batten down the hatches. Around 200 millimetres of rain is expected to fall around Timaru overnight and residents are being urged to take precautionary action to protect their property. There is already surface flooding in Timaru, and other nearby towns like Temuka also have some surface flooding. The main band of rain is expected to hit Timaru early morning. MetService says central Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa can expect heavy rain and gale force winds overnight and in the morning. Tongariro National Park, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne can expect another 50 to 80 millimetres, before the rain eases overnight. In Canterbury, the rain has started to fall with up to 250 millimetres predicted over the next few days. Strong gales and snow down to 500 metres are also in the mix. Emergency Management Office Emergency Manager Jon Mitchell says staff are monitoring the situation closely. He says drivers are advised to take emergency supplies in their cars, including blankets, walking shoes, waterproof clothing, medicines and food and water.



Three-Test series back on rugby calendar

New Zealand will host a series of three-Test rugby tours between 2012 and 2014 starring England, France and Ireland, as part of the new global schedule. Ireland are first up in 2012 for what will be their first ever three-Test series with the All Blacks. France tour the next year in the first three-Test series against New Zealand since 1968, while England will tour in 2014 in what will surprisingly also be their first ever three-Test series against New Zealand.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Winter expected to blow in on Friday

By PAUL GORMAN - The Press
It's snowing on Canterbury's skifields as winter starts to make its presence felt. Temperatures are predicted to plummet this week, with snow possibly falling to low levels in Canterbury. Drizzle today should clear to isolated showers tomorrow, with increasing sunny spells. Cool, but fine conditions are likely, with maximum temperatures in the low to mid-teens, before a polar blast arrives on Friday. But already the cooler, rainy weather has delivered fresh snow to many Canterbury ski fields. Mount Hutt received 10 centimetres today and was expecting more snow this week. The ski area is scheduled to open on June 12, Porters expected to open June 25, Coronet Peak was scheduled to open first on June 5.



Winter expected to blow in on Friday

By PAUL GORMAN - The Press
It's snowing on Canterbury's skifields as winter starts to make its presence felt. Temperatures are predicted to plummet this week, with snow possibly falling to low levels in Canterbury. Drizzle today should clear to isolated showers tomorrow, with increasing sunny spells. Cool, but fine conditions are likely, with maximum temperatures in the low to mid-teens, before a polar blast arrives on Friday. But already the cooler, rainy weather has delivered fresh snow to many Canterbury ski fields. Mount Hutt received 10 centimetres today and was expecting more snow this week. The ski area is scheduled to open on June 12, Porters expected to open June 25, Coronet Peak was scheduled to open first on June 5.



Severe flood warnings for Otago

By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI - NewstalkZB
The Otago Regional Council is expecting to close roads around the region amid severe flood warnings and up to 350 millimetres forecast for North Otago by the end of Wednesday. ORC director of environmental information and science, John Threfall, says people should prepare by ensuring they have emergency kits ready, in case they need to move to higher ground.



Budget will hit low income Maori hard - Te Whiringa

The head of the Maori community health workers collective, Te Whiringa, believes last week's Budget will hit low income Maori hard. Riripeti Haretuku told Waatea News that while the Government claims no one will be worse off, retailers are already starting to increase the price of basic commodities in preparation for an increase in GST in October. And, she said, increases in property taxes are likely to be passed on to tenants in higher rents. Ms Haretuku said Te Whiringa will try to make the Maori Party aware of the negative impact the Budget has on low income whanau.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Veterinary students bare all again for calendar

Veterinary students at Massey University have bared all in another fundraising calender. The third-year students stripped to raise funds to celebrate the half-way mark of their degree, and to donate to the charity, Paw Justice. One of the students, Lucy Russell, says the "tasteful" calender features students in a variety of vet situations, and on farm. She says nearly two-thirds of her class took part. Ms Russell says this is the fifth consecutive year a Massey University veterinary class has produced a nude calender.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Maori age range widened for study

A major study into aging in New Zealand has changed the age requirements for Maori subjects because it can't find enough Maori in the older age group. Professor Ngaire Kerse from the school of population health at Auckland University says the initial aim was to interview 1200 people aged 85 years in the Bay of Plenty, about what life is like for the elderly. She told Waatea News that 600 Maori aged 85, were needed, but the age range has now been widened from 80 - 90 to find them across the Bay of Plenty. Professor Kerse said the study will be used by Government and non-government agencies to plan future care for the elderly.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Having NZ children no bar to overstayers being kicked out

By Lincoln Tan
Illegal immigrants have been warned they can still face removal from this country even if they have New Zealand-born children. The best interests of a New Zealand-citizen youngster do not necessarily determine whether the parents can stay here, says the Removal Review Authority in a new decision. Having a child who is a New Zealand citizen does not give them a right to reside or remain in this country, says the head of Immigration New Zealand, Nigel Bickle. He said the agency did not have figures on how many parents with New Zealand-citizen children had been removed or deported, because no statistics were kept on the matter. Children born in New Zealand before 2006 received automatic citizenship, but now at least one parent has to be either a New Zealand citizen or resident for them to acquire citizenship.



Skills shortage 'set to worsen' - recruitment firm

A New Zealand recruitment firm says the skills shortage looks set to worsen as the economy recovers - and companies will have to rethink the way they attract staff. Manpower's global survey of 35,000 employers in 26 countries found that 31% of them are having trouble filling vacancies. New Zealand was slightly better off, with just 30% of employers finding it tough to fill roles - down from 39% last year and 47% the year before. Sales representative roles were the most difficult to fill in New Zealand, followed by engineers, technicians and accounting and finance staff.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Sunday, May 23

North Otago on 'severe' flood watch

By GARY FOX - NewstalkZB
Severe flood warnings have been issued for all North Otago catchments on Monday night and into Tuesday. The Otago Regional Council says 250 millimetres of rain is predicted, which is higher than any previously recorded level in North Otago. Farmers are being advised to move stock and equipment from low-lying areas and the Regional Council says flooding could affect many roads, including State Highway One. The Dunedin and Taieri catchments could also be affected.



Kiwifruit profit up

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri has seen its profit rise by 8% to $25.9 million in the year to March, thanks to stronger sales in Asia. Sales rose 3% to $1.5 billion, due to higher prices for gold kiwifruit, and selling more green and gold kiwifruit in Asia, offsetting weaker demand in Europe.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Kiribati's tale of horror and survival

Chilling photos taken by a New Zealander have emerged of a sole survivor of a Japanese massacre in the Pacific after World War II. Two hundred men were killed by Japanese forces after being bayoneted and thrown off a cliff on Kiribati's remote Ocean Island. But one man managed to escape the bloodbath. The rare images buried in a time vault tell a story of horror and survival. New Zealand army major Elliot Lloyd photographed Kabunare Koura when he was found after a terrifying ordeal. He had been part of a group of 200 men rounded up by the Japanese just days after the war ended. Author Michael Field says that the Japanese decided Kiribati workers knew too much about the fortifications on the island, so they simply took them to the edge of the cliff. "They tied the men's hands behind their backs with wire and thrust bayonets into them." Kabunare survived the fall and was saved as the bodies of his friends protected him from a rain of bullets. He hid for three months in a cave, creeping out at night to catch fish and find coconuts, until the island was liberated. Field's book, Swimming with the Sharks, is about to be released.
Source: ONE News



Funding boost for animal welfare

The government has announced an $8.2 million boost for animal welfare funding. The budget allocated $5 million to animal welfare enforcement, $2 million for a review of the Animal Welfare Act and $1.2m for SPCA enforcement work. The $8.2m is over four years, and was reprioritised from other Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry spending. Agriculture Minister David Carter said the funding was government recognition of the importance of animal welfare.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Tip Top is the best!

Tip Top is New Zealand's best ice cream. The Fonterra-owned company licked all others to win the 14th New Zealand Ice Cream Awards, taking out the supreme award with their creamy yoghurt ice cream strawberry. Tip Top 'goody goody gum drops' took out the Kids' Choice prize. There were 227 other entries. Tip Top has been around for 74 years.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Prepare for storms, urges Civil Defence

Civil Defence is warning people to prepare for the stormy weather due to hit much of the country from Sunday night. A severe weather warning has been issued for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Gisborne, Bay of Plenty, Taupo, Taihape, Nelson, Canterbury and Otago. The Civil Defence emergency management office in Auckland is advising people to check they have an emergency supply kit, and for people living in low-lying areas to have a get-away kit.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Late-in-life dads up by 20 per cent

By Rachel Grunwell
More men are becoming fathers later in life. About 60,000 children are born in New Zealand each year, with the highest number of new dads in the 30-39 age group. But the number who have a child after their 50th birthday has risen 20 per cent in the past five years. And 14 men who became dads last year were aged 65 or over, according to Statistics New Zealand. Auckland University sociology professor Maureen Baker believes the trend is due to men finding younger partners, particularly after break-ups.



Doubts trans-Tasman skies will get more crowded

An aviation commentator doubts trans-Tasman skies will get any more crowded than they already are. There has been speculation budget carriers Tiger Airways and AirAsia X are looking at entering the market. Aviation commentator Peter Clark says competition on the route is already very tough, and it would be difficult for a new operator to make a profit. He says they would have to be offering a really low-cost concept and low fares, and it would be difficult to go much lower than what is already on offer.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



China's stolen millions hunt reaches NZ

By TONY WALL - Sunday Star Times
Millions of dollars embezzled by the former head of China's first publicly listed rail company in one of the communist country's biggest corporate frauds might have been laundered through New Zealand. The Chinese government is attempting to retrieve money and assets invested in New Zealand as part of what it believes was a "trans-national money laundering scheme" run by Liu Guiting, who gained New Zealand residency in 2002 under the investor category by depositing $2 million in an ASB bank account. He also bought an apartment in Auckland and hotels in Rotorua, through companies controlled by his wife and daughter, who live in Auckland. Guiting, former chairman of Beiya Industrial Group and a Communist Party member, is serving two life sentences after being convicted last year of embezzlement, taking bribes and paying millions more under the table to Chinese government officials from 1997 to 2005.



Gap-year students 'perform better at uni'

By LOIS CAIRNS - Sunday Star Times
A dose of reality in the workforce for a year does more to prepare students for university than high school exams, new research shows. Students who perform below average at school are more likely to succeed at university if they take a gap year. The research was done by the Ministry of Education and looked at how students who had achieved the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) level 3 and attained the University Entrance standard performed in their first year of university study. It found that among those with lower school achievement, students who took a year off before starting their tertiary studies – particularly students from low-decile schools – showed higher levels of performance at university than those who progressed directly to tertiary study after leaving school. "The improvement in university performance for students who took a gap year probably derives from the fact that only motivated or confident students enrol in tertiary studies after taking a break," the researchers concluded.



Rugby-Bulls end Crusaders' Super 14 campaign

The Bulls will host all-South African Super 14 rugby final after beating the Crusaders 39-24 in South Africa on Sunday. They'll meet the Stormers, who beat the New South Wales Waratahs 25-6 in Cape Town on Saturday. It will be only the third time in Super Rugby history that no New Zealand team is in the final.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Saturday, May 22

Severe weather warning for Nth Island

A severe weather warning has been issued for the North Island as heavy rain and gales are expected to hit on Sunday night. The MetService is forecasting rain and gales for Northland, north Auckland, and Great Barrier Island on Sunday evening. Between 60mm and 90mm is expected in some hill areas. In the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne north of Tolaga Bay, severe weather will hit Sunday night and Monday morning, easing in the afternoon or evening. About 100mm to 150mm of rain is expected near the ranges, with the heaviest falls north of Gisborne.
NZPA



London Zoo joins anti-mining fight

London Zoo is joining the campaign against allowing mining on New Zealand's conservation estate, in a bid to save a rare, endangered frog. The Zoological Society of London is calling on the British public to make submissions on the New Zealand government's proposals to permit mining on more than 7000 hectares of the conservation estate, the Dominion Post reported. The campaign was launched on the London Zoo website and is drawing attention to the plight of the critically endangered Archey's frog, found in the area of the Coromandel Peninsula proposed as suitable for mining. The frog is described as the most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered amphibian on the planet.
NZPA



Jim Anderton sees no sense in selling KiwiBank

By Tim DOWER - NewstalkZB
The man who campaigned to establish KiwiBank can not see the sense in selling it off. Finance Minister Bill English has told post-Budget business meetings the state-owned bank is a good example of an asset that would be particularly special to buyers. He says it is growing fast and needs a lot of capital, which the Government does not have. Progressives leader Jim Anderton fought for years to get the Bank started. He says it is ironic National now sees it as a viable business, but wonders why New Zealanders would want to buy something they already own. Jim Anderton says even if shares were offered to Mum and Dad investors, the shares would soon end up in the hands of big institutions.



NZ signs up to WHO accord on health care workers

By Tim DOWER - NewstalkZB
New Zealand has signed up to a voluntary accord, limiting the number of health care workers we poach from poorer countries. It comes after six years of negotiations at the World Health Organisation, which says the world needs at least four million more doctors and nurses. The agreement includes a promise to uphold ethical principles, and support medical training in low-income areas. New Zealand is one of the biggest recruiters of foreign health workers, alongside the United States, Canada, Australia and Britain.



Imports suspended as fruit fly eggs discovered

Imports of fresh produce from Queensland have been suspended because of the discovery of fruit fly eggs in a container. The eggs were found earlier this week by an inspector, and imports have been stopped pending an investigation by authorities in this country and Australia. Federated Farmers' biosecurity spokesperson John Hartnell says the Queensland fruit fly is a serious insect pest, which has the potential to cause billions of dollars of damage to the horticultural industry.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Tonga PM may sue newspaper in NZ

Tonga's Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele, is threatening to sue a Tongan newspaper in the New Zealand courts, claiming it has defamed him, the Solomon Star reports. A lawyer for the Prime Minister, Mark Woolford, said the Kele'a newspaper published untrue and defamatory stories in its coverage of Sevele's testimony to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the Princess Ashika. Woolford said the paper alleged that Sevele had lied to the Commission, committing perjury and is criminally liable. He said this was untrue and demanded a retraction and apology or he would issue proceedings in New Zealand.NZPA



Friday, May 21

Snake found in shipping container

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry officials got a slippery surprise in Auckland today when a snake was discovered in a shipping container. The 50 centimetre venomous colubrid snake was discovered in a shipping container which had just brought in a load of Fisher and Paykel washing machines from Thailand. "It was actually a little bit cold in the container and that was a good thing for us when we tried to capture it, it's probably finding it a little bit cold compared to Thailand," says Mose Saseve, MAF snake handler. Snakes are prohibited in New Zealand and this Thai visitor will be euthanised over the next few days.
Source: ONE News



PM condemns North Korean action

Prime Minister John Key has condemned the actions of North Korea, after a torpedo from that country caused the sinking of a South Korean warship at the end of March. The attack claimed 46 lives and is being described by the international community, as an unprovoked and unwarranted act of aggression. Mr Key agrees, saying "We stand alongside the people of the Republic of Korea, in finding the actions of North Korea and the loss of the sailors from the Republic of Korea, as being abhorrent and we are very disappointed at what took place." John Key says our Foreign Minister will be discussing the incident with his counterpart in South Korea.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Organic production triples value in four years

New research has measured the significant lift in organic production in New Zealand. The Otago University study shows certified organic food and beverage products contributed $485 million to the New Zealand economy last year, in domestic sales and exports. The value has more than tripled in four years. Chair of the national organics body Derek Broadmore says organics is about halfway to reaching its target of becoming a billion-dollar industry by 2013.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Air NZ named as one of the world's best

Air New Zealand has been named the fifth best airline in the world, in the annual Skytrax Airline of the Year Awards in Hamburg, Germany. Asiana Airlines was named the winner, ahead of Singapore Airlines in 2nd place and Qatar Airways in 3rd place. The Skytrax awards are based on surveys by more than 17 million passengers with over 100 different nationalities and carried out over a 10 month period July 2009 and April 2010. Air New Zealand was in eighth place last year and is rated the best airline in the Australia/Pacific region.
Source: ONE News



British invasion lifts migration stats

The number of Britons coming to New Zealand has continued to bump up migration statistics, while the state of the UK economy is deterring Kiwis from moving to Britain. Net inward migration was 20,000 in the 12 months ended April 30, more than twice the 9,200 in April a year ago, though down from its 22,600 peak in January. Some 16,000 new Brits have underpinned the number, while only 8,000 people left New Zealand for the UK.
Copyright 2010, APN Holdings NZ Limited



Rugby-Final test at Carisbrook sells out

All regular tickets to the last All Blacks test to be played at Carisbrook have been sold out. With 29 days to go before the June 19 test against Wales, the last of the 27,247 traditional stand and terrace tickets were sold this morning. The Otago Rugby Union has decided to add 800 special on-field seats to boost capacity.
© 2010 NZCity, NewsTalkZB



Thursday, May 20

Magic Kingdom arrives in Auckland

Source: Newstalk ZB/NZPA/ONE News
The Magic Kingdom arrived in Auckland this week, complete with Mickey, Minnie and the whole royal entourage. Four thousand happy fans filled Auckland's Vector Arena this morning for a special preview performance of the Disney on Ice production. Mickey and Minnie Mouse hosted the show and Disney's first lady was clearly the favourite performer of the day. Thirty-eight professional skaters brought the theme park to life, many of them as excited about the show as their fans. More than 43,000 tickets to this weekend's performances have been sold in Auckland alone before the show heads south to Christchurch next week.



The war for talent heating up

The skills shortage is alive and kicking. Employment agency Manpower has carried out a survey encompassing New Zealand businesses and found that 30 percent are currently having trouble filling key positions. The most difficult people to find are engineers, managers/executives and sales reps, all of which have remained in the top ten skills shortage list for the past five years and during the recession. Manpower Zealand General Manager, Chris Riley, says it spells good news for talented workers.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Budget-Tax reform "the most significant in 25 years"

Finance Minister Bill English claims the tax reform package announced in the Budget is the most significant in 25 years. Across the board personal tax cuts are worth $14.3 billion over four years. The tax rate for income up to $14,000 will drop from 12.5 percent to 10.5 percent. For people earning $14,001-$48,000, the rate will drop from 21 percent to 17.5 percent. The rate for earnings between $48,001 and $70,000 will fall from 33 percent to 30 percent and the rate for people earning more than $70,000 will fall from 38 percent to 33 percent. The company tax rate to drop from 30 percent to 28, the same as Australia. The changes take effect from October 1 and are worth $14.3 billion over the next four years, however GST will increase to 15 percent.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Clinton may join Christchurch forum

By GLENN CONWAY - The Press
A major security operation is under way as Christchurch prepares to host a political and business forum that may feature United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Mayor Bob Parker said hosting the February 2011 US-NZ Partnership Forum was "huge news for the city". Government security staff from both countries had already scouted locations for the fourth partnership forum, and security arrangements for venues were under way. The venues would remain secret until just days before the event, Parker said. Clinton's original New Zealand trip, which did not include Christchurch, was cancelled in January because of the Haiti earthquake. However, she told officials she wanted to include Christchurch on her next visit.



'Enraged' Kiwi jumps on car dealer's car

A Northern Irish car dealer has been cleared of assault and dangerous driving after saying he felt compelled to drive nearly 5km with an enraged 120kg (264 lb) New Zealand man on the bonnet of his Mercedes. Gerry Brown told the court New Zealander Philip Quirey had sought a refund on a car he had bought from Brown's yard, in Annsborough south of Belfast. Mr Quirey chased Brown, and jumped on the bonnet of his car, the Belfast Telegraph reported. Downpatrick District Court judge Mervyn Bates dismissed all charges against Brown after listening to his emergency call while driving, in which he shouted: "I've got a New Zealander on the bonnet of my car. He's f****** lost it. He's going to kill me. I'm not stopping. This man is going to kill me. He's three times the size of me". Brown said he was too frightened to obey police instructions to stop. When police halted him after nearly 5km - with Mr Quirey still on the bonnet - they charged the driver with assault, dangerous driving and driving while using a mobile phone. Brown later told the newspaper: "He was a big guy and I believed he would harm me if he got me". Brown sold a car for Stg350 ($NZ728) to Mr Quirey's nephew Lesley, which broke down after a week.
NZPA



Picture book takes top honours at book awards

The highest acolade in children's literature has gone to a picture book about a young Hu-Hu grub. Central Otago writer Kyle Mewburn and Wellington illustrator Rachel Driscoll won the New Zealand Post Children's Book of the Year award for Old Hu-Hu at a ceremony in Auckland on Wednesday night. The work also won the picture book category. Judge Rosemary Tisdall says the story is charming and sensitively told and the book was the complete package. About 16,000 children voted for the Children's Choice Award, which went to The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, May 19

NZ embassy stays closed

As violence flares and bullets fly in Bangkok, the New Zealand embassy there remains closed for the fifth day in a row. New Zealand's ambassador to Thailand, Bede Corry, decided to keep his embassy staff of about 20 at home last Friday - and they haven't been back to work since. The embassy is near Lumpini Park, where red-shirted protesters have been barricaded for almost two months. An embassy spokesperson says the situation is being reviewed daily. Meanwhile New Zealanders are being advised against travelling to all areas of Thailand.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Immunisation target reached

New Zealand has hit the national target for immunisation for the first time, with Health Minister Tony Ryall, announcing 85 percent of two-year-old children are fully immunised. Mr Ryall says increased vaccination rates is one of the government's six target areas and improvements have been made in five of those areas in the last quarter. Waiting times for cancer treatment was the only area that remained stable. There were shorter stays in emergency departments across the country and help for smokers improved nationally, as did diabetes and heart disease services.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



All Australia's new army helicopters grounded

The Australian Government has confirmed that a new fleet of army helicopters has been grounded because of engine problems. The ABC reports that the decision to ground the MRH90 fleet was kept secret for four weeks, apparently because of continuing embarrassment over the earlier cancellation of a Seasprite helicopter project. Australia has accepted 11 new MRH90 Eurocopters so far, out of 40 ordered at a cost of about $4 billion. But last month an engine on one of the twin-engine choppers failed, though the pilot managed to nurse the aircraft back to base. Engineers flown in from Europe have so far been unable to find the cause of the failure, and as a result the entire fleet has been grounded.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Kiwis help develop colour X-ray machine

By JO GILBERT - The Press
A revolutionary colour X-ray machine built by Christchurch researchers will be introduced to United States plastic surgeons next week. The Medipix All Resolution Systems (Mars) CT (computerised tomography) scanner creates true-colour X-rays using technology developed at Canterbury University and Cern, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research on the border of France and Switzerland. Christchurch plastic surgeon Peter Walker, who has followed the project, will deliver a presentation about the scanner to the US Plastic Surgery Research Council conference in San Francisco on Monday. About 30 researchers from Otago and Canterbury universities are involved in the project.



Space shuttle visible as it orbits on last mission

By NIGEL MALTHUS - The Press
When the space shuttle Atlantis blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre last weekend for a mission to dock with the International Space Station, it was leaving Earth for the last time. The shuttle programme, which began with the first flight of the Enterprise in 1977, is winding down. Atlantis will never fly again. But weather permitting, Atlantis will be visible docked to the space station, as it orbits over the South Island in the next few days. Lit by the sun in the pre-dawn darkness, the spacecraft will appear as a spot brighter than most stars, moving in a generally southwest-to-northeast direction. Timing of tomorrow's pass will be from about 6.40am. Early risers this morning may see it, further to the southeast, between 6.17am and 6.21am. Similar visible passes are expected on Friday and Saturday, with tomorrow's the most directly over Christchurch and expected to be the brightest. Precise details are available on the website, www.heavens-above.com. All weather permitting, of course.



Fresh guidelines for food ads for kids

A new advertising code has been launched, outlining guidelines for advertising food to children. It requires agencies, marketers and advertisers to take special care to uphold the role of parents in educating children about a balanced diet. The Children's Code for Advertising Food also covers areas like serving sizes and nutritional value. Advertising Standards Authority executive director Hilary Souter says it includes guidelines about the energy value in food which is low in sugar, or low in fat. She says the code also covers advertising outside children's media.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



New online tool for young problem drinkers

A new online tool will be launched today to help young adults change their drinking habits. An anonymous web-based resource with a DVD and workbook has been developed for the Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC). It showcases the real stories of 10 young New Zealanders and their experiences with alcohol. The stories are funny, gruesome, sad and hopeful. ALAC chief executive Gerard Vaughan said the initiative would do more than just provide information and facts. "It's for young people aged between 18 and 29 who are worried about their drinking, and provides a tool that can help them make the changes they want to make," he said. "It offers insights into a wide range of subjects and provides an opportunity to work through issues at their own pace, identify with people on the site and realise they too can move forward and make changes." For details on how to participate go to www.alac.org.nz.
NZPA



Healthbot way of the future

Going to the doctor might just be a whole lot easier in a few years. Mobile health robots - or healthbots - look to help meet the increasingly high demand of nurses by elderly patients. The machines would help patients with simple tasks such as measuring their heart rate, blood pressure and temperature. It would also be programmed to remind a patient to take their medication, detect when someone has fallen in their home and also call for emergency response. The healthbot was developed by researchers from Korea and a group at the University of Auckland. A healthbot was showcased to around 300 people at the University Business Partnership Project launch at the university last night.
Copyright 2010, APN Holdings NZ Limited



Recovered stolen goods posted on police website

Burglary victims are being given a chance to reclaim stolen items, via a police website cataloguing recovered wares from the Auckland region. Nearly 400 photographs of stolen items are on view, including watches, rings and bracelets. The items were recovered last month during an investigation into the second-hand goods trade. Almost 50 people were arrested, four of whom were second-hand dealers. Visitors to the website can identify items through a 'shopping-cart' system and lodge an inquiry with supporting evidence to try to reclaim them. However, false claimants will be prosecuted under the Crimes Act.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Troop numbers for East Timor almost halved

More New Zealand troops left Christchurch for East Timor on Wednesday morning, but the number deployed is fewer than usual. Defence Minister Wayne Mapp says only 75 personnel are going because the country is safer and its needs are changing. Previous contingents carried as many as 140 personnel. The Commander of Joint Forces New Zealand, Air Vice Marshal Peter Stockwell, says the focus is now moving towards helping East Timor develop its own security forces.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, May 18

School workers' pasts investigated

By GARY FOX - NewstalkZB
Parliament has passed a Bill ensuring stricter vetting of people who work in schools. The Education Amendment Bill has passed by 113 votes to nine. The Greens were the only party to vote against it. It requires all non-teaching staff working in schools and early childhood centres to be vetted by police.



Guilty pleas at illegal labour trial

Four Hawke's Bay businessmen charged with conspiring to assist overstayers and ship jumpers to live and work illegally in New Zealand have pleaded guilty in Hastings District Court. The court had heard evidence from four of 36 scheduled witnesses over three days before lawyers for the accused sought a meeting in chambers on Tuesday with Judge Russell Johnson. When the court reconvened, each lawyer asked that the charge of conspiracy be re-read to the court. Each of the accused, Michael Porter, Miles Elliot, Darminder Singh and his father Surjit Singh then entered a guilty plea. Judge Johnson said the Crown will now prepare a summary of facts. If there is any dispute by the defence, he may hear more evidence before passing sentence.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Aussie cruisers on the rise around NZ

Record numbers of Australians are cruising to New Zealand, and cruise companies are rising to the challenge. Australia’s largest cruise operator - Carnival Australia, will more than double its fleet for 2012 to meet increasing demand. The company runs trips to New Zealand through P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises, which have ships based in Australia all year. Carnival chief executive Ann Sherry said the company would increase the number of cruises from 17 to 38 by 2012, increasing the number of passengers going across the Tasman from 35,000 to 80,000. Carnival Australia would offer 31 cruises to New Zealand next year. "New Zealand is becoming to Australia what Alaska is to Americans - a very desirable holiday destination that’s ideal to visit by sea," Sherry said.
Copyright 1999-2010 Tourism New Zealand



Wild weather on the way for Nth Island

Both ends of the North Island are in for rough weather today. Northland, Auckland, Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty have been put on a severe thunderstorm watch. Bands of heavy showers would become slow moving near Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula this afternoon, with a risk of severe thunderstorms near the east coast between Whangarei and Tauranga. Meanwhile, Wellington and southern Wairarapa could be in for a severe soaking tonight as a shallow low becomes slow moving over the area. Although the heaviest rain was expected to fall at sea, it was possible up to 70mm would fall in Wellington and Wairarapa, south of Martinborough, in the nine hours from 9pm, said MetService forecaster Erick Brenstrum.
NZPA



War Memorial Museum now free for Aucklanders

Aucklanders will no longer have to pay to visit the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The museum conducted a six month trial to test the economic impact of not charging locals and it received positive feedback and increased visitation. An evaluation of the trial showed the museum could continue without donations from Aucklanders permanently, without any adverse affects on its revenue. "The Museum belongs to Aucklanders, and we want to make this cherished institution as accessible as possible for all local residents," says Museum Trust Board Chair Dr William Randall. Although the Museum, as a War Memorial, has never charged a fixed admission fee, the suggested donation scheme was introduced in 1999 to help generate additional revenue for exhibitions and programmes.
Source: ONE News



Christchurch off Ramsay menu

By KEITH LYNCH - The Press
Christchurch foodies will be cursing their luck after volatile celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's visit was cancelled. The British chef, and star of television shows Hell's Kitchen, The F-Word and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, was to host a dinner in the city next month. However, Duco Events has called off the Christchurch event, saying it wants to avoid a clash with major charity events. Duco Events director David Higgins said he had been "contacted by charities in Christchurch and notified their major annual events were within the same 10-day period" as Ramsay's visit. The two remaining events are on June 22 in Wellington and June 23 in Auckland.



NZ theme park planned for China

By Melissa Davies
A group of Chinese developers are in the country to discuss their ambitious plans for a New Zealand theme park in China. Construction is underway and the park is expected to attract millions of visitors each year. The park is called ‘The New Zealand Gardens’ – set on 25 square kilometres. It features rock climbing, a gondola and luge similar to that in Rotorua. Visitors will also experience New Zealand’s agriculture with a vineyard, a kiwifruit orchard, dairy farm, and a golf course with luxury accommodation. Millions of tourists are drawn to Qufu where the park is located every year because it is the birthplace of Confucius.
3 News



Top ranking China officer in NZ

New Zealand's Prime Minister and Defence Minister have both held talks with China's highest ranking military officer. General Guo Boxiong, who is the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, is in New Zealand on a short visit. John Key says they had a wide-ranging discussion, including the economy in China and the situation in North Korea. The general was in Australia last week where he met Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Extra Bledisloe Cup rugby match in Hong Kong

The All Blacks and Wallabies will play an extra Bledisloe Cup rugby match this year in Hong Kong in October. The two sides previously played there in 2008. However, another offshore clash in Tokyo last year failed to generate the revenue the two unions had hoped. The match will be played on Saturday, 30 October, before the All Blacks travel to Europe for matches against England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. New Zealand and Australia will meet three times as part of the Tri-Nations series this year and contest the final fourth match in Hong Kong.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Govt to spend extra $250 million on KiwiRail

The Government plans to spend an extra $250 million on KiwiRail (State railway) in the next financial year. If the company meets its performance measures it will get a further $500 million over the following two years. Prime Minister John Key says the plan is to turn KiwiRail into a sustainable rail freight business within 10 years. KiwiRail says its focus will be on improving the Auckland - Christchurch rail link, including increasing the amount of freight which can be carried on the inter-islander ferries.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Swine flu risk for half of NZ population

By DAN HUTCHINSON - The Southland Times
Half the population is still at risk of another outbreak of swine flu (H1N1) and 2010 could be nearly as deadly as last year. Southland was one of the regions worst affected by the H1N1 virus last year and steps are being taken to ensure public safety as the annual flu season gets under way. The Kleenex Sneeze Safe initiative was seized on by schools yesterday and girls at Southland Girls' High School were quick to catch on to the message. Using water spray bottles and glitter on their hands, students learned how easily infected residues could be passed from one person to another. Children carry the highest risk from seasonal flus and are also more likely to be exposed to someone with the flu because of the communal nature of schools. They are being encouraged to sneeze and cough into a tissue and then dispose of the tissue and wash their hands.



Most Kiwis support end to tobacco sales - Smokefree Coalition

More than half of New Zealanders want to see an end to tobacco sales by 2020, the Smokefree Coalition will tell a select committee tomorrow. The group will present to the Maori Affairs select committee inquiry into the tobacco industry the findings of a UMR survey showing that 64 percent of New Zealanders supported an end to commercial tobacco sales. The coalition said today its vision for a tobacco-free country was about reducing demand, not banning smoking.
NZPA



Virtual skin cancer clinic impresses

A new virtual skin cancer clinic at Waikato Hospital has been so successful in cutting dermatology waiting lists that it is being considered by other hospitals here and in Britain. Recent data on the joint venture between the hospital and MoleMap showed that around 800 patients with benign and malignant skin lesions were referred to the dermatology department each year for diagnosis and management. Those assessed as a "routine priority" could wait up to six months for a first specialist appointment. However, a number of those patients are now being seen at a MoleMap clinic, where a teledermatology nurse takes specialised photos of the suspect skin lesions. They are then reviewed remotely by a dermatologist who makes a diagnosis and plans hospital treatment if it is needed. The success of the programme meant patients who had lesions which required more urgent treatment could receive it immediately, said Waikato Hospital dermatologist Associate Professor Amanda Oakley.
NZPA



Cool ... there's snow coming

By PAUL GORMAN and MARC GREENHILL - The Press
A cold snap has delivered snow to Canterbury ski-fields and forecasters say there is risk of flakes across the Plains on Friday. A cold southerly is expected to spread up the South Island on Thursday night and Friday, and may bring rain, sleet and lowering snow levels to Canterbury by the weekend. MetService severe weather forecaster Paul Mallinson said last night there was a chance snow could fall as low as "a couple of hundred metres" above sea-level in Canterbury.



Monday, May 17

$1b campus changes proposed by Otago University

More than $1 billion worth of changes to the University of Otago's campus is proposed over the next 20 years. The university commissioned a master plan for the campus to deal with its expanding student intake and the resultant pressure on existing facilities. The plan recommends demolishing several university buildings and replacing with new ones, including new staff and student accommodation. The university says its facilities are already under-resourced and predicts its intake will expand so much it will require an extra 100,000 square metres of space in Dunedin alone.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Fiji’s urban hospitals under baby boom pressure

A baby boom at Fiji’s three main hospitals is baffling officials and placing pressure on beds and staff. There’s been a leap in the average monthly birth figure at Suva’s Colonial War Memorial Hospital from about 500 to 800 a month, with more than nine hundred babies born there in March. Fiji’s Health Ministry spokesman Iliesa Tora says while the boom may be due to a natural increase in births, women appear to prefer to give birth in the main centres instead of using the smaller rural hospitals. Iliesa Tora says the government has been trying to improve the skills of mid-wives and nurses at provincial hospitals and needs to find out why women are not using them to give birth.
© Radio New Zealand International



Orion finds Cook Islands' castaways

Four castaways found marooned on Manuae Island, near Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, have been rescued after being spotted by the crew of an Air force Orion. They had been reported missing for five days; their 12m longline fishing vessel Gypsy Trader leaving Rarotonga on May 5 and was due back May 9. A crew member's wife contacted Cook Island authorities when the men did not return or make contact, and the alarm was raised. The Rescue Coordination Centre in New Zealand was contacted and a P3 Orion aircraft from No 5 Squadron, RNZAF, was sent early on Saturday. The Orion crew found the four men, two of whom hold New Zealand passports, on Manuae Island when they spotted a dinghy and a blue tarpaulin set up as shelter on the beach. An emergency pack was dropped to the men which included a radio and confirmed that they were from the Gypsy Trader.
NZPA



Rare stamp to be displayed

New Zealand's rarest stamp, dating from 1903, has been presented to Te Papa (National museum) on long-term loan from New Zealand Post. The stamp, which was incorrectly printed to show Lake Taupo and Mount Ruapehu upside down, is the only known survivor of 80 incorrectly printed stamps. The image was originally printed in 1898 as part of a 14-stamp pictorial issue of New Zealand scenes. In the 1903 re-issue, a single sheet of 80 Lake Taupo stamps was incorrectly printed when the sheet was passed through the printing press for the second stage the wrong way around. The stamp is known as the "four-penny Lake Taupo Invert". The stamp was not likely to be sold, but if it were, it could fetch up to $300,000, New Zealand Post said.
NZPA



Median age to give birth now 30

By Susie Nordqvist
The median age of women giving birth in New Zealand is now 30 years, with Gisborne producing some of our youngest mothers, figures out today show. Close to 64,000 live births were registered in New Zealand in the year to March, down about one per cent from the previous year. Birth rate figures compiled during the last ten years show Gisborne had the youngest median age of women giving birth (28 years), while mums in Manawatu-Wanganui, Northland, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Southland, Waikato and the West Coast had a median age of 29. Marlborough and Nelson's median age was in line with national figures, while Auckland, Otago, Tasman, Canterbury and Wellington produced the oldest mums with the median age of women giving birth in there, 31 years.



Tonga baby deaths prompt feeding warning

A paediatrician in Tonga is warning against feeding babies cheap alternatives such as condensed milk following the deaths of two babies and the hospitalisation of others. Protein malnutrition has contributed to the deaths of two babies and has led to several others being hospitalised in the capital, Nuku’alofa in the past two months. Dr Siaosi ’Aho, the paediatrician in charge of the children’s ward at Vaiola Hospital, says that’s because some babies are being fed foods which lack protein, because formula is too expensive. He says they’re working to educate people that breastfeeding is the most inexpensive way to provide nutrition for their child.
© Radio New Zealand International



Wave energy generator sunk by rough seas

A wave energy generator which was launched off the south coast of New South Wales in March, has sunk in rough seas. The 170-tonne structure had been providing electricity to the grid from 150 metres offshore at Port Kembla. But the ABC reports it broke free from its pylons on Friday afternoon and sank on Saturday. Early efforts to tow the barge to safety were abandoned due to rough conditions.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Olive growers bask in drought

The drought is delighting those in the olive industry, who say it's resulted in excellent fruit quality and a high oil content. Harvesting of olives is underway on most groves around New Zealand and processing plants are in full swing. The industry's new executive officer Lesley Wilson, says the dry weather has been great for this year's crop and oil levels.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Bellbirds released on Waiheke Island

By Sam Hayes
Bellbirds have finally been returned to Waiheke Island after being wiped out by ship rats and stoats in the 1860s. A release 20 years ago failed, but this time the Auckland Regional Council is going to extraordinary lengths to ensure the birds feel at home. A total of 100 bellbirds have been released on the island. ARC chairman Mike Lee says the birds have a better chance of survival than previous programmes which have been unsuccessful. “The reason for failure was high numbers of ship rats living in the forests of Waiheke,” says Mr Lee.



Electric motor company signs US distribution deal

Wellington Drive Technologies has signed a distribution deal with one of the largest manufacturers of electric motors in the United States. A.O. Smith will sell the company's new range of energy-efficient motors throughout the US under a co-branding agreement. WDT chief executive Dr Ross Green, says customer reaction to the new range of energy saving refridgeration motors has been very encourging.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand


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