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Sunday, September 30

Chief Ombudsman says Govt drafting laws to evade OIA

The Chief Ombudsman is worried by a trend by the Government to keep information secret by drafting laws to evade the Official Information Act. Dame Beverley Wakem says the office has been swamped with complaints about agencies delaying or avoiding releasing public information. It has received more than 1200 OIA complaints this year - the highest number in 11 years. Dame Beverley says an example is the legislation setting up the partial assets of some state owned enterprises. "We've noticed that beginning with the mixed ownership model it'll now enact where, despite our very strenuous representations and despite the fact the Government maintains a 51% shareholding, these companies will no longer be subject to either Act." Dame Beverley says the Official Information Act and the Ombudsman Act also won't apply to the new charter schools.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Canterbury orchardists prepare for US apple demand

Orchardists in South Canterbury are preparing for a massive expansion to the apple exporting business to satisfy growing international demand for a particular variety. Tens of thousands of trees will be planted in the next few weeks to cope with demand from United States markets for Honeycrisp apples. Grower Danny Bennett said returns from the variety had reached record levels, selling for $2.80 per apple. The apples, which have a six-month shelf life, are used to prop up stocks in the Northern Hemisphere.
Source: ONE News



Rugby - All Blacks overwhelm Pumas in Argentina

The All Blacks have beaten the Pumas 54-15 in their Rugby Championship match in Argentina. The home side opened the scoring with a try after five minutes of the match at at La Plata, near Buenos Aires. The All Blacks responded with four tries of their own, to Aaron Smith, Cory Jane and Julian Savea (2), to lead 32-8 at half time. South Africa beat Wallabies. Earlier on Saturday, the Springboks have claimed the first four-try bonus point win of the Rugby Championship, beating Australia 31-8 in Pretoria.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Tourists kidnapped in Ecuador

Two women, from Australia and Britain, have been kidnapped in Ecuador. The Ecuadorean authorities say the tourists were abducted by what was thought to be a Colombian group, the BBC reports. They were taken on Friday while visiting a remote Amazon jungle nature reserve in Sucumbios province, near the border with Colombia. Officials say they were travelling in a canoe as part of a group of seven tourists. Five other tourists were reported to have been attacked in the same area on Friday.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



'Secret' sale of ship line a threat to tiny nations

By MATT NIPPERT
A Government plan to sell a state-owned asset considered vital to Pacific development is expected to be rubber-stamped this week. The Sunday Star-Times understands an urgent meeting took place last week in Tonga, to be followed by another this week in Fiji, finalising plans to sell the 35-year-old Pacific Forum Line (PFL) to Singaporean firm Sofrana. The move has drawn strong criticism from the Labour Party with foreign affairs spokesman Phil Goff claiming small island nations would bear the brunt of a decision made behind closed doors. "It is being conducted not simply privately, but in secret without the chance for those people who will be deeply affected by the decision to have a say," he said. Founded in 1978, PFL was intended to encourage economic development in the islands and provide competition to ensure private shipping operators were unable to create a monopoly in the Pacific.



Ex-pats in Philippines warned of security threat

New Zealand's Embassy in Manila is warning ex-pats in the Philippines of a potential threat to their security. They're being urged to avoid 'American' events, after the US detected what it calls 'a threat'. The British Embassy says any attack could be indiscriminate, and it's advising its nationals to exercise caution and extra vigilance.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Spitfire lands safely after landing gear fails

A replica Spitfire made an emergency landing at Whanganui Airport on Saturday after its landing equipment failed. The wheels on the aircraft did not come down and it had to make a belly landing on a grass landing strip. Airport manager Allan MacGibbon says the pilot was not injured.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Quake-hit eastern suburbs focus of walking festival

Christchurch's battered eastern suburbs are the focus of a nine-day walking festival. The festival is the first of its kind to be held in the earthquake-hit city and includes 22 group walks tailored to suit all ages and abilities. It began on Saturday morning with a child-friendly walk around Bottle Lake Forest Park. Christchurch mayor Bob Parker says each walk is designed to highlight community resilience despite the quakes that have devastated parts of the eastern suburbs. Mr Parker says each walk will showcase the many gems still on offer in these suburbs.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Saturday, September 29

Funding boost for Auckland waterfront theatre

A plan to build a 600-seat theatre on Auckland's waterfront has been given a funding boost with investment from the Arts Council. Creative New Zealand has committed $3 million to The Waterfront Theatre Project and hopes will be a catalyst to encourage more people to invest in the venue. The theatre, which will cost about $35 million to build, will become the permanent home of Auckland Theatre Company. The chair of Creative New Zealand, Alastair Carruthers, says he hopes the venue will fill a gap in the Auckland arts scene which has been there for more than a generation.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Spring forward for daylight saving tonight

By Kieran Campbell
An hour will disappear in New Zealand overnight as clocks are wound forward for daylight saving. Six months with an extra hour of sunlight begins when 2am becomes 3am on the last Sunday of September. Daylight saving ends on the first Sunday in April when 3am becomes 2am.
- APNZ



Over-eaters to share stories in Wellington

By Nita Blake-Persen - NewstalkZB
Wellingtonians affected by food addictions are being invited to share their stories this weekend. Overeaters anonymous is holding a public meeting today, where professional help is available. Spokeswoman Jane says food addiction is a common problem but affects people in different ways. "So some people actually become very overweight, and other people swing between a lot of anorexic behaviour or bulimia and over-eating, so everyone's story is a little bit different."



Dunedin hosting daffodil convention

An international daffodil convention has opened in Dunedin for the first time. The convention last came to New Zealand 16 years ago but has never been held in the South Island city. About 3000 flowers are on show this weekend at the indoor Edgar Centre. Mr Rollinson says spring began terribly for daffodil growers, but has come right in the past week - just in time to show off their blooms.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Nations support Fiji's return to Commonwealth

Representatives from various nations have agreed to support Fiji's reinstatement to the Commonwealth. The meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group was held in New York on Friday. The group reiterated its commitment to support and encourage the return of the Pacific nation to the Commonwealth. However, restrictions on human rights and the rule of law were brought up, and the ministers urged the Fiji to address these points so constitutional elections could take place.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Thousands will miss out on going digital before switch

Thousands of television viewers in Hawke's Bay and the West Coast could be caught short this weekend. This Sunday at 2am, Hawke's Bay and the West Coast of the South Island will be the first regions to make the switch to digital TV, as the first stage of the gradual shutdown of New Zealand's analogue television channels begins. These regions have been selected because they already have reasonably high levels of digital TV use, and are therefore set up to help others in their communities get ready for digital. However, the Going Digital project says 7,500 people in the two regions will miss Sunday's deadline as they have not made the change to digital TV. The rest of the South Island will move to digital on April 28, 2013. The lower North Island and East Cape changes on 29 September 2013, and the remainder of the North Island moves over on December 1, 2013.
Source: ONE News



Apple founder eyes life in NZ

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is seeking Australian citizenship - but only so he can live in New Zealand, according to a United States news station. Yesterday, Mr Wozniak said he and his wife, Janet Hill, simply "love New Zealand" and confirmed that he had applied to become an Australian citizen, NBC reported. Mr Wozniak came to New Zealand in May for his Woz Live tour and during an interview with the Herald, he said: "I've been over to New Zealand many, many times, much more than Australia.



Legendary label buys Marlborough vineyard

By NICK KRAUSE
A Marlborough vineyard has been snapped up by Rothschild, one of the world's most famous wine names, for $3.7 million, in what is believed to be the company's first foray into the local wine industry. The 26.4-hectare Paul Family Vineyard in Raparua Rd, known locally as the Golden Mile of vineyards, was bought by Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothschild Winemakers. It is planted in sauvignon blanc, with 4ha of pinot noir, and its grapes have always been grown on contract. The French-based company recently gained consent for the purchase from the Overseas Investment Office. It said Rothschild wished to establish an “ultra-premium” single estate wine brand.
© Fairfax NZ News



Diabetes remedy trials show positive results

By EVAN HARDING
A company using Auckland Island pigs housed in Southland to try to find a treatment for type-1 diabetes sufferers says its latest trials have produced positive results. Living Cell Technologies yesterday announced the results of the second phase of its New Zealand trials for Diabecell, a treatment for people with uncontrolled diabetes. The trial of 14 patients at Middlemore Hospital found Diabecell was a safe and effective treatment that resulted in a "statistically significant" reduction in unaware blood sugar events, an improvement in blood sugar control and an improvement in patient reported quality of life, the company announced.
© Fairfax NZ News



Protest flotilla heading to King Salmon plant

Organisers say a flotilla of about 40 boats will be heading to the King Salmon marine farm at Ruakaka Bay on Saturday to protest against the company's proposed development of eight new sites in the Marlborough Sounds. The Guardians of the Sounds group says if allowed to go ahead, the expansion will trigger a gold rush of applications for farms that will be catastrophic for the Sounds. Chairperson Peter Beech says locals have been left out of consultation over the proposal and the protest is aimed at the Government, the Ministry of Fisheries and local MP Nick Smith.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Friday, September 28

Standards data highlights Maori students - authority

The Iwi Education Authority (Te Maru o Nga Kura-a-Iwi o Aotearoa) says that publishing of national standards puts emphasis on the need to improve the performance of Maori students in mainstream schools. The data for all 2000 schools operating under national standards, was published on the Ministry of Education's website today. Spokesman for the newly-established authority Toby Curtis agrees with the publishing of national standards. He says the information shows the performance of Maori students at maori-medium schools, such as Kura Kaupapa, is better than that of Maori students at mainstream schools, and work needs to be done to work out why. He says it's important that these issues are bought to everyone's attention, so they can be addressed. Mr Curtis says the challenge for schools is not to run and hide but face up to the problem and find a solution.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Canterbury, Auckland to get social housing funding

The Canterbury and Auckland regions will receive a large chunk of government funding for new social housing. The Government has set out its plan for allocating $100 million for non-Government housing providers in the next three years. Canterbury and Auckland will each get $21 million for housing projects. Social housing on Maori land and for Maori providers has had $14 million set aside. Housing providers can apply for funding from 8 October.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Record trade volumes at Lyttelton Port

The Lyttelton Port company has reported record trade volumes in the 2011-12 year, lifting revenues by 40% on the previous year. The company posted an after-tax profit of $17 million, an increase of 40% on last year's $12 million profit. Port chairperson Rodger Fisher says the results reflect the record number of containers and coal volumes moving through the port and was achieved despite on-going earthquake repairs. Mr Fisher says imports are expected to continue to grow as the rebuild of Christchurch gathers pace.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Chch to Adelaide flights planned

Direct flights between Christchurch and Adelaide are a step closer after the cities' airports signed a deal to link the two cities today. The agreement means both airports will encourage an airline to start flying the route. Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said that while flights between the two cities could be more than a year away, he was thrilled with the deal to push for flights. "Christchurch is the gateway to New Zealand's spectacular South Island and there will be great economic spin-offs from the soon-to-be introduced flights," he said. Adelaide Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood said his city was keen to give more support to Christchurch, particularly during the city's rebuild period.
© Fairfax NZ News



Aussies watch new Chch plans closely

By FRANCESCA LEE
The earthquakes have presented Christchurch with the opportunity to build a world-class city, Adelaide Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood says. Adelaide is one of Christchurch's sister cities, and this is the first time Yarwood has visited. He was taken on a tour of the residential red zone yesterday that included River Rd and parts of New Brighton. "Out of heartbreak comes a great opportunity to build a world-class city," he said. "You have a beautiful city here," Yarwood said. "I'm really excited for the future of Christchurch. Wilkinson said the plan for Christchurch's rebuild was being followed closely by urban planning professionals in Australia. He said the city looked a lot more reparable than he had thought. Wilkinson said the plan for Christchurch's rebuild was being followed closely by urban planning professionals in Australia. He said the city looked a lot more reparable than he had thought. Yarwood will today visit the University of Canterbury, Christchurch International Airport and South Hornby School, which has a sister-school relationship with Hawthorndene Primary School in Adelaide.
© Fairfax NZ News



School goes from Catholic to Muslim

By John Lewis
A former Catholic school in Dunedin is about to become home to a secondary boarding school for Muslim boys. The former St Patrick's Primary School has been sold by the Dunedin Catholic Diocese to the Al-Noor Charitable Trust - a Christchurch-based charity established to form Islamic education institutions in New Zealand. Trust chairman Mohammad Alayan said Muslim children attending state secular schools were subjected to an educational environment which pressured them to adopt values which were contradictory to Islamic values, such as evolution theory, sex relations outside marriage and drinking. To alleviate this "cultural deficiency", the trust plans to establish An-Nur Kiwi Academy (AKA) which will be the South Island's first Islamic school.



Wellington Zoo's Asia Precinct set for public debut

By Paul Harper
Wellington Zoo's new home for Malayan sun bears and Sumatran tigers will open to the public this weekend. The new Asia Precinct was officially opened by Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown last Friday, but tomorrow the public will be able to check out the new $2.5 million development themselves. It will house the new ASB Malayan Sun Bear exhibit, home to Sean and Sasa, and the redeveloped Pub Charity Sumatran Tiger exhibit, home to Cantik and Rokan. The Asia Precinct is the latest project in the 10 year redevelopment of the zoo. It will open at 9.30am tomorrow morning, with celebrations and activities running all weekend.



National standards results published

Education Minister Hekia Parata says she expects parents will use national standards results published on Friday to compare schools. Ms Parata says the publication of statistics from nearly 2000 schools is a significant milestone in the development of the standards in reading, writing and maths. The information is on an Education Ministry's website, Education Counts, where readers can view PDF files showing how individual schools performed against the new benchmarks in 2011. The results come with a warning that they should be considered in conjunction with other information. Ms Parata says she expects parents will use the figures to compare schools.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Thursday, September 27

Wearable arts kicks off for another year

Thousands of people are preparing to be amazed by the weird and wonderful creations at this year's World of Wearable arts show. The opening night of the annual fashion design extravaganza has kicked off in the Capital, with everyone eager to see the myriad of designs. The show has attracted designers from all around the world, including China and India, as well as a bevy of local designers. Electronics, taxidermy and human hair are just some of the materials designers have used to create the 164 designs. The show, which is in its 24th year, attracts around 50,000 people to Wellington every year, providing a $15 million boost to the local economy. Designers will have to wait until tomorrow night to hear who will be crowned the competition's winners, with $150,000 in prize money up for grabs.
CLICK HERE For The World of Wearable Art Fashion. Go on, click it, you know you want to.
Source: ONE News



New Zealand Government to officially honour coastwatchers

The New Zealand government is to pay official tribute for the first time to the work of the country’s coastwatchers. During the Second World War New Zealand established up to 62 coastwatching stations on various islands throughout the Pacific, in order to track enemy movements and report them back to the Allied forces. A commemorative service will be held in October, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the deaths of the New Zealand coastwatchers in Kiribati. The Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Rhys Jones, says the coastwatcher story is one of heroism, sacrifice, and suffering, and it is one that is not widely known.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



NZRU to send coaches to Israel and Palestine

The New Zealand Rugby Union is sending two specialist coaches to Israel and the Palestinian territory to develop the game in the region. The visit is being co-ordinated by the Israel Rugby Union with assistance from New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Rugby Union's talent identification manager Chris Stirling and game development manager Richard Skelly will conduct a week of coaching clinics in Israel and Palestine in early October. The union says it is delighted to respond to a request for assistance from Israel, where the game is growing in popularity with about 1000 players registered to 15 clubs.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Calls for marlin to come off menus

New Zealand's oldest fishing club wants marlin off restaurant menus. The Bay of Islands Swordfish Club is pushing for a nationwide boycott to help fish stock recover. President Trevor Woolston says they're already getting support, with some restaurant owners in the Bay of Islands telling the club they'll be taking marlin off their menus.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



First central city hotel to reopen since quake

Prime Minister John Key on Thursday will officially open the first hotel in central Christchurch to resume business following the February 2011 earthquake. The Ibis Hotel in Hereford Street has undergone major remedial work, including the renovation of all 155 rooms and public areas, as well as structural strenthening to meet the city's new building code.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, September 26

Poll critical of PM's handling of asset sales

Just 3% of New Zealanders think the Prime Minister has done a good job handling the controversial asset sales plan. John Key has been pushing for the sale of minority shareholdings in up to five state-owned energy companies and Air New Zealand since last November's election. But the proposal has faced protests and a stiff challenge from political opponents. The scheme is currently delayed while consultation is carried out with iwi over who should benefit financially from water systems. And the whole situation seems to have reflected badly on the Government according to responses to the latest ONE News Colmar Brunton poll. Only 3% said they thought the Government had handled the process 'very well' while 25% said they thought it had been handled 'quite well'. However 47% said 'not that well' and 31% said 'not well at all'. The rest were not sure. But it seems overall support for the scheme is also dropping away. ONE News has conducted four polls in the last year and each time voters were asked if they support the asset sales policy. In the latest poll only 28% said they did compared to 32% in July.
Source: ONE News



Companies excluded by Super Fund on ethical grounds

New Zealand Superannuation Fund's announced it's excluding another four companies from its $19 billion investment portfolio on ethical grounds. They include the Tokyo Electric Power Company. That's because of environmental and safety standards breaches, including the Fukushima nuclear plant crisis. China's Zijin Mining Group is also on the list because of environmental and safety concerns, including a fatal dam collapse. Another mining company, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, is excluded because of human rights breaches by security firms at Indonesia's largest mine, the Grasberg in West Papua. The fourth company is the American engineering, construction and private military contracting company KBR. It's excluded breaches of anti-bribery and corruption standards and on-going concerns about employee safety.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



First US disaster relief exercise underway in Tonga

The United States military’s Pacific contingent from Hawaii is conducting a week-long disaster relief exercise in Tonga. “Coral Reef is a a multi-national Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise involving Australia and New Zealand as well as the US and Tonga.” The US army’s Major Edward Hooks told Matangi Tonga Coral Reef is the first US military exercise in Tonga and allows them to prove their capabilities to provide rapid humanitarian and disaster relief assistance.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



National Bank brand to disappear, branches to close

New Zealand's biggest bank, ANZ National, is ditching the National Brand, closing 20 branches, and laying off 200 contractors. The bank says about 40 full-time staff will have to re-apply for other jobs within the bank but maintains front-line staff will be unaffected. The National Bank brand will be merged into the ANZ brand after almost 10 years of separate operations. ANZ National Bank announced on Wednesday The National Bank brand will be phased out over about two years from the end of next month.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



New competition arrives for Trade Me

By Juliette Sivertsen - NewstalkZB
Another online trading player is entering the market to challenge Trade Me. New Zealand-owned 'Wheedle' will launch on Monday, October 1. It is focused on attracting established online businesses including vehicle dealers, real estate agents and travel agents. New Zealand's online market is estimated to be worth around a billion dollars. Wheedle Managing Director Carl Rees says there's an under-served online marketplace. "Credit card payment over the internet is very secure now and people have a lot of trust in legitimate businesses that trade online."



Kiwi researchers close to TB breakthrough

By BRONWYN TORRIE
New Zealand researchers are inching closer to creating a world-first oral tuberculosis vaccine. TB kills more people worldwide than any other bacterial disease - latest estimates show about 1.4 million people died in 2010. People are usually vaccinated against TB by injection. However the new oral vaccination formula - developed by Otago University and Malaghan Institute scientists - had stronger and longer-lasting immune responses in mice, compared to the current needle vaccination. The results were published in the PLOS ONE journal today. The oral vaccine could be delivered as a syrup or pill and would be easier to administer.



$1 meals boost kids' health

By Nikki Preston
A Putaruru school serving up compulsory breakfasts and hot lunches for just $1 a meal says the benefits are showing in students' dental records. Te Wharekura O Te Kaokaoroa O Patetere, a Maori immersion school with 120 children, provides breakfast and lunches at the weekly cost of $10 a head to make sure its students are eating well. On a shoestring budget of between $120 and $200 a meal for the whole school, students are served roast meat and vegetables at least two days a week, and scrambled eggs and baked beans some mornings to go with the staple of cereal and salads and fruit. Principal Keith Silveira said providing meals was not a response to poverty but to make sure children were eating well. He said a major benefit was the students having among the lowest rate of tooth decay and dental work in the Waikato because they were not exposed to junk food.



Rugby - Puma fans told to stay quiet during AB's kicks

Pumas fans are being urged to stay silent when the All Blacks take their kicks on Sunday. The two teams will do battle in Argentina this weekend. Rugby Without Borders spokesman Alejandro Sangenis says before the game, the captain of the Pumas will ask supporters not to whistle or boo. "Rugby fans need to go back to their old values, Argentines were called the 'white knights' of rugby, and we would like to go back to that, to the real spirit of rugby." Alejandro Sangenis says there was a lot of whistling when the Pumas played the Springboks in Mendoza.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Warning of flooding as heavy rain falls

Heavy rain is drenching parts of the South Island this morning, with MetService saying surface flooding and slips are possible. MetService has issued a severe weather warning for northern Fiordland, Westland, the Otago headwaters and northwest Nelson. A front just west of New Zealand is moving up slowly up the West Coast of the South Island today. It is preceded by a moist north to northeast flow, bringing rain with heavy falls to the west and north of the South Island.
© Fairfax NZ News



Legislation improve jurors' safety passed

Legislation to improve the privacy and safety of jurors has passed its third and final reading in Parliament. The Juries Amendment Act removes the addresses of potential jurors from the lists provided to lawyers. The law also allows people to apply to be permanently excused from jury duty if they are over 65, disabled or in ill-health. The legislation also prevents those who have served three months or more home detention in the past five years from serving on a jury.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, September 25

Law change would block claims on artefacts

Officials are considering changing the law to stop people from laying claim to cultural objects that are on loan here from overseas - including Maori artefacts previously taken out of the country. Ministry for Culture and Heritage policy manager Ralph Johnson says the bill would provide a measure of assurance for international lenders. He says a growing number of countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia have similar legislation. Mr Johnson says they've been asking the public for their views before the Government considers a bill.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



International visitors at a 10-year high

New Zealand has received the highest number of international visitors in the year to August than for the previous 10 years. Statistics New Zealand says 2,635,570 people arrived in the country during the period, about 133 259 more visitors than during the same period last year. Of the arrivals in the year to August, 1,178,432 were from Australia, 210,400 from the United Kingdom, 181,856 from the United States and 180,768 from China. More than 2 million visitors were in the country on holiday, and most stayed between eight and 14 days.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Niue businesses want clearly defined parameters for foreign workers

Niue’s Chamber of Commerce is to approach the Government and ask for more clearly defined work permits for foreigners. There are concerns that as the island prepares to grow its economy there will be a shortage of workers. There are also reports Filipino workers are not having permits renewed, while some Niueans are concerned at the numbers of foreigners on the island. The Premier and Immigration Minister, Toke Talagi, says the new Immigration Act is now being implemented and he denies that it targets Filipinos.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Kea ready to begin gas, oil production in Taranaki

A British-based gas exploration company is to start producing from an oil and gas field in Taranaki. Kea Petroleum says testing at its Puka-1 site near Eltham has shown the oil and gas reservoir is large enough for commercial production. It says the field near Eltham is relatively small, but will be easy to produce from as it is land-based and the oil and gas flow freely. Kea's managing director Richard Parkes says oil production will begin soon, and gas production will depend on whether it is economic to transport it.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Godwits fly in for annual Kiwi summer residency

Christchurch's favourite feathered visitors, the bar-tailed godwits, have returned to the city. The birds arrived this month, having made the longest non-stop flight known for any bird - more than 11,000 kilometres over eight days - from Alaska to New Zealand, leaving the northern autumn behind. Christchurch ornithologists and park rangers expect the godwits' return from August. This year, the godwits are slightly later than usual, possibly because of unfavourable wind patterns in Alaska. However, the wind has now turned and more arrivals are expected this weekend. The birds enjoy the New Zealand summer, rest and double their weight. They can be seen on the Southshore spit or the Estuary area.
© Fairfax NZ News



New survey gauges whether NZers are happy, sad, stressed

A new survey is set to find out whether New Zealanders are happy, sad, stressed or relaxed. Sovereign and AUT are today launching their research into people's wellbeing. Professor Grant Schofield wants 20,000 to fill out the survey at mywellbeing.co.nz. "Anyone and everyone who can get online and make a contribution to tell us how well they're going. The young, the old, the rich, the poor, the slow, the fast - it's all good. Bring them on." The Sovereign Wellbeing Index will be out in February.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Moriori want payout from Maori iwi

Moriori are calling for the Crown and Ngati Mutunga to give them compensation for the loss of nearly all their land and for the lives of ancestors killed by Taranaki Maori in the 1830s. Treaty Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson talked with Moriori during a visit to the Chatham Islands last week. Hokotehi Moriori Trust executive chair Shirley King says ever since the Taranaki invasion and colonisation, Moriori have been left behind and have been barely acknowledged by succesive governments. Ms King says in order to move ahead both the Crown and Maori need to be held accountable. She says the Maori Land Court helped alienate Moriori from their lands leaving them with less than 3%.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Great white shark secrets revealed

Scientists have discovered where great white sharks go when they leave New Zealand waters. Until now, it was unclear exactly where the sharks, which spend most the year in waters near Stewart Island, were going in the winter months. In the last two years, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research scientists have used a different tag system to accurately track the shark's movements. Scientist Malcolm Francis says the research shows sharks tagged in New Zealand have been located in sea off Tonga, New Caledonia, Great Barrier Reef and Bondi beach in Australia.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Final NZ contingent heads to Afghanistan

The final contingent of Defence Force personnel bound for Afghanistan leaves Christchurch today for a six-month deployment. New Zealand soldiers have been serving in Afghanistan since 2003 both with the Provincial Reconstruction Team based in Bamyan Province and on operations with the SAS. Earlier this month the Government confirmed this country's troops will be withdrawn from Bamyan by the end of April 2013. The final contingent, made up of personnel from the 2nd 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment based at Burnham military camp, will be the 21st rotation to serve in the province.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Monday, September 24

Croc escapes from cage on Melbourne flight

A crocodile escaped from its cage on a Qantas flight last week, and was found roaming free in the cargo hold when the plane touched down in Melbourne. Qantas has confirmed a croc had managed to break free during a flight from Brisbane to Melbourne, and was discovered by a baggage handler when he opened the cargo hold. The roaming croc, whose size is not yet known, was safely captured and rushed back to its cage.
Source: NewstalkZB



Government to send funds to Syrian refugees

New Zealand will give $500,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross to help Syrian refugees and those affected by the conflict in Lebanon. The ICRC was providing urgently needed humanitarian assistance to more than 260,000 people affected by the conflicts, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said. Mr McCully said civil unrest in Lebanon was creating a deepening crisis for people, many of whom had already fled fighting in Syria. "The shocking violence in Syria continues to escalate. More the 25,000 civilians have been killed and more than 1.2 million people have been displaced.' "With no clear end to this conflict in sight the refugee situation is likely to deteriorate further and international action is required," said Mr McCully. New Zealand has given $1.5 million in funding to support refugee populations in Turkey and Jordan.
APNZ



UK hopes NZ will join sharing initiative

By Paul Harper
The British Foreign Secretary hopes New Zealand and Australia will join an initiative to share diplomatic missions with Britain and Canada in remote countries. Foreign Secretary William Hague and Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird are due to sign an agreement in Ottawa on Monday (Canadian time) to open joint UK-Canadian diplomatic missions abroad. In remote countries where Britain has an embassy and Canada does not, the countries will share the embassy, and vice versa. The Foreign Secretary said the arrangement will give the countries a greater global reach and reduce costs.



Digital switchover kicks off this weekend

The first stage of the gradual shutdown of New Zealand's analogue television channels will begin this weekend. In 2010, the Government announced that the old analogue network will be progressively switched off and replaced with a digital signal. This Sunday at 6pm, Hawke's Bay and the West Coast of the South Island will be the first regions to make the switch to digital TV. These regions have been selected because they already have reasonably high high levels of digital TV use, and are therefore set up to help others in their communities get ready for digital.
Source: ONE News



Latest Lonely Planet sings Wellington's praises

Lonely Planet's love affair with Wellington continues to blossom with the best-selling travel guide again crooning over the capital's charms. After last year declaring Wellington the "coolest little capital in the world" Lonely Planet's 16th New Zealand edition praises the city's "compact and vibrant" CBD for its artsy mix of theatres, galleries, boutiques, museums and a "cocktail and caffeine fuelled hospitality scene" that fairly "fizzes and pops among the throng". It seems Wellington is not only charming, but also easy on the eye: "It's lovely to look at, draped around bushy hillsides encircling a magnificent harbour," one of the guide's five authors wrote.
Source: Fairfax



First signs of progress on cardboard cathedral

The pouring of concrete foundations this morning has heralded the first visible sign of the construction of Christchurch's Cardboard Cathedral. Concrete trucks have been pouring since 4am and will carry on until around midday. The 320 cardboard tubes required to build the cathedral arrived last week. Naylor Love managing director Scott Watson says it's great to start getting the construction underway. "It sort of demonstrates that it isn't really a temporary building anymore, it's a permanent structure. About 720 cubic metres of concrete going in, and about 120 tonne of reinforcing steel." The building will seat around 700, will cost $5.3 million, and is expected to be finished by February.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Rabobank predicts food prices will soar in 2013

The agribusiness banking specialist, Rabobank, is forecasting food prices will hit record highs in 2013 due to another round of what it calls agflation. It says for New Zealand farmers that will mean higher livestock feed costs and for exporters tougher import controls, especially from emerging markets such as Asia. Rabobank's latest market research report says the increasing prices are driven by a drought in the United States, which is stifling grain production.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Sunday, September 23

Netball - Silver Ferns fail to claim clean sweep

The Silver Ferns have missed claiming a clean sweep over their Australian rivals, losing the third Constellation Cup test 59 - 53. But having won the first two tests, the Ferns were awarded the Cup for the first time before a Christchurch crowd of almost 5500. The Silver Ferns came out fighting and led 20 - 15 at the first quarter. But the Diamonds gradually clawed back the lead, ending half time ahead 32 - 28 and then dominating the third quarter. The Ferns closed the gap in the last quarter but fell short with the final score 59 - 53 to the Australians. It was the first netball test Christchurch has hosted since the region's earthquakes began in September 2010. And the crowd showed their appreciation, beating their thundersticks at every goal from the national team and cheering as they collected their first Constellation Cup.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Thousands of Kiwi children living in poverty

A new study has revealed a large number of children are living in persistent poverty, with Maori and Pacific Island children worst off. The Otago University study found thousands of Kiwi children, under the age of 17, are living below the poverty line. "We know that if children are in long periods of deprivation or low income that they're much more likely to not only have poor outcomes as children, they're likely to have poor outcomes as adults," said University of Otago Researcher Dr Fiona Imlach Gunasekara. The study examined data on almost 5000 children between 2002 and 2009. It found 16% lived in persistent low income conditions, while 13% experienced persistent deprivation. Maori and Pacific Island children were twice as likely to be living in severe poverty. The study defined poverty as children living in a household which earned less that 50% of the gross median household income level. In 2009 that was less than $28,295 a year.
Source: ONE News



'Super veggies' hit shelves

By Charlotte Shipman
For those who struggle to get their five-plus a day of fruit and vegetables, a new range of bagged super veggies grown from superior seeds is about to go on sale. From next month supermarket shelves will be offering the new kind of vegetable. They're called "vital vegetables", and Government-owned Plant and Food Research boasts they'll help consumers' bones, hearts, sight and immunity. The five products include a mixture of salad greens and a vegetable mix, all containing vegetables grown from specially selected seeds that have a high content of nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K and vitamin A. Ten years and millions of dollars have gone into the research. Each bag's expected to cost just less than $5.
3 News



Labour makes gains on National - poll

There has been a boost in support for the Labour Party, the latest ONE News Colmar Brunton poll suggests. The opposition party has moved to within 11 percentage points of National. When combined with the Green Party, the centre-left bloc is now ahead of National for the first time since the election in 2011. The poll indicated Labour had the support of 34% of respondents - an increase of two points - with National slipping three points to 45%. The Greens held steady at 12%. Minor parties making gains this month include the Maori Party up one point to 3% and the Conservatives gaining one point to 2%. New Zealand First has slipped one point to 2%, while Act and Mana held steady on 1%. With these numbers National would have 56 seats in Parliament, two fewer than the centre-left bloc of Labour, with 43 seats, and the Greens, with 15.
Source: ONE News



Rugby - Richie McCaw to take six months off

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw will take six months off rugby at the end of this year. McCaw, 31, will play in the All Blacks end of year tour but will then trigger the clause in his contract that allows for a six month sabbatical and will be unavailable until June 2013. Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder has confirmed he's been in talks with McCaw's agents and the New Zealand Rugby Union about the sabbatical. Blackadder says the captain needs to preserve his body if he is to continue playing towards goals such as the 2015 Rugby World Cup. "As you get to the stage where he's at, you know you're slowly running out of time, and I think he really wants to get himself in the best mental and physical shape."
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



National Standards shock: Big classes work

By Jonathan Milne
Primary schools have disclosed controversial data about pupil achievement, with the surprise revelation that children in bigger classes and bigger schools get better grades. The Herald on Sunday has conducted a comprehensive survey of schools' national standards results, before the Ministry of Education publishes them this week. At schools with fewer pupils for each teacher, around 70 per cent of children are achieving national standards in reading, writing and arithmetic. But at schools with more pupils for each teacher - in effect, bigger classes - the pass rates rise to about 80 per cent. So too with school rolls: the highest proportions of children achieving or exceeding national standards are at big schools. National standards and class sizes have been the hottest potatoes Education Minister Hekia Parata has handled. Now, she believes she has been somewhat vindicated in her attempt to raise class sizes, an attempt that failed as she bowed to parent and teacher anger. She said it proved good teaching was more important than small classes.



Outrageous show a big money-spinner

By KATIE CHAPMAN
All things bright and beautiful are set to take over Wellington, where for 11 days the streets will teem with visitors to the World of WearableArt (WOW). The curtain rises on Thursday on a sold-out festival. More than 47,000 tickets have been sold, 65 per cent of them to visitors to the capital. WOW founder Dame Suzie Moncrieff and competition director Heather Palmer will for the next few days be involved in the finishing touches that are the culmination of a year's planning for Wednesday's preview night, when the final judging takes place.
© Fairfax NZ News



How vital are vitamins?

By Celeste Gorrell Anstiss
Advantages of vitamin C pills overhyped, says nutritionist. Nutrition watchdogs are warning expensive vitamin supplements are unlikely to boost vitality or immunity - despite widespread belief they are the key to good health. Nutrition Foundation spokeswoman Sarah Hanrahan says it is "silly" for people to continue to believe the hype on vitamin supplements, particularly vitamin C. Hanrahan, a registered dietician, says she is puzzled such products continue to be marketed as the answer to health and well-being, despite scientific evidence that disproves its effectiveness. Professor Shaun Holt, a medical researcher who focuses on natural health, says there are proven beneficial products on the market, such as fish oil and echinacea, but many are marketed with "shonky research and old wives' tales". Vitamin C falls into the latter category, he says.



More women than men die of heart disease

By MICHELLE ROBINSON
Women have overtaken men in dying from heart disease, and the situation is forecast to get worse. Heart disease now kills more women than any other condition, with spiralling obesity and diabetes levels likely to push the rate higher still. Ministry of Health figures show 5038 women died of cardiovascular disease in 2009, compared with 4712 men, and are projected to increase as the effects of diabetes and obesity worsen. In the past, New Zealand's heart-disease strategies have tended to focus on men. "In the 1960s, we reached the peak of related deaths, particularly in men," Heart Foundation medical director Professor Norman Sharpe said. "So more emphasis was placed on them." While health professionals had got on top of the historical causes - high cholesterol and blood pressure - obesity now posed the biggest threat.
© Fairfax NZ News



Saturday, September 22

Reading, writing and arithmetic fail to measure up

A new way of measuring pupils' performance shows 42% of Maori school children are underachieving in their writing skills. The first set of results from the Government's new National Standards were released on Friday. The data also shows 34% of Maori are failing to meet the reading standard. It's a similar picture for maths, with only 63% reaching the benchmark set by the Ministry of Education. Education Minister Hekia Parata says it's concerning that a number of Maori are not meeting the standards. But she says the data will help officials to target students who are falling behind and give them the help they need.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Asylum seekers return home instead of going to Nauru

The Australian government says a group of Sri Lankan men are being returned to their home country after opting not to be processed as asylum seekers on Nauru. The group of 18 asylum seekers - 16 of whom arrived in Australia after the ruling Labor party government announced its new asylum policies - had been waiting to be processed on Christmas Island. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says the men asked not to be transferred to Nauru for processing and did not want to further pursue a claim for asylum. The men boarded a charter flight to Sri Lanka on Saturday morning. Mr Bowen says the transfer is a "significant step" that shows the Government's asylum seeker policy is working. "These people had been mislead by people smugglers to believe that a visa would be available on their arrival in Australia," he said. "I think what this transfer does, together with our transfers to Nauru over the last week, is show that if you come to Australia by boat you risk your life and throw your money away."
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Key keen to send navy ship to US as soon as possible

The Prime Minister John Key says New Zealand wants to send a navy ship to the United States soon, although he is unsure if it could be before the end of the year. The visiting United States Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said on Friday the ban on New Zealand ships entering US ports, in place since 1985, had been lifted. However, New Zealand has no plans to change its anti-nuclear policy. Mr Panetta says while the two countries continue to have differences in limited areas, the latest move is about affirming a new course in the hitherto-tense relationship. He says restrictions on talks between defence officials and on military exercises are being removed, and New Zealand Navy ships will once again be able to visit US defence or coast guard facilities in the US and around the world.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Tourist numbers remain strong

The tourism sector has produced another set of positive statistics, with the number of overseas visitors remaining strong. Arrivals jumped 1.4 percent for the month, over the past year there's been an increase of 5.3 percent. Total stay days reached 50.5 million, just a small increase on last year. Tourism New Zealand chief Kevin Bowler says August has followed the trend of the past few months. "Continued good, strong growth from Australia. So Australia was up quite strongly in August, but really, really strong growth from China." Mr Bowler says it's also good to see a continuing recovery from Japan, which saw a 20 percent increase for the month.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Everything including kitchen sink turns up at Wellington tidy-up

A coastal clean up in Wellington has turned up everything including a kitchen sink. It was picked up on the city's south coast alongside TVs, road cones and old tyres. More than 500 people helped in the clean-up, which covered beaches from the city to the Porirua and Hutt coastlines. More than 500 large black sacks were filled.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Rugby - Huge media interest in AB's tour to Argentina

There's massive media interest in the All Blacks tour to Argentina. The team is heading to Buenos Aires this afternoon on an Air New Zealand charter. All Blacks team manager Darren Shand says the All Blacks normally keep to themselves overseas because there's so much demand at home. But he says the rugby union in Argentina has had 900 applications for media accreditation for next Saturday's test. Darren Shand thinks the Pumas will have fanatical support during the tour.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Trade Me warns of identity scammers

By Aroha Tahau - NewstalkZB
Trade Me is warning members to look out for signs of scammers trying to get details of their identities. Criminal scammers from all over the world are now targeting Trade Me users on a daily basis, using fraudulent emails. The site's Head of Security Jon Duffy says there are several warning signs to look for. "If you get an email that looks like it's from Trade Me, and it says you need to log in because your details were lost or the file's been corrupt or something like that, you should immediately be suspicious." Jon Duffy says so far no Trade Me members have lost money through internet scamming.



Friday, September 21

Rabobank predicts food prices will soar in 2013

The agribusiness banking specialist, Rabobank, is forecasting food prices will hit record highs in 2013 due to another round of what it calls agflation. It says for New Zealand farmers that will mean higher livestock feed costs and for exporters tougher import controls, especially from emerging markets such as Asia. Rabobank's latest market research report says the increasing prices are driven by a drought in the United States, which is stifling grain production. Senior analyst Hayley Moynihan says imminent and significant stock feed increases are expected to hit several primary sectors.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



NZ veterans to mark anniversary in Egypt

Twenty-four New Zealand veterans are to travel to Egypt next month to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein. Almost 10,000 New Zealanders were killed or wounded during the North Africa campaign, and more than four thousand became prisoners of war. More than a thousand New Zealanders are also buried at the El Alamein Commonwealth War Graves cemetery - the largest number of our own buried outside the country. Veterans' Affairs general manager Rick Ottaway says the veterans heading to Egypt are aged between 88 and 96.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Annual blossom festival starts tomorrow

People are expected to come from all over the south for Alexandra's annual blossom festival starting tomorrow. The nine day festival, marking the arrival of spring, kicks off with a parade just before midday. Festival director Martin McPherson says this year is shaping up to be a fantastic event. He says the forecast is for sparkling weather to greet the 15,000 to 20,000 visitors expected and the recent warm weather means the spring blossom and the town are looking absolutely picturesque.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Rare treat for Wellington star gazers

Sky gazers in Wellington will have the rare chance to witness a magical star show this weekend. The spectacle, known as occultation, is expected to start around 7.30pm tomorrow night. It gives the illusion of a star disappearing behind the moon and then re-appearing behind a hill. Keen astronomers in particular will be able to witness it with their telescopes. John Field from the Carter Observatory says the ideal look out spot will be on top of one of Wellington's many hills.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



US citizens warned of possible protests in Australia

United States authorities have warned their citizens in Australia to avoid parts of Sydney and Melbourne this weekend due to possible violent protests. It follows last weekend's unrest in Sydney when the US consulate was the target of protests against a film made in America that mocks the Prophet Mohammed. America's consular general has now taken the highly unusual step of issuing an emergency message to US citizens, warning them to avoid its central Melbourne and Sydney's Martin Place and Hyde Park this weekend, the ABC reports. There will be extra police on patrol in Sydney's CBD, but authorities say they so far have no indication there will be a repeat of last week's trouble.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Boys failing in reading and writing, snapshot shows

Education Minister Hekia Parata is concerned about the number of Maori, Pasifika and male primary school children who have fallen behind in national standards. National figures have been made public on Friday for the first time on the Government's reading, writing and mathematics benchmarks. Seventy-six percent of primary school children reached or exceeded the national standard for reading, 72% for maths and 68% for writing. But the figures also show Pasifika children were 46% below the standard for writing, while Maori children were 42% below. Some 39% of boys were either below or well below the writing standard, and that's a concern to Ms Parata. Friday's national snapshot precedes school-by-school data, which will be made available online on 28 September.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Kiwis invited to party with Prince Charles

Prince Charles is to share his 64th birthday party with 64 everyday Kiwis when he visits Wellington in November. Government House has announced a special competition for those who share the Prince's November 14 birth date. Sixty-four applicants will party in right royal fashion, with the birthday menu to include pavlova, whitebait, crayfish and ice cream. Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae says despite his own birthday falling on the same day, the event will be all about honouring His Royal Highness. "We will also celebrate my birthday, but the day is for His Royal Highness so that he can connect with New Zealanders in a different way." Those wishing to enter the birthday ballot can do so on the Government House website.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Highest grossing art auction in NZ

The highest grossing art auction in New Zealand history has been held in Auckland. The collection of Wellington's Les and Milly Paris fetched $4.5 million. Art & Object managing director Hamish Coney says around 150 buyers purchased the art. He says there was a huge amount of interest. "We had more registered bidders and more telephone bidders at the auctions than we've ever had for any auction previously and it is our highest sales total by over $2.5 million." Hamish Coney says artists included Michael Smither, Ralph Hotere and Colin McCahon.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Avon River parks, paths ready by 2014

The Government's Central Christchurch Development Unit hopes to complete by 2014 the parks and cycleways along the Avon River that run through the city centre. On Thursday it called for expressions of interest in designing and managing the work, which includes roading and flood protection. Interest is also being sought for work on the area of green space set aside immediately to the north of the city centre and part of the eastern section of the CBD where a children's playground is to be built. Expressions of interest will also be sought from those wanting to design and build a convention centre and a metro sports centre.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Thursday, September 20

NSW govt apologises for forced adoptions

New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell has delivered an apology over the policy of previous governments to remove children from unwed mothers. Mr O'Farrell told a packed gallery that Parliament acknowledged the traumatic effects of the policy of forced adoptions that was pursued right up to the 1970s. "It caused years of pain and grief for many, instead of the joy and delight of parenthood might reasonably be expected to bring," he said. "Today in this, Australia's first parliament, we acknowledge the terrible wrongs that were done and with profound sadness and remorse say to those living with ongoing grief and pain, we are sorry." Parents and children who were forcibly separated in hospitals and unwed mothers homes in the 1950s, 60s and 70s were present at the joint sitting of Parliament to hear the apology.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Netball - Silver Ferns take Constellation Cup

The Silver Ferns won the Constellation Cup for the first time with a thrilling 50-49 victory over Australia in the second test at Auckland's Vector Arena on Thursday night. It was New Zealand's first victory in a netball series against Australia in eight years. The sold-out crowd of more than 8500 people, a record for a netball match in New Zealand, cheered on the home team to a narrow win to clinch the series two-nil with a game to spare. The Silver Ferns came out firing and raced to a seven-point lead at the end of the first quarter on the back of perfect shooting from Irene Van Dyke and Maria Tuitia, who missed just three goals between them all evening. By half-time that lead had increased to 31-19 with wing defence Anna Harrison and goal keep Catrina Grant a constant thorn in the Diamonds' side with multiple turnovers. The Australian fightback then began in a tense fourth quarter as they slashed the Ferns lead to just three goals. The crowd did their best to lift New Zealand, who quashed the Australian uprising and take the test by one point.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Call for maritime focus in Australian aid programme

Australia is being urged to spend more of its foreign aid on helping Pacific Island and other developing countries in its region exploit their maritime zones. A new report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute suggests assistance in developing and protecting the economic potential of the large exclusive economic zones of its neighbours would help alleviate poverty. One of the report’s authors says although Pacific Island countries are more sea than land, most of Australia’s aid budget is focused on land-based activities.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Northern Explorer adds two new stops

KiwiRail has announced its Northern Explorer service between Auckland and Wellington will now add stops at Papakura and Paraparaumu. Passenger General Manager, Deborah Hume, says they've received a number of requests for the stops to be added from people who would otherwise have to stay on the Northerner until it stopped at the city centre, only to catch another train back out. The Northern Explorer runs from Auckland on Monday, Thursday and Saturday and from Wellington on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Welfare reform Bill pass first reading

The Government's taken the next step to enacting it's next set of welfare reforms. It's had the numbers to pass the first reading of new welfare reform legislation in parliament this afternoon. The Bill puts a work focus on the benefit system with work obligations to be applied to those on sickness benefits. It also introduces drug testing requirements for beneficiaries and will see benefits cut for welfare recipients who are subject to arrest warrants. The Bill imposes social obligations on beneficiaries with children, their children will be required to participate in education and health care or else their benefits may be cut.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



International success for Kiwi wine

By Philippa Ormrod - NewstalkZB
More international success for New Zealand's wine industry. Over one million cases of New Zealand Pinot Noir are now being exported every year. But New Zealand wine growers CEO Philip Gregan says New Zealand hasn't always been known for its Pinot Noir. He says we first came onto the international stage as a white wine producer but Pinot Noir has been one of the big success stories for us over the past decade. Mr Gregan says we're making close to $150 millions off Pinot Noir exports each year.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Obese need help to kick addiction

By SAM BOYER
Food addiction should be recognised as a medical condition so obese people can get help to quit, the National Addiction Centre director says. Almost a third of the population could be addicted to food - yet struggling addicts received no support or funding, unlike people at the other end of the spectrum who received help for eating disorders such as anorexia, Professor Doug Sellman said. He will today address an Australasian psychiatry conference in Wellington on research into food addiction. The National Addiction Centre is halfway through a five-year study of 25 people hoping to beat obesity. Health Ministry figures show 34.1 per cent of Kiwis are classified as being of normal weight, 37 per cent are overweight and 27.8 per cent obese. New Zealand was regarded as the second-most overweight country in the world, behind the United States and narrowly ahead of Australia, Prof Sellman said.
© Fairfax NZ News



Quake system sends out false alerts

GNS Science is blaming teething problems with a new earthquake alert system for two false reports of tremors off the North Island's west coast on Thursday morning. The quakes, supposedly measuring 6.4 and 5.6 in magnitude, were in fact near Oxford in Canterbury and measured 3.7 and 2.7. GNS Science seismologist Martin Reymers says a quake near the Kermadec Islands north of New Zealand was happening at the same time as the ones in Canterbury, giving the wrong location. "This is the first time that this has happened and it's got the first location so badly wrong.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Australian MPs reject same sex marriage

The Australian House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted against legislation that would have allowed same-sex couples to marry. Just 42 MPs supported the private members bill put forward by Labor backbencher Stephen Jones, while 98 MPs voted against, the ABC reports. Labor MPs had been given a conscience vote on the legislation, but Coalition MPs were expected to follow the party's position on the issue, which does not allow for any change to marriage laws.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Fire destroys Samoa Independent Seventh Day Adventist church

The police and fire service are investigating the cause of a fire which destroyed the two storey centre for the Samoa Independent Seventh Day Adventist Church early this morning. Fire fighters were unable to save the multimillion dollar building in Apia however they were able to contain the fire from spreading to nearby businesses in town and family homes.
Radio New Zealand International



Wednesday, September 19

Manawatu Gorge about to fully reopen

The Manawatu Gorge has opened to all traffic, 24 hours a day, for the first time in more than a year. The gorge, connecting Manawatu and Wairarapa, has been partially open for the past month. One lane of traffic in each direction opened at 6pm on Wednesday, the first time this part of State Highway 3 has been permanently open to vehicles from both directions since major slips in August last year.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Adams home to claim gold medal

Olympic gold medal winner Valerie Adams was met by a cheering crowd of family and well-wishers as she arrived back in New Zealand on Wednesday. The shot put champion was greeted by a haka, flags, banners and music, and was mobbed after touching down at Auckland airport. An expectant crowd had gathered to see Adams for the first time since she was belatedly awarded the gold after Nadzeya Ostapchuk, of Belarus, failed a drugs test and was disqualified after the London Games. Adams has been competing in Europe since the Olympics and said she was delighted to be back home after a long flight from London.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Pakistan to go head with sheep cull

Pakistan is to press ahead with a cull of more than 21 thousand Australian sheep over disease fears, despite assurances from Australian diplomats that the animals are safe for human consumption. The cull was ordered earlier this week after the sheep, which had been turned away from Bahrain, tested positive for the salmonella and actinomyces bacteria. Australia's High Commissioner to Pakistan, Peter Heyward, says he's "surprised and concerned" about the cull.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Kate's dress sparks global calls to NZ store

A Pacific clothing label says it will probably need to bring in more staff to cope with the huge demand for its garments after the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted wearing one of its dresses while on tour in the Solomon Islands. Everything Catherine wears flies off the shelf, and a pink floral dress from Tav Pacific is no different. Vira Tavioni, who manages Tav Pacific in Mt Eden in Auckland, told onenews.co.nz she has received calls from Dubai, the United States and Europe, including Italy and Ireland, after Catherine was photographed wearing the Tav printed dress on Sunday. The label is popular throughout the Pacific, with stores based in Rarotonga, where Tavioni's sister and head designer for Tav Pacific, Ellena Tavioni works, and in Honolulu. Tav exports to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa and other Pacific Islands.
Source: ONE News



Rail line opens up through 'Forgotten World'

There's now a chance for Kiwis to see a slice of New Zealand - the way it used to be. An old railway line between Taranaki and King Country will be used to offer half, one, or two day rail cart trips. The self drive carts take up to four people and travel at a leisurely 20 kilometres an hour from Stratford through to Okahukura near Taumarunui. The man behind the idea, entrepreneur Ian Balme, says the trips go through parts of the North Island that is known as 'The Forgotten World.' "It's a piece of New Zealand that is iconic, or perhaps a better way of describing it is authentic New Zealand." He says it's a chance to see New Zealand as it was 50 or 60 years ago.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Maintaining a car could soon be a lot cheaper

It could soon be a lot cheaper to own a car. Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges will today be releasing proposals for an overhaul of the warrant of fitness, registration and licensing systems. The document suggests a range of proposals for changing the frequency of warrant of fitness, including following Queensland's lead and only carrying it out when there's a change of ownership. The systems are decades old and the Government's decided it's time to move with technology and look at new options that can save households, businesses and government money. From today, people will have a chance to have their say on the proposals.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Resumption of US warship visits to NZ?

A diplomatic flurry surrounds the first visit to New Zealand by a United States defence secretary in 30 years after reports it would signal the resumption of American warship visits. US media reported unnamed officials saying they hoped to resume visits by navy warships to New Zealand for the first time since 1984, when the Anzus military alliance was suspended over New Zealand's nuclear-free legislation. It follows the resumption of near-normal relations between the New Zealand and US militaries after a near 30-year freeze on training and exercises. Defence relations with the US have significantly warmed in recent years, culminating in the arrival of US Marines in New Zealand for joint exercises earlier this year and New Zealand's participation in the giant "Rimpac" exercises off Hawaii.
- © Fairfax NZ News



Students vie for national speech honours

The competition encourages young orators to stand tall by encouraging the development and confidence of Maori students in spoken English and Maori. Te Tau Ihu iwi (top of the South Island tribes) are hosting the visitors over the next two days at various schools and marae in the region. The national secondary school speech contest has been running for 47 years and is sponsored by the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association, including other funders. The winners will be announced on Thursday.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, September 18

New venture capital fund launches

A new start-up investment fund has raised $4.6 million to put into New Zealand companies with potential global reach. Half of the amount was raised by private investors, including international ones, and the remainder was matched by the publicly funded New Zealand Venture Investment Fund. The Global from Day One Seed Fund, is managed by angel investor Sparkbox Ventures. Chief executive Greg Sitters says the fund aims to invest in about 20 start-up companies with international ambitions over the next four years.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Female tradies in new exhibition

By SOPHIE SPEER
In a male dominated industry, this group of female tradies are carving a niche for themselves. About 24 images of female builders, architects, electricians and plumbers feature in the exhibition Celebrating Women in Construction. The exhibition seeks to prove that women are as capable as men in trades jobs. ''I want people to know it's an option. A lot of girls won't think of doing trades because it's so male dominated, but it's nice to see things for girls to do other than hairdressing or beauty therapy said Upper Hutt plumber Shelley Sydow''
- Celebrating Women in Construction runs till September 24 at Thistle Hall, Cuba St, Wellington.
© Fairfax NZ News



New Auckland disaster alert app launched

A new citywide disaster alert system has been launched in Auckland. It's a smartphone app designed to alert Aucklanders to incoming tsunamis and other disasters and emergencies. Chairman of Civil Defence and Emergency Management Michael Goudie says if an incident happens the app has three levels of severity measure. "For example if a high severity comes through it'll actually give a little siren off on your phone. You can bring it up, it'll have all the information, threats and links to more useful information and maybe perhaps things you should be doing."
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Prince Charles and Camilla to visit NZ on jubilee tour

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will visit New Zealand in November as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee tour, the Prime Minister announced today. Prince Charles and Camilla will fly in on November 10 after an eight-day tour of Papua New Guinea and Australia. They will visit four centres around the country during their week-long stay, including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Manawatu.
Source: ONE News



Work set to begin on cardboard cathedral

Cardboard tubes that will form the structure of a temporary cathedral have arrived in Christchurch on Tuesday. The church will serve as replacement for the Anglican ChristChurch Cathedral, which was badly damaged in the February 2011 earthquake and is being demolished. The 180 six-metre-long tubes will be coated in polyurethane, joined together in groups of three and have laminated beams put inside. A spokesperson for ChristChurch Cathedral says that will make up the $5 million building's distinctive structure designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. Craig Dixon says the cardboard cathedral will be made to 100% of the building code and will last for at least 50 years. Concrete foundations will be poured at the building's Latimer Square site on Monday, he says.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Stage two of Tokelau Renewable Energy Project underway

The second stage of the Tokelau Renewable Energy Project is underway, with the launch of work on Nukunonu last Friday. Tokelau aims to have all its energy needs provided by renewable sources, mostly from solar energy. New Zealand company PowerSmart New Zealand is installing solar units which have now been in use on Fakaofo for some weeks. The project is due to be launched on the third atoll, Atafu, at the end of next month.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



New tuberculosis drug being developed

By Melissa Hills
Medical researchers are upbeat over a new tuberculosis drug being developed in New Zealand. Scientists at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre (ACSRC) and Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery are working on a compound called TBA-354, which they have high hopes of advancing for clinical trials in the US in the near future. The drug is the newest hope in the fight against tuberculosis, and could provide the first major breakthrough in fighting the disease in the last 50 years. Experts in Auckland have worked in partnership with the TB Alliance and the University of Illinois at Chicago to help with the research.



NZ wines win awards in London

New Zealand wines have won two coveted awards in the International Wine Challenge in London - one of the largest wine competitions in the world. Some 12,000 wines were entered from throughout the world. Trophy for the best wine in its first year of production went to a 2011 sauvignon blanc from Yealands Estate in Marlborough. A trophy for sustainably-made wine was won by Ngatarawa Estate in Hawke's Bay for its Alwyn Winemaker 2010 chardonnay.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



South Island alliance to counter Auckland's power

Councils in the South Island are banding together in an effort to counterbalance Auckland's growing political power. The Dunedin City Council on Monday became the first large local government authority to sign up to the creation of a 28-council South Island Strategic Alliance, which has the support of many mayors including Invercargill's Tim Shadbolt. Dunedin mayor Dave Cull told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme on Tuesday there are good reasons for this. "Right across the South Island we have some common interests, and it's looking for ways to cooperate in areas of mutual benefit. It might be shared services, it might be shared contracts for, say, road maintenance and also to have a united South Island voice vis-a-vis central government." Mr Cull says the South Island's relatively small population produces a disproportionate amount of New Zealand's exports, so it needs a group to put its unique perspective.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Monday, September 17

Sydney Muslim protest work of 'lunatic fringe'

The violent Muslim protest in Sydney was the work of a lunatic fringe, Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Carr says. Six men were arrested following clashes on Saturday that saw two police officers and 17 others injured as protesters targeted the US consulate in Sydney's CBD. The former New South Wales premier said he was dismayed that the actions of an angry minority could tarnish the reputation of Australia's wider Muslim community. "It's a more nuanced story and we've got to think about the hurt and the pain of Australian Muslims, loyal Australians, when they saw that stupid and dangerous and repugnant lunatic fringe - 100 of them, a mere 100 of them - on Saturday night's TV," Senator Carr told ABC radio. He echoed Prime Minister Julia Gillard's shock at children holdings signs calling for people who insult Prophet Mohammed to be beheaded.
Source: AAP



Latest reforms: Off welfare and into work

Off welfare and into work is the aim of the Government's latest round of welfare reforms. Three new benefit types will replace the seven current categories. Those on the new Jobseeker Support benefit will have to be actively seeking and available for work, while sole parents will have to be available for part time work when their youngest is school age and full time when their youngest turns 14. Prime Minister John Key says it's a fundamental change to the welfare system by increasing the focus on work. "Underpinning these changes is our belief that by targeting the right support to the right people at the right time, we can enable people to move off welfare and into work sooner. We believe those who can work, should work." A bill will be introduced to parliament shortly and all changes will come into force by July next year.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Gillard climbs back in polls a year from elections

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard is climbing back into contention for the next general election, still about 12 months away, with two new opinion polls showing a boost for her Labor Party government. Both a Newspoll, in the Australian newspaper, and a Nielsen poll in the Fairfax newspapers show support for Gillard's government has been building since July in a major turn-around for her minority government. Government lawmakers said the polls reflected a growing acceptance of a controversial carbon tax, introduced in July, and that a heated opposition campaign against the tax was no longer working with voters. The next election is due in the second half of 2013.
Source: Reuters



Duke, Duchess greeted by almost all of Honiara

It's thought every single resident in Honiara (Solomon Islands) has turned out to get a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They're in the Solomon Islands on behalf of the Queen, celebrating her Jubilee year. World Vision spokesperson Laura Gemmell says the streets were crammed, with what seemed like all 60,000 people lining up to see the royal couple when they arrived. She says a huge amount of work has gone into the visit. Ms Gemmell says even the only road into the city has been sealed for the occasion.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Ex-road policing manager calls for lower alcohol limit

A former police superintendent has hit out at the Government for ignoring calls to lower the drink-drive limit, saying up to 30 lives a year could have been saved. Two years ago, the Government reduced the limit to zero for drivers under 20 but was reluctant to lower the limit for others without proper research. Newly retired superintendent and former road policing manager John Kelly says all the scientific and international evidence suggests lowering the drink drive limit would save between 16 and 30 lives a year. Mr Kelly says the Government missed an opportunity to reduce the road toll two years ago when people advocated for the limit to be lowered from 0.08 millilitres of alcohol in blood to 0.05.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Accurate child reading prediction test developed

Researchers at Canterbury University have developed a test that can accurately predict how well a child will be reading by the end of their first year at school. The researchers have devised a simple computer test which could predict a child's end of first year reading success with 92 percent accuracy. The test could be used to identify pupils at risk of developing the language disorder dyslexia. Pro Vice-Chancellor Gail Gillon says at least 15 percent of the population have some reading difficulties and it's estimated that five percent of New Zealand children suffer from dyslexia.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Opera companies merge

By Katie Bradford-Crozier - NewstalkZB
The New Zealand Opera and Southern Opera have merged. It means there will now be opera bases in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, ensuring the South Island is well served by an international standard opera company. Arts minister Chris Finlayson says it makes New Zealand Opera a genuine national performing arts institution.



Solar power gives Tonga schools affordable computer access

A Tongan school says it can now afford to use computers following the installation of solar panels by Canterbury University engineering students. Under a $350,000 renewable energy project, funded by New Zealand Aid, five Tongan high schools have had panels installed. Takuilau High School, about 20km from the capital Nuku'alofa, was the first to get the solar panels and has saved $NZ400 on power in the first month. School principal Sister Fe'ao Kautai says that's more money for stationery, text books and school maintenance, but the biggest benefit is the school can now get reliable use of its computers. The project has been led by the EcoCARE Pacific Trust whose co-founder Russell Taylor says the next step is to link the five schools with a wireless intranet. Mr Taylor says the goal is to install solar panels on all 36 Tongan schools on 21 different islands.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Sunday, September 16

Netball - Tough win for Silver Ferns

The Silver Ferns netballers held off a late Australian comeback to beat the Diamonds 54-52 in the opening Constellation Cup test in Melbourne. The Ferns led by as much as six points midway through the final quarter before the Australians narrowed the gap with the introduction of shooter Caitlin Bassett. Silver Ferns veteran shooter Irene van Dyk only missed one shot while her partner Maria Tutaia was named player of the match. The regular Silver Ferns captain Casey Williams sat out the match with a knee niggle, and her stand-in Laura Langman says it was the usual physical battle with the Australians, particularly in the last quarter. She says the Ferns stuck to their processes and things went their way. New Zealand now have home court advantage for the remaining two Constellation Cup tests, in Auckland on Thursday and Christchurch next Sunday.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



NZ Malaya veterans commemorated

New Zealand veterans of the post-war Malayan Emergency have been officially commemorated for the first time at the National War Memorial. Thirteen-hundred New Zealanders served as part of a Commonwealth force in Malaya between 1948 and 1960 and 15 lost their lives. New Zealanders remained in the peninsula afterwards to help with counter-insurgency measures and border security operations. A national commemorative service on Sunday morning was attended by the Governor-General, the Chief of the Defence Force and the Veterans' Affairs Minister, as well as veterans who served in Malaya.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Royal couple set to arrive in Solomon Islands

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will touch down in the Solomon Islands later today. It is the latest stop on their tour of south east Asia and the Pacific, as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The Royal couple have already taken in Malaysia, Borneo, and Singapore on their trip. They are set to arrive at Henderson Airport, Honiara, at approximately 6pm New Zealand time, where they will be greeted by the Governor General of the Soloman Islands, Sir Frank Kabui and his wife, Lady Grace Kabui, as well as the prime minister Gordon Darcy.
Source: ONE News



Christchurch hosts food show

Christchurch food businesses are getting some exposure at the national Food Show being held in the city. The annual show has already run in Auckland and Wellington, and its final destination is CBS Arena in Christchurch this weekend. Show organiser Dona White says the Canterbury earthquakes have resulted in business losses for many in Christchurch's food sector and it is important for them to have a platform to exhibit their products. She says about a third of the 100 exhibitors are Christchurch-based. The Food Show ends at 5pm on Sunday.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Conference addressing NZ's stroke figures

By Jacqui Stanford - NewstalkZB
Some of the sharpest minds in the field are meeting this weekend to discuss how to reduce the burden of stroke. AUT University's Professor Valery Feigin says it's New Zealand's leading cause of death and disability. He says unlike most other developed countries where stroke cases have fallen by nearly half in the past 30 years, they've declined only 11 percent here - and that's only in New Zealand Europeans. In Maori and Pacific people strokes have increased by 19 percent and 66 percent respectively.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Saturday, September 15

Rugby - All Blacks win in Dunedin

The All Blacks have beaten South Africa in a torrid rugby test in Dunedin on Saturday night. New Zealand eventually ran out winners by 21 points to 11, outscoring the Springboks by two tries to one at the Forsyth Barr Stadium. The half time score was 5-3 to New Zealand. The All Black try scorers were Israel Dagg and Aaron Smith, while South Africa made things interesting with a spectacular solo effort by Bryan Habana. The Springboks were also reduced to 14 men deep in the second half when Dean Grayling was sinbinned for an elbow in the face of All Black captain, Ritchie McCaw.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



More snow forecast for lower South Island

Heavy snow is predicted for the lower South Island and flooding and slips for Nelson and the Bay of Plenty as a southerly front moves up the country. Metservice has issued a severe weather warning for heavy rain and snow in Southland, south Otago and Fiordland.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Free whooping cough vaccine for pregnant women

Waikato District Health Board is offering free whooping cough vaccines for pregnant women. The vacines were introduced after several infants in the Waikato contracted whooping cough from family members. The vaccination is available to women from the 20th week of pregnancy to two weeks after a baby's birth.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Friday, September 14

Australia feral camel cull over the hump

Some 100,000 feral camels have been culled from the Australian outback, a key step towards controlling the troublesome animals that have destroyed infrastructure, contaminated water holes and ruined sacred Australian Aboriginal sites. Camels were first introduced to Australia during the 19th century and used as transport for exploration and to assist construction of rail and telegraph lines. Tens of thousands were released in the 1930s when vehicle transport became more common and the wild population had soared to an estimated half a million by 2004. "Over 100,000 feral camels have been removed from the Australian landscape through the project and the current rate of feral camel removal is around 75,000 per year, which is reducing the overall population and lowering their density around priority environmental sites," said Jan Ferguson, who is managing the project.
Source: Reuters



Australia sends asylum-seekers to Nauru

Australian officials say they have transported 30 Sri Lankan asylum-seekers to a newly-opened detention camp on the Pacific atoll of Nauru. It is the first group of people to be sent to the remote island on Friday under the country's new offshore processing policy. Several thousand asylum-seekers have tried to make it to Australia by boat this year, and at least 600 have drowned, the BBC reports. Most head to Christmas Island off Australia's west coast. However, in an attempt to stop the boats, the Australian government is flying them from Christmas Island to the tiny island of Nauru nearly 3200km into the Pacific where they will be more isolated. It will take months or even years to process their asylum claims. About 30 Sri Lankan men were on the first flight to arrive and will be housed in tents.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Kiribati drifter found after nearly four months at sea

A Kiribati man who drifted in the central Pacific for three-and-a-half months was found earlier this week by a Marshall Islands fishing vessel. The man, Toakai Teitoi from Kiribati, was reported to be healthy despite the lengthy ordeal. But a man who was with him when they left Maiana Atoll in Kiribati on May the 28th died six weeks later. A fisheries observer on the Marshalls Islands vessel, Ali Ezekiah, says when the crew brought the man on board the first thing he asked for was a cigarette. The vessel iswas expected to arrive in Majuro later today. The two Kiribati men reportedly left Kiribati on May the 28th, suffered engine trouble and were not seen or heard from until the 6 metre boat was spotted on September the 11th by the Marshall Islands purse seiner, northeast of Nauru.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



NZ dollar jumps as US central bank starts spending

The New Zealand dollar reached a six-and-a-half month high after news that the US Federal Reserve has launched an open-ended stimulus package. The US's central bank has announced a new round of bond-buying known as quantitative easing and it will keep interest rates lower for longer. Under the bond-buying plan it will buy $40 billion dollars of mortgage-backed debt per month until the outlook for jobs improves substantially. The exchange rate for the NZ dollar jumped around one US cent from 82.20 US cents to 83.20 US cents after the announcement.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Digital TV switchover won't get everybody

A small percentage of Hawke's Bay and West Coast residents are choosing to give up television rather than go digital. Those two regions are first in line for the digital switchover, which gets underway in a fortnight on September 30. Going Digital national manager Greg Harford says they expect to get up to 96 percent of people going digital, with a small number choosing not to. "Almost everyone knows they need to turn to watch digital TV. People are choosing to opt out of TV because they often don't like the programs or TV is not especially important to them." Mr Harford is confident they've had good awareness levels across the country about the switch.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Latest poll shows opposition parties gaining

Too close to call. That's the finding of a new Roy Morgan poll should an election be called now. The polling company's latest survey shows National with its current support parties has the support of 48 percent of voters. Support for opposition parties totals 51 and a half percent. According to the numbers National's on 44.5 percent, Labour 32 percent, the Greens are on 14.5 percent, New Zealand First five percent, the Maori Party's on 2.5 percent, and ACT is on one percent. Support for United Future is zero.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Hoki fish eye protein linked to cancer research

By Newstalk ZB staff - NewstalkZB
Canterbury University scientists are using fish eye lenses to find a cure for cancer. They've received a million dollar funding grant to turn protein from the lenses into tiny components for devices to help doctors detect illnesses such as diabetes and cancer. They're using hoki fish eye lens protein nanofibres that are up to 10,000 times smaller than a strand of human hair. Christchurch company Independent Fisheries is supplying them with all the hoki eyes they need.



IceFest celebrates Antarctica connection

A month-long festival celebrating Christchurch's connection with Antarctica is under way in the city. The inaugural New Zealand IceFest, organised by the Christchurch City Council, will mark the 100th anniversary of the fatal expedition to the South Pole undertaken by British explorer Robert Falcon Scott. More than 100 speakers, artists and scientists will give presentations at the festival in Hagley Park, including the producer of the BBC's Frozen Planet series Chadden Hunter. Festival director Jo Blair says New Zealand's association with Antarctica brings in about $288 million to the country every year.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Warning against compulsory Te Reo in schools

An academic who specialises in reviving indigenous languages believes making Te Reo compulsory in schools would be counterproductive. Ghil'ad Zuckermann, chair of linguistics and endangered languages at the University of Adelaide, is visiting this country. He says the responsibility for there to be more people fluent in Maori rests equally between home and school. Professor Zuckermann says the study of Te Reo should be optional in all schools, because if it was made compulsory people could resent it and the aim of increasing the language would backfire.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



US Secretary of Defence to visit next week

US Secretary of Defence Leon Pannetta arrives in New Zealand next week, the first time in 30 years New Zealand has hosted to America's most senior defence official. Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman says the visit reflects the warm relationship between New Zealand and the United States. The invitation was extended at the signing of the Washington Declaration by Dr Coleman and Mr Panetta in June.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Thursday, September 13

Rugby - Piri Weepu to start against South Africa

The All Blacks coach Steve Hansen dropped halfback Aaron Smith from the starting XV for their match against the Springboks after he broke team protocols following their win over Argentina last week. Smith drops to the bench and has been replaced by Piri Weepu. Hansen wouldn't go into details about the reason for Smith's demotion but says he wasn't involved in any late night drinking after the Wellington match. He says team protocols are set by the players' senior management group. In the other changes to the side, Andrew Hore starts at hooker, Sam Whitelock at lock and Liam Messam at blindside flank.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand


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