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Wednesday, October 31

Wind farm planned for South Taranaki

A wind farm with 48 turbins is proposed for South Taranaki, by TrustPower on the coast between Waverley and Patea. TrustPower says the size is similar to its wind farm at Mahinerangi in Central Otago. It will be able to generate 130 megawatts and would complement the Patea Dam nearby, which is owned by TrustPower.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Cooks nursing school to help outer island care

The Secretary of Health on the Cook Islands hopes the re-opening of a nursing school in Rarotonga will help solve a shortage of nurses on the outer islands. Elizabeth Iro announced last week that the school will re-open in July, after being closed in 2008. The Secretary says the Cook Islands has trouble recruiting nurses, especially for the outer islands, and training nurses within their communities may entice them to stay and keep helping their own people. She says the ministry is also looking into possible corporate sponsorship for some students.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Price of a new passport set to reduce

The price of a new passport is set to reduce, but not for children. Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain will this afternoon announce the new fees, as well as show off a new online application system. It costs $153.50 for a standard service on an adult passport, and $81.70 for a child's passport, with that cost doubling if it is needed within three days. The five year expiry on passports will stay the same, although Mr Tremain is promising to take a look at that. There are complaints the passports actually only last for four and a half years, because of a restriction on travelling within six months of the expiry date.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Kiwis in for a hot, dry summer

By PALOMA MIGONE
The summer months will likely be dry for most New Zealanders, with the hottest temperatures expected in the top of North Island. Niwa today released its seasonal climate outlook, saying lower than normal pressures are expected southeast of the Chatham Islands, with weak south-westerly winds over New Zealand. Climate Scientist Georgina Griffiths said rainfall is likely to be near normal or below normal in all North Island regions and in Nelson and Marlborough. Gisborne and the Hawke's Bay was the place the watch as it would be drier than normal, she said. Rainfall in those areas is likely to be near or below average, while soil moisture levels and river flows are expected to be below normal. New Zealanders from Auckland to Gisborne will enjoy the warmer climate, with temperatures expected to be average or above average in the north and east of the North Island.
© Fairfax NZ News



Health product claims wanted on labels

Parliament's Health Select Committee says natural health products should carry a label spelling out the basis for claims about the product. It's one of several significant recommendations being made by the committee on the Natural Products Bill before Parliament. The bill will regulate low-risk health products, including vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements. Chairman Paul Hutchison said committee members faced a difficult job of balancing the demand for consumer choice, safety and low compliance costs with the equally strong and growing demand for manufacturers to reveal the science behind their products. MPs want the products to carry labels showing the basis of any claims.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



New Maori words 'getting out of hand'

The Maori Language Commission says the coining of new Maori words is getting out of hand with the creation of new terms for Facebook. Nearly 90 familiar Facebook terms have been translated after the social networking site stopped recognising what it called minority languages. Te Taura Whiri language services manager Te Haumihiata Mason says unofficial translations raise a risk of damaging the Maori language and she should have been consulted. But Karaitiana Taiuru, the IT developer involved in the translations, says it's not uncommon to bypass the commission because of its lengthy approval process, which can take several years.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, October 30

Suryvey to pin down whanau size

Government statisticians say they hope that a new survey will provide a good picture of the diversity and range of whanau (family) in Maoridom. The survey will next year ask 5000 Maori a range of questions about the health and happiness of their families. As part of the new survey, Statistics New Zealand conducted a pilot study in which people said the size of their whanau ranges from one to 500 people. Statistics NZ executive Atawhai Tibble says no assumptions can be made about the size of Maori families.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Countries no richer hosting big events - NZIER

Big events like the Rugby World Cup do not make the host countries richer, independent economic research group NZIER said. NZIER said major international events tended to "suck in" visitors from before and after the time they are held, creating a displacement effect. It said most event analysis doesn't stack up because it missed the displacement effects. "It means the benefits are often far smaller than people think," NZIER said in a report. The displacement effect meant the net number of visitors an event generates is much lower than the visitors to the event, and NZIER said the Rugby World Cup 2011 was a good example of this. "We estimate there was little overall boost to visitor arrivals because there were fewer visitors before and after the 133,000 international visitors that came to New Zealand for the tournament," it said. "Crucially, domestic tourism is displaced expenditure that would occur elsewhere in the economy. This significantly reduces the overall benefit from the events. "Simply put, major domestic events do not make New Zealanders any wealthier," it said.
- APNZ



Red Cross website aims to help young people

Young people in Canterbury struggling to deal with the afternmath of the region's earthquakes will be able to learn about coping skills at a newly launched website. The New Zealand Red Cross website, Address The Stress, is aimed at helping teenagers looking for trauma recovery resources. The website provides video messages from high-profile New Zealanders, including sports players, musicians, comedians and actors. New Zealand Red Cross chief executive John Ware says the website will reassure young people that what they are feeling is normal. He says he hopes the website will reduce anxiety and remind people of their social connections.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Seafood export returns holding their value

New Zealand seafood export returns are holding their value, despite the corrosive effects of a high dollar and some market access complications. Seafood New Zealand says export returns for the first half of the year rose by 1% to $706 million, compared with the same period last year. That's in contrast with other commodity export sectors, including dairy, meat, horticulture and timber and oil, that have all shown a decline. International policy and market access manager Alastair Macfarlane says a strength of the seafood industry has been its diversity, which enables it to compete in many market niches.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Maori turn Australian towns into 'little NZs'

More Maori now live in southern Queensland than Hamilton, with tens of thousands jumping the ditch in search of a better life. But many are also struggling in Australia, with a researcher describing Maori as among the country's most "disenfranchised" immigrant groups. Research from Victoria University shows the number of Maori living in Australia jumped 38 per cent in the past five years to 128,000. This exceeds the already high overall rise in New Zealanders living in Australia, with about a quarter of Kiwi arrivals identifying themselves as Maori. Victoria University migration researcher Paul Hamer, who wrote the report, said figures were based on the 2006 census, and the actual population could be as high as 160,000 or about one in five of all Maori. Census data from last year shows about 28,000 Maori lived in Brisbane, 3000 more than lived in Hamilton in 2006. Throw in the Gold Coast, and Mr Hamer said there were probably more Maori in south Queensland than in Christchurch.
Source: Fairfax



Jetstar goes lower, selling 1c fares

By Newstalk ZB staff - NewstalkZB
The domestic airline war has just gone as low as it can go without giving seats away. Jetstar is selling fares for one cent each. It says 3,000 such seats will be made available by the end of this week. Its entire domestic network is part of the campaign - Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin. 600 seats will be made available every week day for an hour, between 6 and 7pm. It's the same week the airline has its 100 millionth passenger scheduled.



New superbug now here

A new superbug linked to 14 deaths in Australia is now reported in New Zealand. Auckland hospital senior microbiologist Sally Roberts says Clostridium Difficile, a severe gut infection, has the potential to cause serious bowel damage. Dr Roberts says the bug has the potential to cause serious bowel damage. She does not know of any severe cases of the latest strain here yet. Crohn's & Colitis New Zealand chair Brian Poole said the infection can spread very easily from patient to patient.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Fertility advice

Fertility experts are advising people not to delay having children for too long, saying biology is designed for reproduction until about the age of 35. The increasing tendency to delay first-time parenthood and the problems this can pose, has been a theme of a fertility conference in Auckland. The experts say men and women are most fertile at age 19 or 20. Professor John Aitken from Australia said that beyond 35, both sexes can face problems and sperm damage in men may pass on conditions such as schizophrenia, epilepsy and autism. Dr Mary Birdsall of Fertility Associates said New Zealand women commonly delay having children until about 30, but can then find it hard to conceive.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Monday, October 29

Women urged to take up a trade for Christchurch rebuild

Women are being urged to pick up a hammer and a hard hat as the Government struggles to attract enough tradespeople to cope with the Christchurch rebuild. Only 1% of those in New Zealand's trade industry are women, but numbers are slowly rising since efforts to restore Christchurch's CBD have gained traction in the last year. Construction site supervisor Gazelle Moinfar believed not many women were aware of the opportunities in the construction industry. The Government estimates about 30,000 additional tradespeople will be needed to support Christchurch's rebuild programme.
Source: ONE News



Gallipoli dig continues

Shrapnel shells and fragments, bullets, a Turkish bayonet and the remains of an early Roman camp have been found during the latest stage of an archaeological dig at Gallipoli. The objects were found by New Zealand, Turkish, and Australian historians and archaeologists conducting a third battlefield survey at the site of the battle in World War I. So far the survey has traced more than 3600 metres of trenches, recorded more than 80 tunnel entrances and dugouts, and has found 480 items. The findings, including relics, will go on exhibition in 2015 as part of events marking the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Ned Kelly's family to receive his remains

Ned Kelly's descendants say they can finally receive the bushranger's remains and are meeting the Victorian government to plan a handover. Representatives of Ned Kelly's family will meet the state government in Victoria and the coroner's office to discuss the handover of the bushranger's remains. Anthony Griffiths, whose great-grandmother was Kelly's sister, said the way was now clear for Kelly's remains to be returned to the family. Ned Kelly was hanged in 1880 for killing three police officers, but the location of his remains was a mystery until late last year.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Rugby - 2 new caps in All Blacks touring squad

There are 2 new caps in the 32-man All Black squad to tour Europe next month. The Hurricanes hooker Dane Coles and Chiefs halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow have been named by coach Steve Hansen. Hansen says Coles and Kerr-Barlow are young and exciting players and have shown this year that they look more than capable of stepping up to Test match rugby. The squad also features the return of the All Blacks second-most capped lock, 75-Test veteran Ali Williams, who missed most of the All Blacks season recovering from knee surgery. Highlanders loosie Adam Thomson is also named even though he has yet to sign a New Zealand contract past this year. Players not considered for selection due to injury include Anthony Boric, Colin Slade and Richard Kahui.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



NZ opera set to make history in Italy

A Hamilton composer is set to score a creative coup at the home of opera when his composition is performed in Italy next year. Michael Williams is embarking on New Zealand music history with preparations continuing for his composition The Juniper Passion to be the first New Zealand opera to be performed in Italy. The opera is set to be performed in both Rome and Cassino. Williams said he plans to have the opera performed in New Zealand after it has been to Italy.
Source: ONE News



McCully to meet new PNG govt

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully is travelling to Papua New Guinea to meet members of the new government, elected in July. During the visit, regional, aid and trade issues will be discussed as well as political and economic developments in Papua New Guinea and Bougainville. Mr McCully is accompanied by a small business delegation.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Sunday, October 28

Netball - Silver Ferns beat South Africa

The Silver Ferns have beaten the South African Proteas in the latest round of the Quad netball Series held in Tauranga. The Silver Ferns held a commanding lead throughout the match, the final score being 63-24. Only one more game remains in the Quad Series, with the Silver Ferns taking to the court against their trans-Tasman rivals, the Australian Diamonds in Hamilton on Thursday. Earlier on Sunday, the Diamonds won against England, 57 to 35.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Russel Norman could be finance minister

The Greens would agree to a full coalition with Labour if the party wins the next general election. Leader Russel Norman, speaking this weekend on TV3’s “The Nation” said that in return the party would expect carious Cabinet portfolios including in the finance area. “We come as a package, so we've got co-leaders, and we've got some really talented MPs, so we'd be looking at some of those key portfolios, both economics and finance portfolios, but other social and environmental portfolios as well,” he said. And Mr Norman said the party could work with New Zealand First in Government. “Our whole approach to working with other parties is where there's common ground".
NBR staff



Asia to be core part of Australian school education

Asian studies will become a core part of the Australian education system under a new white paper issued by the federal government on Sunday. The Asian Century white paper sets out how Australia can increase integration with Asia over the coming decade and beyond. The document reveals a number of targets for the nation over the 13 years to 2025, aimed at ensuring Australia fulfils its ambitions and competes effectively within Asia. AAP reports it places a heavy emphasis on education, saying Asian studies will become a core part of the Australian school curriculum. All students will be able to study an Asian language and the priorities will be Chinese Mandarin, Hindi, Indonesian and Japanese.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Sermon given by Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has delivered his first and only sermon in New Zealand. The sermon was delivered at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland to mark the opening of the Anglican Consultative Council which is being held there. The cathedral was almost full as Dr Williams told the congregation the Church is, and must continue to, cross barriers of race, culture and language to bring people together. He said this will be a challenge, but it is one church-goers must take up. The Anglican Consultative Council is an advisory board which brings together delegates from more than 165 countries. It will be in New Zealand for almost two weeks and will discuss a variety of issues facing the church. Dr Williams steps down from his role in December.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



New Zealand may quit Kyoto

By ROB STOCK AND NEIL REID
New Zealand has been tipped to quit the Kyoto Protocol, designed to cut global emissions. Government officials next month travel to Doha in Qatar for the latest round of negotiations on the treaty, but with less than four weeks before the summit, acting Climate Change Minister Simon Bridges says the Government has "not made a decision" on its commitment. "My understanding is that decisions have yet to be made on that matter," he said. But the actions of participants in the carbon market, and market signs, suggest the Government is preparing to walk away. It will soon pass legislation that critics claim will weaken an already ineffectual emissions trading scheme, the mechanism designed to put a price on carbon and encourage a transition to a lower-carbon economy.
© Fairfax NZ News



Undersea volcano located

Scientists have located an undersea volcano that erupted in July, creating a pumice raft the size of Canterbury. The eruption of the Havre volcano in the Kermadecs, was strong enough to breach the ocean surface from a depth of more than 1km. The Kermadec chain stretches from Tauranga to Tonga. Several cubic kilometres of material has settled on the sea floor, raising it by 10 metres.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Saturday, October 27

16,500 ready to run in Auckland Marathon

By Jacqui Stanford - NewstalkZB
16,500 people will tomorrow morning make their way to various starting lines for the annual Auckland Marathon. The big run, the full 42 kilometre race, starts at Devonport at 6:10am. The half gets underway almost an hour later, while there is also a quarter marathon, a five kilometre race and a kids event. 3,000 people are doing the full marathon and 8,000 are doing the half.



Canterbury just too good for Auckland in rugby final

Canterbury have convincingly won the ITM Cup premiership - domestic rugby's top title - for the fifth year in a row, beating Auckland 31-18 in Christchurch on Saturday night. Auckland scored first but Canterbury went to the break 15-13 up and ran away with the match in the second half, conceding only a late consolation try to Auckland.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Australian GPs oppose prostate cancer screening

A group representing Australian GPs says the risks of being screened for prostate cancer outweigh the benefits. In its latest book of preventative health guidelines, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners advises its members not to recommend prostate cancer screening to patients. The ABC reports Chris Del Mar of Bond University on the Gold Coast as saying the process is invasive and can lead to health problems. "To find out whether you've got it involves an involved diagnostic procedures, a biopsy done through the rectum into the prostate," Professor Del Mar says. While there's a 50% chance men over the age of 60 will have the disease, Professor Del Mar says prostate cancer is entirely benign in most cases. He says patients who are tested often develop serious infections, erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



First-ever Tokelau Language Week coming up

The falling use of the Tokelauan language in New Zealand has prompted the first-ever Tokelau Language Week, which will be held in the week beginning Monday 29 October. An official from the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, Hekea Robertson, says since the 2001 census there has been a 4% drop in the number of those speaking Tokelauan. He says about 40% of the 8000 Tokelauans in the country are using the language conversationally. Mr Robertson says there is a strong desire to retain the language but it needs more promotion.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



New NZ land speed record set

An Auckland man broke the country's land speed record at Ohakea airbase in Manawatu on Saturday afternoon. Eddie Freeman, 34, clocked up an average of 355 km/h in his Lamborghini "supercar" to beat the 16-year-old record by seven kilometres an hour. He reached a top speed of 383 in one pass along the one-kilometre distance.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Sharples will stand again

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has confirmed he will put himself forward as the candidate for the Maori seat of Tamaki-Makaurau at the 2014 election. At the party's annual hui last year, Dr Sharples said he was unlikely to stand again. But at this year's hui, at Papawai Marae in Greytown, he said his electorate had asked him to stand again and he had agreed to do so. He says they were worried that the party would not do well without both him and fellow co-leader Tariana Turia to lead it. Dr Sharples has represented the Auckland-based electorate since 2005.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Mother convicted over cannabis in breast milk

By Anne-Marie Emerson
A woman has been convicted of giving cannabis to her 3-month old baby through her breast milk, in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in New Zealand. The 29-year-old Wanganui woman was charged with administering a class C controlled drug, namely cannabis, to a person under the age of 18. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced in Wanganui District Court last week to six months' supervision. The charges were laid after a police search of a house for drugs. The woman's partner also faced charges over the drug raid. Acting Senior Sergeant Andrew McDonald said the woman's actions amounted to child abuse. "Most drugs, including cannabis and P, pass through human milk and are known to affect babies. "People often believe drug-related activities are victimless, but it affects the people around them." * If anyone has concerns about the welfare of children, they can call 0508 FAMILY.
- WANGANUI CHRONICLE



Rowing regatta numbers boom after Olympic success

A novice rowing event has attracted hundreds of crews as numbers signing for the sport are boosted by the success of New Zealand rowers at the London Olympics. More than 300 crews were competing at the Aoraki 1000m Regatta at Lake Ruataniwha in South Canterbury on Saturday. Organising committee chairman James Sheehan says registrations for the event, which is aimed at new rowers, have boomed since the Olympics.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Friday, October 26

New Wellington Ronald McDonald House opens

By BRONWYN TORRIE - HEALTH REPORTER
Families in need will have a home in Wellington with the opening of the new $15.3m Ronald McDonald House. The 34-bedroom base for families (from outside Wellington) with seriously ill children at Wellington Hospital was officially opened today with the help Kobe Uhlenberg, 2, who cut the ribbon before testing the new toys. His parents Cath and Stephen Uhlenberg stayed at the previous house when Kobe was born with a severe form of a craniofacial condition called Treacher Collins. The doors will be open to the public on Sunday between 11am and 3.30pm before families move in on Monday, Ms Slieker said. Inside there is a largest domestic kitchen, a commercial kitchen for volunteers, a gymnasium, tiered theatre, internet room, parent and teen rooms, and a children's art room. The former house, built in 1991 with room for 12 families, had become too small.



Cook Islands nursing school to reopen next year

A Cook Islands nursing training school, giving local nurses an international qualification, is set to open next year. The Ministry of Health is planning to re-open the Cook Islands Nursing School, which closed at the end of 2008. The health secretary Elizabeth Iro says the ministry is currently finalising the budget for the school. She says the three-year curriculum has been developed, with theoretical and clinical hours mapped out by Auckland University of Technology nursing lecturer, Mary MacManus. A minimum of 12 students will be accepted on to the course each year, which will meet the New Zealand Qualification Framework.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Night Rider fares $7 in the lead up to Christmas

Travelling between Auckland and Wellington is now even cheaper. Air New Zealand is reducing it's Night Rider Fares to just $7 for the week leading up to Christmas. The $14 return fare is for a seat only, but you'll be able to take a bag for $17. The special night flight deal is for travel between the 17th and 24th of December.
Source: ONE News



Archbishop of Canterbury visits New Zealand

The Archbishop of Canterbury is in New Zealand, in what will be his last major international engagement before he retires. Dr Rowan Williams is visiting New Zealand for the Anglican Consultative Council, which is meeting here this weekend. The Archbishop will also participate in a headstone unveiling ceremony for the late Bishop Sir Paul Reeves at a service at St John's College in Auckland this afternoon. Dr Williams will step down in December after almost ten years as the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Source: ONE News



Disruptions expected as ANZ begins switchover

By Anna Cross - NewstalkZB
ANZ will this weekend begin switching over to a new technology system. It's part of the bank's move to take over the National Bank brand. ANZ and National Bank say internet, phone and mobile phone banking won't be available from 10pm through until late Sunday afternoon. Customers are being told to prepare ahead for their weekend banking needs.



Dunedin council puts more information online

Dunedin City Council has begun publishing its responses to official information requests online - the first in the country to do so. Like all authorities, the council receives dozens of official information requests a month from ratepayers, the news media, public organisations and Members of Parliament. Many are multiple requests for the same information, creating double-handling for council staff, and are only selectively made public. The council's governance manager, Sandy Graham, says from now on every response with a public interest will be available on the Dunedin City Council website. It is part of a wider transparency drive at the council which has already shifted large parts of its meetings from closed-door sessions to the public agenda, and will soon begin publishing its credit card spending records online.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Thursday, October 25

Netball - Dynamic duo lift Ferns to victory over England

Veteran shooter Irene van Dyk and trusty sidekick Maria Tutaia once again showed what a formidable attack force they have become, carrying the Silver Ferns to a hard-fought 57-46 victory over England in the Quad Series at Wellington. Trailling 24-26 at halftime, the Kiwis only took control of the contest when the van Dyk/Tutaia tandem entered the fray in the third quarter. They combined for 33/36 shooting, with van Dyk locked in around goal (14/14) and Tutaia keeping the defenders honest from further out. After their 20-goal hiding from Australia on Sunday, the Ferns were looking to rebound in style, but coach Wai Taumaunu again put out an experimental starting line-up that had Catherine Latu and Jodi Brown in the shooting circle, and Millie Lees restored at wing attack, after missing the first three games of the series. The combinations never settled, repeatedly throwing possession away, and although they still enjoyed more opportunities than their English counterparts, Latu and Brown were not as accurate, shooting just 83% (24/29). New Zealand next face South Africa in Tauranga on Sunday, while England take on the world-champion Australians.
Source: ONE Sport



Afghan interpreters to be given asylum in NZ

By Kate Shuttleworth
Up to 26 Afghan interpreters will be given asylum in New Zealand when Kiwi troops withdraw from Bamiyan next April. A spokesman for Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman said Cabinet agreed on Monday to offer the interpreters a resettlement package in New Zealand. The details will be released next week when Dr Coleman returns from a visit to the Middle East. The interpreters, working with the Provincial Reconstruction Team, are being notified of their packages. Including the interpreters' families, 75 Afghans would come to New Zealand. Labour leader David Shearer called for the interpreters to be allowed to resettle in New Zealand. "We cannot abandon these people. They have risked their lives working with our soldiers on the ground. We have a duty to help them,'' he said.
APNZ



NZ observers for Vanuatu election

Vanuatu's Electoral Office says an international observer team, including New Zealanders, will monitor selected polling stations during the general election next Tuesday. The acting principal electoral officer, Lionel Kaluat, now says the government has decided to allow diplomatic missions based in Vanuatu to visit polling stations in the capital Port Vila, rural Efate, as well as on Tanna and Santo. New Zealand, Australia, China, the European Union and staff from the US Embassy in Papua New Guinea will be involved in the observer exercise.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Aust set to dig huge new coal mine

Just as New Zealand's state-owned miner Solid Energy lays off hundreds of workers and mothballs its Spring Creek coalmine, Australia has approved the excavation of one of the biggest open-cut coal mines in the world. Whitehaven's Maules Creek Project, near the Leard State Forest in north-west New South Wales, will extract 12 million tonnes of raw coal a year, the ABC reports. Whitehaven expects production at the mine to start mid-2013, with operations predicted to last around 30 years.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



New Zealand called on to help PNG develop sheep and dairy farming

The Papua New Guinea Trade Minister, Richard Maru, wants New Zealand companies to help start sheep and dairy farming industries in his country. He is also encouraging investment in the development of geothermal power. Mr Maru says PNG imports all its dairy and sheepmeat requirements and he thinks links with world leading companies in New Zealand could have a dramatic impact in his country. The New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully is due in Port Moresby next week.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Homework 'won't improve performance'

MICHAEL DALY
Homework is little if any use for primary school pupils, say two Australian education academics trying to change the approach to after hours study across the Tasman. "We're not saying homework should be abolished, just reformed and refined," Professor Mike Horsley from Central Queensland University said. He is the co-author with Professor Richard Walker of Sydney University of a just-launched book called Reforming Homework: Practices, Learning and Policies. Horsley said homework had been found to improve academic achievement in the senior years of high school. In Australia that is years 10 to 12 where students are generally aged at least 15. At that level homework benefited about 45 per cent of students, Horsley said. "But research shows it won't improve the achievement of children in the early years of primary school, and that it has negligible benefits in the higher grades of primary school." It was also of "very limited" benefit in the first few years of high school.
© Fairfax NZ News



Taranaki field oil reserves estimate doubled

Oil reserves in an area between the Taranaki towns of Eltham and Hawera are twice as big as first thought. The Vancouver-based company New Zealand Energy Corporation, which is prospecting there, has announced that natural gas reserves are also more than two-and-a-half times bigger than earlier assessments. The announcement of heightened reserves was made by a Vancouver-based company, the New Zealand Energy Corporation, which is listed in the venture section of the Toronto Stock Exchange. The increased quantities of oil and gas have boosted the estimated value of the field by 64%.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Samoa, India and China top deportation list

By Anna Leask
New figures have revealed that 550 overstayers and convicted criminals have been deported this year, and show which countries they were sent to. Up until August 31 this year, most people deported were sent to Samoa, India, China, Fiji and Tonga. Of the 550, just 108 were females. The information, provided to the Herald by Immigration New Zealand, also shows the finalised deportation figures for the 2011 calendar year. In total, 664 people were deported - 149 women and 515 men. Again, Samoa was the leading country for deportations.
Top nationalities deported
Samoa - 80
India - 64
China - 56
Fiji - 51
Tonga - 46
Malaysia - 36
Thailand - 27
Britain - 26
Sri Lanka - 16
Indonesia - 15.



Spartacus wraps filming in NZ

By Laura Heathcote - NewstalkZB
The New Zealand Film Commission is congratulating the team behind Spartacus, as the US television series wraps up filming in Auckland. The four-year production has generated more than $200 million of spending into the New Zealand economy. Film Commission CEO Graeme Mason says it's seen 315 permanent and 150 casual crew employed per week, as well as 5,000 extras' days per season and 20 key cast roles. He says that's meant upskilling opportunities and internships for New Zealanders in our screen production industry. The fourth and final season of Spartacus will air in the US from January.



Hotere collection to go up for auction

A collection of art by Ralph Hotere that's expected to sell for almost half a million dollars will go under the hammer in Auckland next month. It's owned by former National Business Review owner Barry Colman and once hung in the Carey's Bay Hotel at Dunedin's Port Chalmers. The works include Vive Aramoana, about a proposal to build an aluminium smelter at Aramoana, and lithographs and paintings from 1973 to 1992. They'll be sold alongside other important, early and rare art works at the International Art Centre in Parnell on November 22.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



New vege range highlights nutrient value

New Zealand and Australian research co-operation has led to a new range of packaged vegetables designed to help shoppers understand the nutrients they contain. The vitalvegetables range has been developed in a decade of trans-Tasman collaboration between Plant and Food Research in New Zealand and the Department of Primary Industries in Australia. The first five products include salad mixes said to benefit the heart, sight and bones, and a coleslaw mix and a vegetable medley for immunity. Plant and Food researcher Jocelyn Eason says the vital vegetables have been grown to strict conditions. She says the metabolism of the plant is altered by the way that it's grown. She says the Vital Veges range is being rolled out in supermarkets this month.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Kiwiana to be taught at university

Canterbury University is expecting a new course in Kiwiana to be a big drawcard for both domestic and international students. The course being offered from next year will cover icons like Fred Dagg and his gumboots, Swandris, jandals and the Edmonds cookbook. Associate Professor of History Katie Pickles, who will be the lecturer, says much of the attraction will be about nostalgia, and a sense of culture and being. She says the concept of Kiwiana is already changing as Pasifica and Asian influences come into play.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, October 24

Government failing promises: Poll

Voters think the Government has failed to do a good job in three out of four areas over the last year, according to a 3 News Reid Research poll. The poll asked 1000 voters four questions about the National-led Government's performance. Asked whether the Government was building a brighter future for Kiwis, 49 per cent said no, 46 per cent yes and 5 per cent did not know. Whether the Government was doing a good job of helping full employment, 57 per cent said no, 36 per cent said yes and 7 per cent did not know. Whether the Government was providing the best school system, 58 per cent said no, 33 per cent yes and 9 per cent did not know. And whether it was doing a good job ensuring government departments were well run, 42 per cent said yes, 49 per cent no.
- APNZ



NZ still favourite short-haul holiday for Aussies

New Zealand remains the favourite short-haul holiday destination for our friends across the ditch. A just-released Roy Morgan Holiday Tracking Survey shows nearly 13 percent of Australians prefer New Zealand to any other destination. However, that's been steadily falling from a peak of 15.1 percent prior to the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Roy Morgan Research tourism, travel and leisure international director Jane Ianniello says New Zealand's popularity with Australians is holding up quite well considering the Christchurch earthquake was only last year.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Coleman pays visit to Kiwi troops in Egypt

Kiwi troops in the Sinai have been visited today by Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman and Army Chief Major General Tim Keating. Dr Coleman says it was a great opportunity to talk with the 28 strong Kiwi contingent who form part of the Multinational Force and Observers deployment that helps maintain peace between Israel and Egypt in the Sinai. New Zealand troops have been continuously stationed in the Sinai since the start of the mission in 1982. Dr Coleman has also met with the overall commander of the Multi National Force and will meet with Egypt's Defence Minister and members of President Morsi's Freedom and Justice Party prior to returning home.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Staff step in while Maori Land Court offline

Maori Land Court staff are on standby to help people with land record searches while public computers are off limits. The Ministry of Justice says publicly accessible computers at the court have been temporarily closed while the ministry's information technology security systems are reviewed. The computers are used to access Maori Land Online, a database of Maori land records.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Firefighters battle Queensland bushfires

Queensland firefighters are braced for another difficult day as grass and bushfires continue to burn across the state. The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting little rain across the state on Wednesday, and gusty winds expected in the southeast will mean another challenging day for emergency services. On Tuesday, crews battled more than 60 fires across the state, most of which were under control by the evening, AAP reports. But a number of fires continued to burn, including at Ipswich west of Brisbane, the Gold Coast hinterland and in central Queensland.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Support for introducing phased retirement

The Government and businesses are being encouraged to introduce phased retirement. Occupational physician Dr Simon Ryder-Lewis says many workers feel an obligation to step down at 60 or 65 - yet often have so much more to offer. He says staged retirement would work by getting an employee to gradually reduce their working week from five days, to four and then to three. Dr Ryder-Lewis says people nearing retirement are often less disruptive and may not have the same egos or agendas as younger people. He's hopeful such a scheme will be widely available within the next five years.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Old wheelchairs and walkers wanted for Fiji

Aucklanders are being asked to help those with disabilities in Fiji. The Friends of the Pacific Foundation wants to collect old or broken wheelchairs, walkers and any other mobility equipment and take it to those in need in Fiji before Christmas. Trustee Nik Naidu says one of the problems in Fiji is that there's a lack of resources for people with disabilities. Donated equipment can be dropped off at Mitre 10 Mega stores in Henderson, Botany and Westgate.



Tuesday, October 23

Sir Graham Henry releases kiwis onto Motutapu Island

By Natasha Burling - NewstalkZB
Five kiwis have been released onto Auckland's Motutapu Island today. Two adults, two one-year-olds and an 11-day old chick were released by Sir Graham Henry. He is the patron of new kiwi protection agency Kiwis for kiwi. The release means Motutapu Island will become the home of the closest population of wild kiwi to Auckland.



Parliament pays tribute to Sir Wilson Whineray

Parliament has paused proceedings this afternoon to pay tribute to All Blacks legend Sir Wilson Whineray. The former captain and successful business leader died early yesterday morning. MPs from across parliament this afternoon spoke of the respect the vast majority of New Zealanders hold Sir Wilson in and how he will be sorely missed.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



NZ: No. 1 place to start a business

New Zealand is still the number one country for business startups. The World Bank's Doing Business report out today says New Zealand is the world's easiest place to start a business globally. Spokesman Gavin Murray says it's the ranking out of 185 economies looked at by the World Bank. "In New Zealand it takes one procedure and one day to start a business for a small enterprise; and the other positives ranks very highly on registering property, and protecting investors, and enforcement of contracts."
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



NZ winegrowers to open office in Hong Kong

New Zealand winegrowers are set to cement their presence in Asia by opening an office in Hong Kong at the end of this month. It's in line with the organisation's strategic plan to target growth markets, with a particular focus on opportunities in China. Chief Executive Philip Gregan says it demonstrates a long-term commitment by the industry to the increasingly important region for New Zealandâs premium wine exports. He expect New Zealand wine sales into Asia to exceed $100 million by next year.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Report: Smoke-free prisons a success

New Zealand's ban on smoking in prisons has been a success, a report says. Last year, New Zealand became the first country in the world to make its prisons smoke-free. Prisoners cannot possess tobacco, lighters, matches or cigarette papers. The first Corrections Department examination of the policy, conducted by independent experts, says the smoke-free policy has been successful and the country's 19 prisons are now smoke-free. There had been none of the predicted violent backlash from prisoners, the prisoners' health was improving and even the guards appreciated the fresher atmosphere. The numbers of prisoner-lit fires decreased "precipitously". In the month after the ban was introduced, guards confiscated 569 lighters and 237 tobacco items. One year later just two lighters and 12 tobacco items were found.
Source: NZN



Australian superannuation system is ranked world #3

Australia's $A1.4 trillion compulsory superannuation system is ranked the third best in the world by Mercer Consultants. The leaders were Denmark and the Netherlands. Compulsory super was introduced 20 years ago by then-prime minister Paul Keating. But for all the praise in its annual global pensions report, Mercer sees room for improvement. For one thing, Australians have a much higher exposure to growth assets - such as equities - than any other nation. Radio New Zealand's Sydney correspondent says that's meant a rocky ride for savers here in recent years. A recent government review of the super system proposed a major attack on costs and changes to ensure better outcomes for employees who are in default funds.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Australian govt to set up foreign land register

The Australian government is to introduce a foreign ownership register for agricultural land. Prime Minister Julia Gillard told the National Farmers Federation national congress in Canberra on Tuesday the register will provide a more comprehensive picture of the specific size and locations of foreign agricultural landholdings. Ms Gillard said she wanted to take the politics out of foreign ownership.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Rugby mag switching to digital format

By Vaimoana Tapaleao
Popular sports magazine Rugby News will stop its print edition at the end of the month and get set to roll out its new-look digital magazine in the new year. The move comes as a result of the changing nature of news and technology and how people now read their news, said spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell. The magazine was first established as a black and white newspaper, published in 1970. Over the years it attracted a huge readership audience, with the latest figures showing it to have a rugby readership of 291,000 a month. Ms Mitchell said the new online magazine, which will be free, is also set to introduce sub-sites and blogs in order to keep in touch with readers. An introductory digital version of Rugby News will go online next month, on November 8. The first full edition goes online in February.



Research confirms health benefits of nuts

Otago University research has confirmed the health benefits of eating nuts. The studies were done ahead of today's National Nut Day. They conclude regularly eating 30 grams of raw nuts a day is both sustainable and beneficial. Among the benefits are reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and intake of essential nutrients. The studies also find no evidence to support a perception nuts can contribute to weight gain. More importantly, with a bit of smart shopping, the daily intake can be obtained for less than $1.50
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Kiwis among supporters for jailed quake scientists

By Newstalk ZB staff - NewstalkZB
New Zealand researchers were among the 5,000 who signed a letter of support for the scientists who've been sent to jail for failing to predict an earthquake. Six scientists and a government official have each been sentenced to six years' jail after failing to warn the Italian town of L'Aquila about the earthquake that killed 309 people. Eighty-one New Zealanders signed a letter of support for the Italian researchers when the case went to trial in May. Newstalk ZB's Italy correspondent Jo McKenna says this incredible decision has shocked the scientific community around the world, but this case was about more than just getting predictions right. "These people were telling people not to worry, to go home, relax with a glass of wine, and for that reason I think they're really being held accountable."



Otago Gold fields anniversary marked

Arrowtown has celebrated 150 years since the discovery of gold. It was one of the world's great gold rushes. The weekend festivities finished with the placement of a time capsule by the Arrow River. The capsule will be opened in 50 years and then closed for another 50 years.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Hawaiki now closer to being found

Hawaiki, the ancestral Polynesian homeland of Maori, is now a step closer to being found thanks to researchers at the University of Otago. Otago created the first ever complete genome of Polynesian mitochondrial DNA from the bones and teeth of four early Maori who were buried at Wairau Bar in Marlborough 700 years ago. Professor Lisa Matisoo-Smith said the next step is to find and decode the mitochondrial DNA of other ancient pacific people so they can discover which is the most similar to ancient Maori. If a match is found, she said which island or islands Maori left to sail to New Zealand could be identified, giving some clue to where Hawaiki is.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Monday, October 22

Asylum boat organiser jailed 14 years

An Iranian-born Australian citizen has been sentenced to 14 years' jail for organising asylum-seeker boats, including one that was wrecked at Christmas Island, killing 50 people. Ali Khorram Heydarkhani, 41, pleaded guilty in the Perth District Court on Monday to arranging for five boats to travel from Indonesia to Australia between June 2010 and January last year. The court was told the final trip was organised even though Heydarkhani knew that men, women and children had been killed when one of his other boats hit rocks at Christmas Island, the ABC reports.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Waitangi Tribunal 'arrogant' for wanting Crown apology

A public policy think tank says a call by the Waitangi Tribunal for a Crown apology and more funding for Maori language early childhood centres is arrogant. The Tribunal has recommended that the Crown revise its early childhood education policies and apologise for severe prejudice to kohanga reo centres for policies in the past decade. It says the Government should change its funding system for kohanga reo and also help with urgent property improvements, estimated to cost up to $20 million. But David Round, spokesperson for the Independent Constitutional Review Panel, says the Tribunal has turned into a lobby group for Maori. Mr Round says the call for an apology is ungrateful - considering how much the taxpayer has contributed to kohanga reo over many years. "The taxpayer has been that generous to Maori - and we haven't even got a word of thanks. All we've got is the announcement that it's not nearly enough and that we should apologise to Maori for not being more generous." Mr Round believes the Waitangi Tribunal should be abolished.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



All Blacks legend Whineray dies, aged 77

Former All Blacks captain Sir Wilson Whineray has died peacefully in Auckland today, aged 77. Sir Wilson passed away at 3:20am, surrounded by his family at Auckland Hospital, where he had been for the past month. "Today is a very sad day," said New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chairman Mike Eagle. "We have lost one of New Zealand's great heroes and for the rugby community, we have lost a much-loved patron and champion of rugby. "Regarded as one of the great All Blacks legends, Sir Wilson also made significant contributions to the community through his work with sport, charities and business. Sir Wilson was 21 when he made his All Blacks Test debut in May 1957 against Australia in Sydney. He was quickly elevated to the All Blacks captaincy for the 1958 Series against Australia. He was just 23 and for a long time, he was the youngest All Blacks captain. Sir Wilson played 77 All Blacks matches, including 32 Tests, and captained the side 67 times - a massive number of appearances, considering the All Blacks played only two or three Test matches a year. He received his knighthood in 1994, when he was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to sport and business.
Source: ONE Sport



Budgies flock to Outback waterholes

Budgies are flocking to Outback waterholes in Central Australia. Zoologist Anthony Molyneux from the Alice Springs Desert Park says the explosion of budgie numbers is a rare phenomenon. "The largest flock I've seen is about 5000. In the distance it looks like a swarm of insects until you work out that that's so many thousands of budgies. The ABC says there have been reports of flocks of up to 15,000 budgies at waterholes from Alice Springs to Barrow Creek. Mr Molyneux said the birds are thriving on abundant seeding grass across the region.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Calls for calorie-burning info on food labels

A study from the University of Canterbury has found people want to know how much exercise they'll need to do to burn off calories from their food. They want the information to be on food labels. Researchers found labels which only show how many calories a food item contains have little or no impact on peoples behaviour. But when they're told how much jogging they'll need to do to burn off a chocolate bar, it does make a difference to what they buy.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Australian soldier killed in Afghanistan

An Australian soldier has been killed by an improvised explosive device in southern Afghanistan. The Defence Force said in Canberra on Monday the soldier was clearing a compound when the bomb detonated, killing him instantly. General David Hurley said no other Australian or Afghan soldiers were killed or injured. The ABC reports the death brings the number of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2002 to 39. Another was serving with the British Army.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Navy fleet review launched in Sydney

More than 40 foreign warships will visit Sydney next year to mark 100 years since the first entry of the Royal Australian Navy fleet to the city. AAP reports up to 10,000 sailors in more than 40 navy ships and 12 tall ships are expected for the event. The review will take place from October 3-11 next year to commemorate the centenary of the entry of the Royal Australian Navy fleet into Sydney on 4 October, 1913. HMAS Australia led the Melbourne, Sydney, Encounter, Warrego, Parramatta and Yarra into Sydney harbour. The review is being staged in partnership with the New South Wales state government and the City of Sydney.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Diwali festival lights up waterfront

Wellington's waterfront was more colourful than usual yesterday as a much-loved Indian festival attracted tens of thousands of people. Diwali is a Hindu festival, held between October and November, when families light lamps, candles and fireworks to symbolise the triumph of light over darkness, and good over evil. More than 150 performers, including those from the Rangashree School of Fine Arts in West India, took part. The festival is held in several New Zealand centres, and Wellington's is the second-biggest after Auckland. The day was due to culminate in a colourful fireworks display at 10pm.
© Fairfax NZ News



President of the Philippines arrives today

The president of the Philippines arrives in New Zealand today. Benigno Aquino lands in Auckland around midday for a two day visit, which will involve discussions about trade.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Sunday, October 21

Lightning sparks fires in NSW

A lightning storm has sparked a dozen new bushfires in western New South Wales as firefighters battle blazes there and in southern Queensland. The NSW Rural Fire Service says the new fires are burning out of control in the region around Wilcannia and east of Broken Hill. The ABC reports that in Queensland, soaring temperatures had been expected to exacerbate the fire threat. Crews had been controlling a blaze at Laidley in the Lockyer Valley. On the Western Downs rural firefighters are monitoring a number of fires which started late on Saturday by dry storms at Mitchell.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Netball - Australia achieves record netball score against NZ

Australia recorded their record highest score against New Zealand as they thrashed the Silver Ferns 68-48 in their Quad Series netball clash in Sydney on Sunday. It was also the Diamonds' biggest winning margin over New Zealand in 12 years. Susan Pratley made 29 of 32 attempts while fellow Australian shooter Catherine Cox made 29 of 36 in front of 13,640 at Allphones Arena. The Diamonds surged out to lead 19-9 at quarter-time and increased the margin at every break. After three rounds, they are now the only unbeaten team at the midway point in the Quad Series which also involves England and South Africa.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Christchurch in Lonely Planet's top 10

By Siobhan Leathley
Quake-ravaged Christchurch has made it onto Lonely Planet's list of top 10 cities, the only New Zealand city to do so. The city, described by Lonely Planet as "rising from the rubble with a breath-taking mix of spirit, determination and flair", is ranked 6th on the travel publisher's Top 10 Cities for 2013. Lonely Planet's Asia Pacific sales and marketing director Chris Zeiher said each city was chosen based on its merits and the experienced it offered travellers. "We believe 2013 will be a great year to visit to Christchurch and experience the amazing energy of the city in its rebuilding phase." Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the energy and buzz in Christchurch made it an exciting place to visit. "The creativity and determination Christchurch people have shown since the quakes means we now have a city like no other in the world," he said.



Auckland named as a top sporting city

By Aroha Tahau - NewstalkZB
Auckland has been named as one of the world's top seven sporting cities. The recognition comes in this year's International Sports Event Management Awards. Auckland is a finalist, alongside Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Glasgow, London, Manchester and Melbourne. Associate Professor Geoff Dickson, of the Tourism Research Institute, says it's a reflection of the success of the Rugby World Cup, which showed the city is able to successfully produce large scale sporting events. Auckland has also been named the top tourism destination in Australasia this weekend.



Snow warnings issued for alpine passes

Snow warnings are in place for South Island alpine passes. MetService says rain on the Lewis, Arthurs, Lindis and Porters Passes is expected to turn to snow on Sunday night and continue through much of Monday. Some 10cm - 15cm will settle on the top of the Lewis, Arthurs and Porters Passes but only 2cm - 5cm centimetres on the Lindis Pass.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



$50,000 art award won by Newby

Auckland artist Kate Newby has won New Zealand's major contemporary art award worth $50,000. She was awarded the Walters Prize on Saturdaynight at an event at the Auckland Art Gallery. The biennial award also includes the opportunity to show work at the Saatchi & Saatchi's world headquarters in New York. Ms Newby, whose winning installation was first exhibited in Bremen, Germany, says it was a humbling experience. The Walters Prize is named in honour of the late New Zealand artist, Gordon Walters. It was established in 2002 with the aim of making contemporary art more widely recognised.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Rugby - All Blacks in Test draw

The All Blacks' winning streak was brought to an end with an 18-18 draw with Australia in a tryless Test in Brisbane on Saturday night, but they took home the Bledisloe Cup. The World Cup champions had been seeking a 17th consecutive victory. The Wallabies led 12-6 at halftime. Dan Carter, who kicked six penalties, had a chance to win the game in the final minute, but steered the ball was wide of the posts. Australia's points came from five penalties by Mike Harris and a kick by Kurtley Beale.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Saturday, October 20

Go nuts for health, say experts

Eating raw nuts regularly can help protect against heart disease, Otago University researchers have found. The human nutrition researchers, Dr Alexandra Chisholm, Dr Rachel Brown and PhD student Agnes Tey, said that with National Nut Day on Tuesday, their findings from several recent studies supported the recommendation for people to eat 30g of nuts as part of a healthy diet. "All forms of raw nuts significantly improve cardiovascular risk factors and this cardio-protective effect is more pronounced among people who are at risk of cardiovascular disease, for example people with high cholesterol," they said. Nuts also provided a concentrated source of unsaturated fat, fibre, vitamin E and other nutrients often in short supply in the modern diet.
NZN



Swede takes women's world triathlon title

The Swedish triathlete and Olympic silver medallist Lisa Norden is this year's women's world triathlon champion. In the grand final in Auckland on Saturday afternoon, Norden did enough to thwart the title hopes of New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt, who finished third in the world series. Though in hospital overnight with food poisoning Norden recovered to finish fourth in Saturday's triathlon; she had needed only to finish in the top seven to be confirmed as world champion. Germany's Anne Haug won the race after pulling away in the last leg of the run; she earned enough points to pip Hewitt - who finsihed seventh on Saturday - out of second overall. New Zealand's other main contender, Kate McIlroy, finished eighth on Saturday, just behind Hewitt.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Green light trial for emergency vehicles

Ambulances and fire engines on the Gold Coast in Queensland are to trial a device which will change traffic lights to give them priority. From November, they will have devices which alert traffic lights to their presence and adjust to give them a quicker journey. "Every second matters in an emergency, and ... this ... could save many lives," said Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said on Saturday. AAP reports a trial of similar devices in Bundaberg four years ago showed emergency vehicles were able to save up to 20% of their travel times.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Australian retail petrol prices rising

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission blames discounts and rising wholesale prices for a recent rise in petrol prices. The ABC reports retail prices have jumped 25 cents per litre at some stations in the past few days. ACCC petrol commissioner Joe Dimasi said higher wholesale prices and a fortnightly cycle of discounting had fed into the increase.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Banking disruption expected

ANZ and National Bank customers are advised to expect disruptions to their phone and online banking services this weekend. ANZ National announced last month it plans to ditch the National Bank brand. The disruptions are being caused by the merging of the two banks' online and phone services. ANZ says the work should be completed on Sunday and access to ATMs, eftpos, credit cards and call centres will not be affected.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Service held at El Alamein

A New Zealand commemoration service has been held in Egypt to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein, a turning point in the North African campaign during World War II. Twenty one veterans attended the service with Defence personnel and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman. The service was held next to the New Zealand section at the El Alamein Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. New Zealand Ambassador David Strachan spoke of the final days of the battle in November 1942, when the New Zealand Division of the 8th Army spearheaded an attack which penetrated the enemy's defences. Major General Timothy Keating said the Battle of El Alalmein 70 years ago is still a matter of huge pride to all soldiers. Some 1700 New Zealanders lost their lives in the battle.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Auckland named top tourism destination

Auckland has been named the top tourism destination in Australasia. It beat Sydney, Bora Bora, The Whitsunday Islands and Fiji's Yasawa Islands to take the top spot in the 2012 World Travel awards. Lonely Planet recently gave the city a number one rating. Auckland Tourism events manager Jason Hill said the win reflects the city's growing strength as a truly international destination. He said the 2011 Rugby World Cup helped lift Auckland's profile significantly. The city will now be in the grand final in New Delhi in December.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Friday, October 19

Elephant crushes zookeeper

In Australia, a zookeeper is in a critical condition with severe chest injuries after being crushed by a young elephant at Sydney's Taronga Zoo. The woman, in her 40s, was not breathing when paramedics arrived at the zoo's Asian elephant enclosure on Thursday morning. They say she went into cardiac arrest as they were treating her. The zoo says she was pinned against a bollard by a young male elephant during a routine training session.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



'Swap a ginger' beer ad ruled offensive

By Matthew Backhouse
An advertisement that invited parents to trade in their unwanted red-headed children for ginger beer has been ruled discriminatory and offensive. The posters for Hakanoa ginger beer showed a mother abandoning her red-headed child at a dairy (convenience store) in exchange for a six-pack of ginger beer, with the headline: "Swap your ginger for six." The ad said "no one really wants a ginger" and encouraged people to trade them for "something you really want, a delicious six pack of Hakanoa Ginger Beer". The campaign ran for a week from late July before it was pulled following a flurry of complaints.



Air NZ launches $29 'Night Rider' flights

Air New Zealand is launching a new daily late night flight, charging $29 between Auckland and Wellington. The Night Rider service will leave from both Auckland and Wellington at 10pm every night Sunday-Friday. The new service will add the equivalent of around 100,000 seats a year between the two cities. The first services will depart on Monday November 5.
Source: ONE News



China overtakes US in visitor numbers

New Zealand short term visitor numbers fell in September compared to a year earlier which were bolstered by the Rugby World Cup. China overtook the US as the country's third largest visitor source. Some 179,100 short-term visitors arrived in New Zealand last month, down from 219,900 visitors in September 2011 when visitors flocked here for the world cup, according to Statistics New Zealand. That's up from 174,200 visitors in September 2010. The monthly figures showed China overtook the US as New Zealand's third largest visitor source in the September year, up 38 percent to 186,800. Visitors from US fell 2.8 percent to 180,100. The majority of tourists visiting New Zealand came from Australia up 4.4 percent to 1.7 million, followed by the United Kingdom on 198,384.
Source: NZN



Eating habits influenced by more than cost

There's little difference in the amount spent on food by the least and most healthy eaters, researchers have found. Data on what influences people's shopping and eating habits will be presented at the Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society's three-day conference in Auckland which kicked off on Thursday. Time, environmental cues and advertising all influence our daily diet. New Zealand Health Promotion Agency nutritionist Rebecca Whiting told NZ Newswire researchers had assumed that cost is the primary factor in the healthiness or otherwise of people's diets. However, when data emerged that there's no significant difference in the weekly or per person spend on food between the least and most healthy eaters, researchers wanted to find out what else was at play. The survey found cost isn't the only driver of consumption and there was no difference in the weekly shopping spend on food and drinks between high and low fruit and vegetable consuming households. "There are a whole lot of other factors affecting what we buy, such as environmental cues, signage, advertising, our taste preferences, the amount of time we've got to prepare food, the amount of planning or lack of planning that we're doing.
Source: NZN



NZ food bowl for Asia worth $1.3 trillion - ANZ

A new report suggests New Zealand's rural sector could earn up to $1.3 trillion extra in export revenue if it could become a "food bowl" for Asia. The ANZ report looks at the opportunity available to Australia and New Zealand as a result of the shift in global economic growth to Asia and the increasing demand for protein there and in other emerging economies. It says both countries could more than double the real value of annual agricultural exports by 2050, which would result in an additional $A710 billion for Australia and $NZ550 billion for New Zealand over the next four decades. This could increase to $A1.7 trillion and $NZ1.3 trillion respectively if global demand for agricultural products grows faster, and if both countries boost production volumes and shift to higher value products.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Auckland gets ready for world triathlon champs

Organisers of the World Triathlon Grand Final are expecting 50,000 specators a day at the event in Auckland this weekend. It is the biggest sporting occasion in New Zealand since the Rugby World Cup, with 3000 athletes from 45 countries competing. The events include elite men's and women's, amateur age groupings and a Para-triathlon competition. New Zealand has the biggest team at about 750 strong; many of whom took part in the Thursday's opening ceremony on Auckland's waterfront. The event will dominate Auckland's central city over Labour Weekend, with a number of streets in the central city closed for races, and buses will be re-routed.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Rangitane people join in festival

Hundreds of Rangitane people will converge on Blenheim over Labour weekend for their first cultural festival. The Rangitane Ahurei Wairau 2012 is being hosted at Omaka Marae after more than four years of planning. It will bring together the tribal branches from Manawatu, Dannevirke and Wairarapa with the Marlborough based descendants. The manager of Omaka Marae, Kiley Nepia, says the main kaupapa of the event is to promote the Rangitane identity and reconnect families through sports activities, cultural performances, and tours of their traditional tribal estates.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Australia elected to UN security council

Australia has won its bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Rwanda, Argentina, Luxembourg and South Korea were also elected to the council in a secret ballot of the UN's 193 members. Australia needed at least 129 votes and was relying heavily on African, Caribbean and Pacific Island nations for support, AAP reports. It received 140 votes. It is the fifth time Australia will serve on the Security Council. The two-year tenure commences at the start of 2013.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Thursday, October 18

Guptill cleans up at NZ Cricket awards

Opening batsman Martin Guptill has capped a stellar year with the Black Caps to be named the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal winner at the 2011-12 ANZ New Zealand Cricket Awards this evening. The most prestigious award of the evening is decided by an independent panel and handed to the player whose performances have been the most outstanding during the voting period. The 26 year-old also picked up the Redpath Cup for first-class batting, the Twenty20 Player of the Year and the one-day international Player of the Year. New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White congratulated Guptill, saying he richly deserves the honour after a memorable year with the bat. "The individual honour caps off a great year for Martin Guptill," said White. "He has been a star performer in all formats and the awards are a reflection of his commitment to the team and his consistency as a player.
Source: ONE Sport



Chinese fishing vessel owners fined for zone breaches

The owners of three Chinese fishing vessels have been fined for breaches of New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone. In April and September 2011 the three vessels made five unauthorised incursions into the zone. A formal investigation by Chinese authorities found that the incidents were unintentional and the owners have been fined $50,000 per ship. The Chinese government says it will take measures to prevent further incursions into the zone, and says it now requires its vessels to use both paper and electronic navigational charts.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Labour: Jobs for Kiwis over migrants

By VERNON SMALL
Labour is pushing for a higher hurdle to be put in front of migrant workers to give unemployed Kiwis top priority for jobs. Speaking at a Working Men's Club in Christchurch today, leader David Shearer said Labour would make employers prove they had engaged with Work and Income and Industry Training organisations ''to give Kiwis the first crack at jobs before bringing in overseas workers''. The party would also require Immigration NZ to consider the competitive impact, particularly on wages and conditions, when it considered an application to bring in temporary workers. ''It's estimated that 30,000 workers will be needed for the (Christchurch) rebuild - half are likely to come from overseas,'' Shearer said. Starting in the construction sector, Labour would also impose a ''one in a million'' condition on companies that won significant government contracts, forcing them to take on one apprentice for every $1m of investment.
© Fairfax NZ News



Pacific cyclone season set to run as predicted

This year's Pacific cyclone season starting next month is predicted to run as per usual. Forecasting centres predict the number of tropical cyclones in the 2012 to 2013 season will be near or just above the average of 10. NIWA says at least one category three or higher cyclone could occur anywhere across the Southwest Pacific during the season and all communities should remain vigilant. New Zealand can expect at least one ex-tropical cyclone to pass within 550km of the country.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Mum's diet linked to child obesity, diabetes - research

New research says a woman's diet ahead of pregnancy can affect the likelihood of obesity and diabetes in children. The Liggins Institute has just completed a study looking at what 250 women undergoing IVF treatment ate before conception and during the early stages of pregnancy. Director of the Liggins Institute, Professor Wayne Cutfield says most women made no change to their alcohol, tobacco and coffee intake and their diets were high in fat and low in carbohydrates, fibre, calcium, folic acid and iron. "I think in part, there is this perception that pregnancy doesn't count until you have a positive pregnancy test, but in fact the impact of early life events begin with that last cycle, if you like, before becoming pregnant." Wayne Cutfield says the period leading to conception is critical and New Zealand women need diet education from an early age.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Drinking while pregnant awareness campaign launched

It seems the message about the dangers of drinking while pregnant isn't getting through. A campaign's being launched today to raise awareness about foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Alcohol Healthwatch's Christine Rogan says research they've gathered from midwives shows a staggering 80 percent of teen pregnancies are alcohol exposed. "I mean you can understand that in the context of alcohol in the lives of our young people, that's a social norm in New Zealand now it seems, unfortunately." Christine Rogan says the campaign they'll launch today is social media-based, to target those who aren't getting the message.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Southland cafe crowned NZ's best

By Natasha Burling - NewstalkZB
A Southland cafe has been judged the New Zealand's best cafe by Cafe magazine. Mrs Clark's Cafe in Riverton has taken top honours, followed by Mavis & Co in Hamilton. The cafe is was named after the original owner when it was a grocery store and bakery and is run by Cazna Gilder and her husband Pat. Cafe magazine says Mrs Clark's has put the tiny town of Riverton firmly on the map as a great cafe destination. The magazine says you come away from the cafe having had a fantastic experience as far as the ambience, service, food and coffee are concerned.



Australia and India to begin uranium talks

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has formally agreed with India's leader to start negotiations on a nuclear safeguards agreement, to allow Australia to start selling uranium to India. Ms Gillard and India's leader Manmohan Singh agreed the move during the Australian leader's three day visit to India. At their meeting on Wednesday, the leaders also agreed to boost defence ties, including through naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, start negotiations on a prisoner transfer agreement and to hold annual formal prime ministerial meetings.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



NZ policy a barrier to joining Europe's ETS scheme

New Zealand looks unlikely follow Australia and join the world's biggest Emissions Trading Scheme. In August, Australia announced it would link its carbon trading scheme to Europe's in 2015, allowing Australian credits to be sold into the $100 billion market from 2018. An advisor on carbon markets at the European Commission in Brussels, Damien Meadows, says New Zealand's policy of allowing unlimited imports of credits from overseas, including developing countries, is a barrier to linking with Europe's scheme. The commission doubts all these credits actually reduce emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, October 17

Netball - Silver Ferns claim win over gritty England

The Silver Ferns claimed a hard-fought 61-43 win over England in a tough Quad Series encounter in Newcastle tonight. It took the Silver Ferns until the final 10 minutes before they took an 11-goal lead as they struggled to gain the ascendancy throughout the first three quarters. Good defensive work from the Silver Ferns forced England to play long passes side to side and although they looked capable they lacked the finishing ability to turn possession into points. Not the complete or polished effort that Taumaunu would have been wanting but the Silver Ferns know greater improvement and accuracy will be required when they face Australia on Sunday.
Source: ONE Sport



Thousands of old TV sets emerge from the shadows

More than 4000 television sets have been dropped off for recycling in Hastings in the past four days as the region changes from analogue to digital television. The project, funded by the Government and administered by the district council, exceeded expectations -nearly five TVs a minute were arriving on Saturday. The Hastings District Council's waste minimisation officer, Dominic Salmon, says the recycling project has diverted the equivalent of 20 shipping containers of waste from the landfill. He says it has also revealed some relics, including several four-legged wooden sets dating from the 1960s. The whole country is scheduled to complete the transition to digital by the end of 2013.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Gillard has another fall, loses shoe

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has had yet another tumble, this time tripping over in India. Gillard had just laid a wreath at a Gandhi memorial in downtown New Delhi, when she tripped and fell over. She lost both of her shoes but was unhurt. Gillard shrugged off the fall, saying "my heels got stuck in the grass." "I'm alright ," she told Indian minders as they helped her to get feet, the Herald Sun reported. Gillard has a history of losing her shoes, most notably as she was being whisked away from protestors at an Australia Day function in Canberra.
ONE News / Newstalk ZB



Samoa government to open Consulate office in Australia

The Samoa government is to open its first consulate in Sydney on Friday, with the Prime Minister, Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, giving a speech at the opening ceremony. The office is to help the many Samoans living in New South Wales and other parts of Australia with immigration matters and other concerns.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



NZ a great place to raise a company

By JAZIAL CROSSLEY
Business owners enjoy operating in New Zealand for the quality of life it offers, according to a survey of more than 1000 small to medium companies. The latest MYOB Business Monitor survey found that 83 per cent of respondents thought New Zealand was a safe place to live and work while 82 per cent enjoyed the "great" lifestyle here. "This survey shows that New Zealand, by virtue of its relaxed culture, amazing lifestyle, and safe and stable business environment, enjoys some impressive advantages when it comes to running a business," MYOB general manager Julian Smith said. Around three-quarters of the respondents said they believed New Zealand had a stable economy and good education system.
© Fairfax NZ News



New state houses will help Canterbury - minister

Housing Minister Phil Heatley says building up to 350 new state houses in Canterbury will ease pressure on Christchurch's residential property market. Housing New Zealand has confirmed it's moving forward with its plan to subdivide about 70 sections in order to build the new homes over the next 18 months. Mr Heatley says the solution to the rising cost of housing in the region is to make more land and houses available. "We need more sections," he says, "and we need more houses built on those sections." Housing New Zealand says about 2300 state houses, or 95% of its stock in the city and the Waimakariri district, were damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes. Asset development manager Sean Bignell says the initial target of having 212 homes fully repaired and back in use will be met by the end of the month.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Quakes were 'world's second costliest disaster' in 2011

The International Red Cross has named the Canterbury earthquakes as 2011's second most expensive disaster after the Japan quake and tsunami. According to the latest annual World Disasters Report, last year was the most expensive of the past decade in terms of disaster costs - though it also had the fewest disasters. The 336 recorded disasters cost $US446.8 billion; the Japanese quake and tsunami alone cost nearly half that. In Canterbury, the report says, the September 2010 quake cost $3.6 billion and the February 2011 one $18 billion. The earthquakes in Turkey caused the third most costly damage: $1.85 billion.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



$110m savings made by health boards, MPs told

District health boards have saved $110 million in back-office administration and support efficiencies in the past two years, MPs were told on Wednesday. The Health Benefits Limited group also told members of Parliament's health select committee that much bigger savings will be achieved long-term. Health Benefits Limited, or HBL, was set up by the Government several years ago with the aim of finding administrative and support savings across the 20 DHBs within five years. HBL chiefs told the committee they have worked with boards to find $110 million in savings since mid-2010 and they are on target to meet the wider goal.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Poll: 57 percent wanted drinking age changed to 20

By Newstalk ZB Staff - NewstalkZB
A TV3 poll out tonight shows 57 percent of respondents believe Parliament should have raised the drinking age to 20. 40 percent favour keeping it at 18. Prime Minister John Key says it reinforces the way he voted. "I'm not surprise the public think that. I mean what it shows you is there's a divided views but that was one of the reasons why I voted for it to go to 20, I think that's in line with what the public thought and parliament didn't vote that way."



Taranaki pushes to attract skilled workers

Taranaki's economic agency is trying to lure skilled workers back through a new campaign, but is up against an Australian marketing push to get workers to cross the Tasman. In the oil and gas sector alone, it is estimated more than 200 engineers, operators and technical staff are needed in the next 12 months. Petroleum Skills Association manager Sheree Long says there has been a skills shortage for some time and a recent survey among major companies shows it is going to get worse in the next five years. Venture Taranaki chief executive Stuart Trundle says at least 14,000 more workers are needed by 2035 to keep up with economic growth. Australian gas explorer and producer QGC has taken out several full-page adverts in the Taranaki Daily News for jobs at its coal seam gas project in Queensland. QGC spokesperson Paul Larter says there is global competition for highly qualified workers.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Cigarette tax to increase

Smokers will be hit with a 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes each year for the next four years. Parliament passed the law today on a unanimous vote. Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia says the increases mean an average pack of 20 cigarettes would cost more than $20 in 2016. "Smoking is by far New Zealand's leading avoidable cause of premature death.” "Increasing tobacco tax is the single most effective measure and my goal is to reduce tobacco consumption because it saves lives." Ms Turia denied the excise increase was about gathering more money for the Government. The increases were announced in the May budget. The first will be on January 1 next year.
NZN



Tuesday, October 16

Work begins to repair historic house

Earthquake repairs have begun on a heritage house in Christchurch built by the first permanent settlers in Canterbury. The $2 million project to repair and strengthen Riccarton House began this week. The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust donated nearly $130,000 to help cover the bill. Trustee Rod Carr says the trust is pleased it can help fund the restoration of such a culturally and historically significant building. The house, which is a museum and function venue, has been closed to the public since February 2011 quake. The repair project is due to be completed in early 2014.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



NZ farming couple win British sustainability award

British food and clothing retailer Marks and Spencer has recognised a Hawke's Bay deer farming couple's sustainable farming practices. It has named Tim Aitken and Lucy Robertshawe as its 'Farming for the Future Champion of Champions'. They had already been judged the best international supplier, and were up against four other finalists representing Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England for the champion title. The couple farm at Tikokino in Central Hawke's Bay, operating a deer stud with 600 breeding hinds. They also farm dairy bulls and breed horses. They export venison to the UK and other markets through farmer-owned marketing company FirstLight Foods.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Walking Access maps available on mobile phones

The Walking Access Commission has made its mapping system more accessible. The commission began developing the mapping system about two years ago, following the debate over access to waterways and other outdoor resources. Recreational groups and landowners asked for a system that could clearly identify publicly accessible and privately owned land. The online mapping system now covers most of the country, using basic and topographical maps and aerial photography. Commission chief executive Mark Neeson says the latest enhancements include making it available on mobile phones.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Charter schools legislation introduced to Parliament

Legislation has been introduced to Parliament paving the way for charter schools. The establishment of the new type of school, also called partnership schools or kura hourua, is part of the ACT party's support agreement with National. The Education Amendment Bill says the new schools will have more flexibility than state schools to make decisions about how they operate and use funding. Groups running the schools, called sponsors in the bill, will have to be approved by the Minister of Education, and sign a contract setting out their responsibilities and obligations. The first of the new schools is expected to be operating by 2014.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Marine scientists warns of oil well risk

The Taranaki community is being warned New Zealand would not be able to handle oil spills from the deepest offshore wells ever drilled in the country's waters. Anadarko Petroleum plans to drill at least three wells more than 1km deep in waters off Taranaki and Canterbury late next year. The wells will be beyond the 12 nautical mile exclusion zone. A marine scientist based in Taranaki, Lyndon DeVantier, is questioning the region's ability to cope if anything goes wrong. He says the leak of a relatively small amount of oil from the grounded of the cargo ship Rena shows New Zealand would struggle with a major spill.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Inflation at lowest annual rate for 13 years

Inflation has risen by less than 1% in the year to September, the smallest annual increase in nearly 13 years. The consumer price index - the official measure of inflation - has risen 0.8% for the year to September, driven by price rises in cigarettes and tobacco, house rentals and electricity. The annual rate of inflation is below the Reserve Bank's target of 1% to 3%. For the September quarter, the consumer price index rose 0.3%, Statistics New Zealand says. Higher housing-related prices and the cost of vegetables were offset by cheaper transport, telecommunication services and fresh milk.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Manawatu Gorge bill hits $21 million

By MATHEW GROCOTT
The final bill for reopening the Manawatu Gorge road after last year's monster slip is expected to reach $21.4 million. Of that sum, about a quarter was spent on keeping two alternative routes open during the 13 months State Highway 3 through the gorge was shut. The new figure is up on the $20m estimated when the damage caused to bridges and the road surface under the slip was first identified. ''The $21.4m reflects actual costs now that the work is largely complete,'' NZ Transport Agency Palmerston North state highways manager David McGonigal said. It included the cost of drainage works and rock bolting that was not part of the $20m estimate, which he said would provide further stability and security of the slope to protect drivers.



Search on for best Chch urban living design

An international competition's being launched to design an urban living area in Christchurch's CBD. The winning design will be built on the corner of Madras and Gloucester Streets. Mayor Bob Parker says pre-registrations for the competition have already drawn 130 entries and that brings exciting prospects. Heritage campaigner Ross Gray says it's ironic to open such a competition when authorities are allowing the demolition of what used to be accommodation space - the Cranmer Courts.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



Increased support gives veterans 'deserved respect'

Leading returned servicemen say the Government is giving veterans the respect they deserve in boosting funding for war pensions and support services. The $60 million package spread over five years includes a one-off 5% boost to the War Disablement and Surviving Spouse pensions and an increase in the eligibility for support services for veterans, such as home help. Canterbury District Returned and Services Association president Patrick Duggan says the Government is starting to recognise veterans as they should be recognised.
Copyright © 2012 Radio New Zealand



Monday, October 15

Sex offenders named on WA website

A website featuring photographs and localities of known sex offenders in Western Australia will be publicly available on Monday. The names and faces of about 50 child sex offenders will be published on the state government's website - the result of an election pledge in 2008. Details will include photos, names and the suburbs in which they live, although not specific addresses. The ABC reports the launch is being watched by other states - but there is disquiet it will prompt vigilantism and cases of mistaken identity.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Mighty River sale won't include special shares for Maori

The Government has confirmed it will proceed with the partial sale of Mighty River Power in 2013, but it will not include a special shareholding for Maori. On Monday, the Cabinet rubber-stamped the sale of up to 49% of the state-owned company between March and June. In September, a round of consultation hui was held with Maori, who were seeking shares that would give them rights over and above other shareholders in recognition of their rights over fresh water. Prime Minister John Key says those hui have not changed the Government's view that, under common law no-one owns the water, but it does recognise Maori rights and interests. Mr Key says there will be no more negotiations relating to the 'Shares Plus' concept. The Waitangi Tribunal had proposed that iwi and hapu affected by the sale should be given a special shareholding in the partially-privatised power companies and rights above those of other shareholders.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Commemoration service for NZ Coastwatchers

Soldiers who tracked enemy movements in the Pacific Islands during World War II are being remembered today. A wreath-laying ceremony is starting around now at the National War Memorial. It will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the New Zealand Coastwatchers' service. On October 15 1942, 17 New Zealand Coastwatchers and five British and Australian civilians were executed on Tarawa Atoll, in what's now Kiribati. Another New Zealand Coastwatcher also died while a prisoner of war.
Copyright 2002 - 2012, TelstraClear Ltd



More Auckland - Bali direct flights

Air New Zealand is to operate a second season of Auckland - Bali services next year after figures showing the number of New Zealanders travelling there jumped by more than a third this year. Passenger numbers for the 2012 season were high, particularly during the school holidays, and clear demand for a second season. The airline will operate twice weekly flights, non-stop Auckland - Denpasar from June to mid-October, three weeks longer than the 2012 season.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



WoW contract signed

The World of Wearable Art event is to be held in Wellington for the next nine years. A contract has been signed with Wellington City Council. Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said the agreement will ensure the city will remain the show's home until 2022. She said this year's show brought $15.1 million into Wellington's economy and gave jobs to 400 people. The show will be funded out from a major events fund of $1.8 million, which also pays for events like the IRB Rugby 7s.
Copyright © 2012, Radio New Zealand



Eels are making a mint

By LES WATKINS
A new partnership between two teams of academics promises to ensure that New Zealand dominates the lucrative worldwide trade in eels. Export earnings are expected to top $1 billion a year. Research successes with eels at Warkworth's Mahurangi Technical Institute (MTI) are set to guarantee an abundance of this sought-after delicacy. Eels are fast becoming an endangered species in the wild and increasing international demand for them is sending prices soaring. Major markets include China and Japan and they also have growing popularity in countries such as Indonesia, which has a population nudging 240 million. Earlier attempts to hatch eggs and nurture them into saleable adults have failed and so wild-caught juveniles, glass eels, are sold for farming.
© Fairfax NZ News


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