subject: 5 February, 2005 ----- WYSIWYG NEWS ------------------------------ Copyright, Brian Harmer Summer seems to have arrived, and you will probably not be surprised to learn that those who just a few weeks ago were complaining about rain and cold are now whining about the heat and humidity. Nature does have a quirky sense of humour, with temperatures barely making double digits at times last week, then soaring to a very unusual 29 deg C by Wednesday. Wellington is not known for its humidity, and even now it is a mere 56%, but still much higher than we typically experience. Fog has hampered travel in and out of the city, as it does two or three times each year. The consequence of fog is that landings are not possible. Without landings, there are no planes to take off. Several hundred flights were cancelled, just as the International rugby sevens tournament was about to start in the Westpac Stadium. Sevens in Wellington has acquired a weirdness that I am unaware of when it is held elsewhere. Clusters of supporters come all dressed the same, or at least to a common theme, in the most outlandish styles. It appeals to so, I suppose. I prefer to cling to what little dignity remains to me. Twenty Mickey Mouses are harmless enough, or a clutch of clowns. I often wonder why people think it is OK to dress as nuns or monks. I know some really wonderful people who have chosen those vocations, and like me, they find it offensive to be lampooned by people with scant awareness of what they are about. Still, the sporting spectacle is great, and having sunshine and little wind makes it even better.
Tonight, Saturday, is the eve of Waitangi day, and in a combined celebration to honour that and the Chinese New Year, the People's Republic of China sponsored a twenty five minute fireworks display over the harbour. Mary and I are not much for crowds, so we drove in the other direction, high up Normandale Rd to where we had a magnificent, if somewhat distant, view of the city lights mirrored in a calm harbour under a starry velvet night. At ten pm the show started and it was indeed spectacular. Perhaps almost as impressive was the eerie sight of the International Space Station streaking silently across the sky from West to East, 365 km above our heads. It was perfectly illuminated by the recently set sun, and was the brightest and certainly the fastest thing in view. How odd to think that there was a crew on that glittering object. Happy Waitangi Day, everyone, not that Kiwis go about saying things like that. And Gung Hey Fat Choy for Tuesday, and more and more of us do say things like that! Helen is still technically absent this week, so the news selection is still a bit different. Her computer is apparently unable to talk to its modem. ---- Any text above this point, and all subsequent material in parentheses, and concluded with the initials "BH" is the personal opinion of Brian Harmer as editor of this newsletter, or occasionally "HH" will indicate an opinion from Helen. In all cases they are honest expressions of personal opinion, and are not presented as fact. All news items (except where noted otherwise) are reproduced by kind permission of copyright owner, Newstalk ZB News. All copyright in the news items reproduced remains the property of The Radio Network Limited. Formatting this week is sponsored by Tony Larson in Leeds. Many thanks Tony. ---- On with the news: Monday, 31 January 2005 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AUSSIES NOT IMPRESSED WITH NCEA CLAIMS ACT ------------------------------------------ The ACT Party claims New Zealand school leavers trying to get into specialist degree programmes in Australia are striking trouble with their NCEA results. Education spokeswoman Deborah Coddington says the top grade NCEA is too broad and fails to differentiate between a good and an excellent student. She says that is leaving overseas universities wondering whether New Zealand students are good enough and in Australia, it is making it harder for kiwi students to get into courses such as forensic science and aeronautical engineering. Ms Coddington says many Australian secondary schools are also refusing to recognise NCEA when students try to enrol. She says unless the students do Baccalaureate or Cambridge exams they cannot make it into some specialist courses. (It would be helpful to have some specific evidence of this. Ms Coddington may well be right, but for now it is loosely assembled hearsay. - BH) ONE UP FOR CAROLINE EVERS-SWINDELL ---------------------------------- Caroline Evers-Swindell has edged her sister Georgina to win the women's singles sculls title at the Canterbury Rowing Championships. Caroline knocked over Georgina by about a metre after the twins took out the doubles sculls title easily. George Bridgewater's move to single sculls did not get away to the best of starts. He lost to nineteen-year-old Nathan Cohen. Bridgewater has set his eyes on single sculling after missing out on a medal in the coxless pair at the Athens Olympics, coming in fourth with Nathan Twaddle. National coach Dick Tonks says if Bridgewater does not get individual success it would be a pity to waste a good pair. CITY CELEBRATES 165 YEARS ------------------------- Auckland turns 165 today. As part of the region's Anniversary Day celebrations, the annual regatta sets sail from the Viaduct Harbour this morning with a variety of land, sea and music events. North Shore mayor George Wood will be at the SPCA's tail wagging celebration at Thomas Bloodworth Park in Parnell. But the city's mayor Dick Hubbard will not be home today, as he is winging his way back from Africa after successfully scaling Mt Kilimanjaro. (A boyhood memory of Anniversary day fifty or more years ago, was that every boy in Auckland, or at least on the North Shore know the names of all the great A class yachts, though none could compete with the Tercel brothers' mighty Ranger, which was the queen of the harbour of almost four decades. It used to look as if you could walk from North to South across the decks of all the yachts, from the tiny P class though Idle Alongs, Mullet boats, and the big fellows. - BH) HOTEL HAS INNOVATIVE PARKING SOLUTION ------------------------------------- The first top flight hotel to be built in Wellington in more than 15 years opens today. The five star $40 million Bolton Hotel has 20 floors and 144 rooms and is located on the corner of Bolton and Mowbray Streets. Hotel director, Warwick Angus says it has some unique features, including New Zealand's first car stacker Cars are parked on the contraption, which then rotates like a Ferris wheel. When a vehicle is needed again, it is delivered back to the ground at the press of a button. Mr Angus says the stacker is being used because the site was too small for a traditional car park. He says the Bolton Hotel will be among Wellington's top four accommodation options. (The land on which this block was built was a pocket handkerchief that used to be a ground-level car park behind Kelvin Chambers on Bolton Street, just opposite the old Apple and Pear Marketing Board (now ENZA) building. That so much accommodation can fit on such a small footprint in a seismically wobbly city is amazing - BH) CRASH OFFICIALS BACK AT SCENE ----------------------------- Officials from the Transport Accident Investigation Commission are back at the scene of the weekend plane crash near Queenstown that killed a police officer and his pilot. Detective Travis Hughes of Queenstown police and pilot Chris Scott were killed in the crash in the Gibbston Valley, in Central Otago, on Saturday. The engine and propeller of the Cessna 172 are being removed for testing. The final report into the accident is expected to take six months. GOVERNOR GENERAL'S TERM EXTENDED -------------------------------- Governor General Dame Silvia Cartwright is to stay on in the job four months longer than scheduled. The Government has today extended her term until August 4 next year. Prime Minister Helen Clark says if she retired as scheduled it would have meant the selection process beginning this side of the election which she says would have been inappropriate. WORKERS LIVING IN CONVERTED SHIPPING CONTAINERS ----------------------------------------------- The Maritime Union is appalled Lithuanian workers are living in converted shipping containers on Lyttelton's waterfront. The group has been flown in from Germany to work on the Forum Rarotonga 2 while it is in dry dock for 10 days. The containers have no electricity or services and workers have to eat aboard the ship and use sub- standard toilet facilities. Maritime Union general secretary Trevor Hanson says the situation is far from ideal. He says he cannot understand why anyone would fly workers to New Zealand from Europe rather than employ locals. (At least one Wellingtonian does so as a matter of choice. A fellow lecturer at Victoria teaches industrial design. He has converted three ISO 40 foot containers into a fairly habitable weekday dwelling, and he goes home to the Wairarapa in the weekends. The containers in this case look more rudimentary. - BH) Tuesday, 1 February 2005 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GOVT WANTS MORE WOMEN WORKING ----------------------------- Unions claim thousands of women are lining up to get back into the workforce. Prime Minister Helen Clark addresses first sitting of Parliament for 2005 today and will propose wide-ranging restructuring of the welfare system. Her plans include encouraging women back into employment through improved childcare support and home-based care. Miss Clark says it is of national importance for women to play a part in contributing to the economy. Council of Trade Unions' vice president Helen Kelly says lack of quality affordable childcare is a huge barrier to many women who are trying to balance paid work with the rest of their lives. She says they also need flexibility in the workplace so they can have time off if their children are sick or have important school events. Ms Kelly says thousands of women want to be employed, but find it too difficult. (The increasingly acerbic and often brilliant Tom Scott covers this topic quite well this week. See http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3172663a2581,00.html and http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3176640a2581,00.html - BH) NEW BUILDING STANDARDS ---------------------- New building standards come into effect today in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the leaky building crisis. Last year, the Building Industry Authority approved several brands of monolithic cladding in an attempt to stop moisture getting into buildings. Changes include new requirements for architects, builders and building inspectors when buildings are designed. However the standards are not compulsory. (Gummy standards - no teeth - BH) STUDENT PASSES EXAM WITHOUT STUDYING SUBJECT -------------------------------------------- An Auckland student has passed an NCEA geography examination without a single lesson in the subject. The King's College student is believed to have done no preparation for the Scholarship exam, after gaining A marks in the equivalent Cambridge International Examinations. Kings College headmaster Roy Kelley says the Year 12 boy is one of the school's top students. He says that as bright as he is, no student should be able to sit a Scholarship exam and pass without having studied the subject. He says there needs to be more rigour and challenge in examinations that are supposed to test the quality of the country's most exceptional students. (Nonsense. It seems quite feasible to me that a student with an exceptional general knowledge should be able to pass a number of subjects. - BH) FUNERAL WITH FULL HONOURS FOR POLICE OFFICER -------------------------------------------- A funeral with full police honours will be held for the Queenstown detective killed in a plane crash on Saturday. Travis Hughes and Whakatane pilot Chris Scott died when the single-engine Cessna crashed in Gibbston Valley during a routine cannabis spotting operation. Otago rural area commander, Inspector Phil Jones of Queenstown, says Mr Hughes' coffin will be draped with a police flag and uniformed officers will act as pallbearers. He says police from throughout the country will also take part in a full guard of honour. Inspector Jones says his colleagues are coping with the death by keeping busy. The funeral will be held on Thursday afternoon at the Queenstown Memorial Hall. COLLINS TAKES RICH PLACE ------------------------ National's rising star has fallen - making way for others to shine. Don Brash has whipped the Welfare portfolio off Katherine Rich for failing to back every detail of his Orewa benefit reforms. The portfolio is being given to hard-liner and Clevedon MP Judith Collins. Ms Rich is also losing her fourth-placed, front-bench position which is going to back-bench Finance spokesman John Key. Ms Rich falls back to his previous tenth spot in the pecking order. Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper says Mrs Rich has publicly backed Dr Brash's speech 100 percent, though privately she has expressed concern about his views that women on the DPB should not be allowed to go on having children without some financial penalty. Mrs Rich will be the second casualty of Dr Brash's Orewa speeches. His Maori affairs spokeswoman Georgina te Heu Heu was fired for failing to support his one-rule-for-all speech at his first Orewa outing. Prime Minister Helen Clark is dining out on the row in the National Party, claiming it illustrates Dr Brash's lack of sound leadership skills. She says she is not surprised it has come to this. However, the Prime Minister is playing down a simmering row of her own with political ally United Future, over her push to get more women into work. The Government's confidence and supply partner is cool on the idea, believing it could impact negatively on families, but Helen Clark insists she is setting out a positive agenda for New Zealand. She says encouraging more women to enter the workforce will help increase the wellbeing of society and the wellbeing of families. Helen Clark is due to expand on the issue, as well as others, in her state of the nation address to Parliament this afternoon. BRASH SAYS RICH HAD TO GO ------------------------- Don Brash says it was untenable for Katherine Rich to stay on in the welfare portfolio. Mrs Rich has not only been stripped of the welfare portfolio but has been demoted from the front bench to the number 10 spot. Dr Brash says he is sorry to see her go, but there was no alternative, given Mrs Rich could not sell every detail of his Orewa speech on welfare reform. Don Brash says Katherine Rich was particularly unhappy about his views on women having more babies while on the DPB. He says she was uncomfortable with the words he used in his Orewa speech. He is paying tribute to the significant contribution Mrs Rich has made to the party's welfare policy, and has put Judith Collins in the welfare role. Mrs Rich herself has confirmed she has been at loggerheads with Don Brash over the party's welfare policy for months. She has hinted that she told her leader she would relinquish the portfolio if he went ahead with some aspects of his speech. Mrs Rich says there has been robust debate over certain elements of National's welfare policy for some time. She has been given the portfolios of associate Finance and associate Health, as well as a new role of ACC spokeswoman. (I think this is damaging to all parties involved. The only ones who will be pleased, are those referred to by Graeme Hunt in a later article - BH) BASIN GETS EXTRA GAME --------------------- Wellington will now get to host two one day cricket internationals in the upcoming series between the Black Caps and Australia. The Basin Reserve has been confirmed as the venue for the match shifted from Hamilton because of pitch problems. The date has also been changed from the original schedule and the match will now be played a day earlier, on March 1. Wellington's stadium is already hosting the opening match in the series on February 19, while the Basin is also the venue for the second test between the two sides in late March. New Zealand cricket CEO Martin Snedden says the decision to choose the Basin over Eden Park and Jade Stadium came down to logistics and pitch reliability. Snedden says it is also a welcome return to the traditional midweek one dayer at the ground. Meanwhile, New Zealand Cricket hopes to confirm overnight the venues for April's two test matches between the Black Caps and Sri Lanka. (And in any event it is a small compensation for the bare-faced theft of our boxing day test - BH) Wednesday, 2 February 2005 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NATIONAL'S LINE UP MALE-DOMINATED --------------------------------- A political analyst says the decision by National leader Don Brash to sack Katherine Rich as welfare spokeswoman leaves the party's top line up male-dominated. Mrs Rich was stripped of her portfolio yesterday after she made it clear she was unable to promote some of her leader's policies on welfare as outlined in Dr Brash's second speech at Orewa last month. She has also dropped from number four on the party's list to number 10. Political analyst Barry Gustafson says Ms Rich is the third prominent female MP to be removed from National's front line. Georgina te Heuheu was demoted after objecting to Dr Brash's first Orewa speech on race issues and Kaikoura MP Lynda Scott was moved from her health portfolio in an early shuffle. Dr Scott plans to quit politics at the election. Dr Gustafson says the party is left with Judith Collins as its only woman holding a portfolio, but she is not on the front bench. He doubts previous National leaders would have punished a member for minor differences. (It still amazes me that Dr Brash enunciates policy and everyone else has to agree with it or fall on their sword. - BH) PRISON RELEASES IN BEVERLY BOUMA KILLING CASE --------------------------------------------- Two brothers jailed for their part in the home invasion and murder of Reporoa woman Beverly Bouma are being released on parole this week. Mark and Luke Reihana have served six years of their prison terms after being jailed for manslaughter and robbery in the 1998 attack. The pair spent the first years of their sentences in youth facilities. They were teenagers when they and two others broke into Henk and Beverly Bouma's Waikato home. They terrorised the couple at gunpoint, before Mrs Bouma was shot in the neck. Her killer, David Poumako died in prison of a heart attack in 2001. Mark Reihana, who has been on a violence prevention programme, will be released today. His brother has been ordered to complete a substance abuse programme and will be released later this week. RAIL GATES COULD HAVE PREVENTED BOY'S DEATH ------------------------------------------- The Wellington coroner has found a boy's death at the Silverstream railway crossing would not have happened if the crossing had been fitted with automatic gates. Gary Evans has released his report into the death of 15-year- old Michael Turner, who was run over by a train at the crossing in 2003. He also believes it is likely the train's headlight was not on. The Land Transport Safety Authority wants to set up a trial of automatic gates. Spokesman Andy Knackstedt says they are looking at a barrier system used in Australia, which he believes would be a huge improvement on the current maze system at Silverstream. Toll Holdings spokeswoman Sue Foley says indicator panels are also being installed on all rolling stock so drivers can check their lights are working. (This, I struggle with. The bells were ringing, the trains are not entirely silent, and to get onto the track, it is necessary to consciously navigate the zigzag gates. When do people get to be responsible for their own choices? I understand the enormous loss that this death represents to the family, but do we have to protect New Zealanders from every hazard? Should we fence off all rivers? Every road? - BH) CORRECTIONS RELIEVED ABOUT O'DOWD RULING ---------------------------------------- The Department of Corrections is relieved that a convicted murderer's bid for $150,000 in compensation has been thrown out. Ra O'Dowd was suing the Department and Attorney General for alleged abuse by the so-called goon squad in Paparua Prison in December 1999. Judge David Saunders has rejected the claim for compensation, saying the emergency response unit did not breach the Bill of Rights on the night in question. Department of Corrections chief executive Mark Byers is pleased with the outcome. O'Dowd was one of two men who bashed to death 29-year-old Conquest Tuau in Hawke's Bay. (I am normally well on the side of law and order. I am less sure than usual about this finding. - BH) SUPPORT FOR BRASH'S WELFARE IDEAS --------------------------------- The woman who set up WINZ has backed calls for welfare reform. Former CEO of the Department of Work and Income, Christine Rankin, says the policies put forward by Don Brash are logical and she backs the National leader's call to get tougher on the domestic purposes benefit. She says it is a very safe benefit to be on, especially if women are not given an incentive to get off it. Ms Rankin says that having been on the benefit herself, she understands the issue. She says it is not difficult to get people off welfare, it is just a matter of putting support systems in place. (Is support from this quarter an asset? I just don't know. - BH) UNAUTHORISED ACCESS TO INTERNET COMPANY --------------------------------------- A forensic investigation is being undertaken by TelstraClear following a security threat to one of its Internet services last week. The company says an unauthorised third party accessed the internal servers of its paradise.net service last week, resulting in immediate security action. Spokesman Matthew Boland says some servers were shut down while the threat was identified and dealt with, resulting in an interruption of service to customers. He says an investigation into the security breach is underway, although it is too soon to say whether the hacker was based locally or internationally. (The biggest problem here, is the reluctance of the company to confide in its customers. My web access was curtailed for a full week. Information defuses anger. Talk to us, guys! - BH) RAPE INVESTIGATION CALLED OFF ----------------------------- Wellington Police have called off their investigation into an alleged pack rape in Newtown. A 15-year-old girl had reported that a group of five men had followed her to a construction site last Thursday afternoon and took turns at violating her. However Detective Inspector Gary Knowles says an inquiry involving up to 25 staff has resulted in the girl being referred to Police Youth Aid. He says they are satisfied that the allegations the girl made are unfounded. (Always and everywhere, rape is a vile and inexcusable act. Its victims struggle enough to be heard and have justice done. It is a pity then, that the several recent examples of false allegations undermine the position of the real victims. - BH) COMPANY DEFENDS BEACH CAM ------------------------- A Tauranga Internet company is defending its beach camera, which has been branded a pervert's playground. The wave cam was set up mainly for surf checks, allowing computer users to pan and zoom the camera. Enternet managing director Terry Coles says they did not have a problem before TV One spent 87 hours on the camera. Mr Coles claims the TV story was grossly misleading. He says there has been only one complaint relating to privacy. The company reacted by putting certain restrictions on the camera's use. (What a nonsense this was. I believe it to be a beat-up of the worst kind. It is a simple web cam, one of many around the country. You would need a great imagination to be titillated by the images available. - BH) CALLS FOR ACTIVIST'S ARREST --------------------------- Opposition benches are calling on the Police Minister to ensure Maori activist Tame Iti is arrested for brandishing a firearm. It follows claims Mr Iti was filmed waving a shotgun in front of members of the Waitangi Tribunal. National and ACT members demanded to know why he has not been arrested. ACT's Ken Shirley accused the police of dragging their feet. Minister George Hawkins says the investigation is continuing because police want to ensure a prosecution is successful. Opposition MPs claim Mr Iti later gloated Tribunal members had 'got the message.' (I think Mr Shirley is, for once, correct. Mr Iti should understand that messages travel in both directions, or else communication becomes a monologue. - BH) CLARK THE WRONG SEX, CLAIMS COMMENTATOR --------------------------------------- It is claimed Helen Clark is the wrong sex for most New Zealanders. Political commentator Graeme Hunt reckons National's Don Brash has a decided advantage as voters relate more to male leaders. He admits Helen Clark has performed superbly as Prime Minister. However he believes people, and women in particular, like to see a strong male leader. That has stunned a second commentator, Matt McCarten. He says he cannot believe people subscribe to such silliness any more, and reckons Graeme Hunt has been speaking to some pretty old people with outdated ideas. Meanwhile, Is he being tough - or politically naive? Political pundits cannot agree on Don Brash's demotion of dissenting MP Katherine Rich. Matt McCarten says National's leader was scraping the bottom of the barrel with his attack on solo mums. But Graeme Hunt says Katherine Rich is too soft and had to go. He says Katherine Rich, while decorative, is on the soft and wet side. He says she had to go after failing to embrace the welfare reforms National needs to win over blue collar workers. (What can you say? Tuataras, crocodiles, and sharks apparently all have links to their Palaeolithic predecessors. Perhaps they are not alone? - BH) Thursday, 3 February 2005 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RESPECTED POLICE OFFICER FAREWELLED ----------------------------------- Queenstown will farewell a highly valued and respected police officer today. Detective Travis Hughes and Whakatane pilot Chris Scott were killed on Saturday when their light aircraft crashed in Gibbston Valley as they carried out a routine check for cannabis plots. Hundreds are expected at this afternoon's service in Queenstown's Memorial Hall from 2pm. A police flag will cover Mr Hughes' casket. Uniformed officers will act as pallbearers and a full police guard of honour will take place. Fog refuses to budge from Wellington Airport Bad weather continues to cause problems at Wellington Airport this morning. The airport was closed yesterday by low cloud and thick fog again today means planes are still grounded, disrupting travel plans for thousands of people. Passengers booked on flights today are being told to check with their airline before travelling to the airport. INVESTIGATOR AT PLANE CRASH SCENE --------------------------------- An air accident investigator will begin probing the cause of the light plane crash near Taupo which has claimed three lives. Prominent Australian businessman 66-year-old Bernie Lewis, his wife Christine and the pilot were killed when the Christian Aviation Seneca hit Mt Tauhara. The plane had been chartered from Auckland and was flying to Taupo after a sightseeing trip over the Bay of Islands. Distress beacons led searchers to the wreckage, lying in bush half way up Mt Tauhara's steep northern slopes, but efforts to recover the bodies were called off because of poor weather conditions last night. Police will not speculate on the cause of the accident, but say there was heavy, low cloud about at the time. Mr Lewis was a prominent Adelaide businessman who founded Bernie Lewis Home Loans. WIND FARMERS PUT CASE TO HEARING -------------------------------- A group pushing for wind power in the Wellington region has told the Wellington City Council hearing submissions on the issue that sustainable energy is the way ahead. The committee is considering applications for wind farms for the Wellington region. Ian Shearer from the Sustainable Energy Forum says wind turbines are a source of sustainable energy and are environmentally friendly. He believes fossil fuels cannot be relied upon for future energy needs. Mr Shearer would like to see other forms of sustainable energy, including solar power and water power, being used in conjunction with wind turbines. DOG CONTROL OFFICER ASSAULTED ----------------------------- The dog control officer who destroyed a pit-bull terrier in Huntly two days ago is in hospital after being assaulted. On Tuesday, the dog bit a control officer's elbow and was then put down. Police say at 7.30 this morning the officer who shot the dog was pulled from his car while driving through Huntly. The officer was punched in the face. Police are speaking to a Huntly man about the incident. US GROUP PRESSES FOR NZ FTA --------------------------- An American manufacturing group ranks New Zealand as one of the top five countries with which the US should aim to form a Free Trade Deal. The National Association of Manufacturers says there are several criteria to the rankings. Director of International Trade Policy Chris Wenk says one of the most appealing reasons for them to introduce an FTD is that New Zealand's applied tariffs are much lower than its bound tariffs. Bound tariffs are the maximum tariffs imposed on an import by a country, which, once fixed, are legally binding under World Trade Organisation agreements. Applied tariffs are the actual rates paid by an importer, which, in New Zealand's case, are significantly lower than the bound rates, and the US exporters want to keep them that way. Mr Wenk says New Zealand would be within its rights to raise its tariffs to the bound level at any time. With a Free Trade Agreement, exporters get greater certainty because the tariffs are fixed under the terms of the agreement. New Zealand imports about $2 billion a year in American goods. Chris Wenk says a group of senators who are keen on pursuing a free-trade agreement are forming a "Friends of New Zealand" caucus and the NAM will be working with them to push forward possible trade negotiations with New Zealand. He says the report rating New Zealand in the top five has been given to the Whitehouse to consider as part of their trade agenda for 2005. (That's interesting. I wonder how many of the group have any influence with the decision makers? - BH) UMAGA AVAILABLE FOR CHARITY MATCH --------------------------------- All Blacks and Hurricanes captain Tana Umaga has made himself available for the Southern Hemisphere team to play in the IRB Tsunami aid match at Twickenham next month. Umaga joins Australian captain George Gregan and Springbok skipper John Smit in making themselves available for the game. The NZRU and the Hurricanes both support Umaga's availability and applaud it. It is expected that Umaga will travel to England while his Hurricanes team-mates are in South Africa for Super 12 clashes with the Cats and Sharks. (Yea for Tana. He has made officials look niggardly in their reluctance to release other players. - BH) NZ HOME FOR PAEDOPHILES? ------------------------ ACT claims paedophile suspects have sought refuge in New Zealand. The news comes from a TIME magazine article, citing a worldwide operation tracing 95,000 potential recipients of child pornography. It says US customs passed on the information of people in New Zealand. ACT's Deborah Coddington is furious no arrests have been made four months later. She says this country is a laughing stock, especially as TIME asks whether it is a haven for paedophiles. Ms Coddington says Australia also received information about suspects and launched a nationwide bust. ACT is demanding the Police Minister move to progress an investigation into the suspected child pornographers. (There is a regrettable tendency on the part of the media everywhere to assume evil when the answer is more likely simple bumbling. It seems to me, despite the protestations of the minister of Police, that this delay is indeed inexcusable. While I detest porn, I think Bruce Simpson of Aardvark has it right when he suggests that pornographers are the people who make or distribute this disgusting material. People who obtain it are of great concern, but pornographers is the wrong word. I admit it makes better headlines. - BH) HAWKINS SLAMS TIME ARTICLE -------------------------- The Police Minister is slamming a Time magazine article claiming New Zealand has failed to act on a list supplied by US authorities of child pornographers. The report claims New Zealand authorities have been handed a CD containing dozens of names originating from Operation Falcon, the busting of an international child pornography ring, but have done nothing with it. Minister George Hawkins says a joint Police, Customs and Internal Affairs team is investigating the US information. Meanwhile, a bill which will increase penalties for child pornographers has been bumped up the Government's order of business, and will now get its second reading next week. (I am sure that Time Inc are suitably chastened - BH) Friday, 4 February 2005 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHURCH DOESN'T GIVE UP ON PROTEST --------------------------------- Destiny Church will not let the decision preventing them marching over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to stop their protest all together. The 'Defend the Legacy' march is planned for March 5 to protest the passing of the Civil Union Act. March organiser Pastor Andrew Stock says the church will be seeking further advice, but he says they will definitely be going ahead with some form of protest. He says they will not do anything illegal. Transit New Zealand refused permission for church members to walk over the harbour bridge, claiming the numbers involved could cause damage to its structure. The Church will also be at Waitangi this weekend. Leader Brian Tamaki will attend a political forum being held next to Te Tii Marae on Saturday. The church has links to the new political party, Destiny New Zealand, which was formed by members of the church and is led by former police officer Richard Lewis. 111 SYSTEM FAILING SAY FARMERS ------------------------------ Farmers have presented a litany of complaints to the committee reviewing police handling of emergency calls. They include a mother who rang to report her daughter missing. Although the girl was later found, it is claimed that all police did was send a child welfare officer the next day to check on the family's ability to raise a child. Another woman says she never heard back after dialling 111 to report a night prowler on her remote property where she and two children were alone. Federated Farmers spokesman, Charlie Pedersen, says the most common complaint is that centralised call-centre operators have no idea where the rural area the call is coming from. He says intimate local knowledge is essential to prevent jaw-dropping delays in police response times. Federated Farmers' submission recommends a raft of changes including a buddy system for rural officers who cannot be on call every day and night of the year. He says that would ensure someone is always available with vital local knowledge. (A reminder for non-kiwis that 111 is the equivalent of 911 in the US, or 999 in the UK - BH) TROUBLE-FREE WAITANGI DAY UNLIKELY ---------------------------------- Northland police are expecting trouble at Waitangi this weekend. Hundreds of visitors are already gathering at the Far North town and accommodation is heavily booked until after February 6. Far North police area commander Mike Rusbatch says around 15,000 people are predicted to attend Waitangi Day celebrations and he is sceptical about assurances from some Maori activists that there will be no protests. Mr Rusbatch says a large number of iwi liaison officers will be on duty and will work alongside Maori wardens. ITI FACES FIREARMS CHARGES -------------------------- Maori activist Tame Iti is facing firearms charges. Police have confirmed the charges come in the wake of a protest before a Waitangi Tribunal in the Bay of Plenty last month. The incident was recorded by television cameras. Opposition MPs had been applying pressure to prosecute. District Commander for Bay of Plenty, Superintendent Gary Smith, says firearms have been discharged at Tuhoe Marae in the past, as part of tangi activities. He says that at the tangi of Sir Te Ahikaiata John Turei , the Prime Minister, Governor-General and members of the Diplomatic Protection Squad were present when a firearm was pointed into the air and discharged. Mr Smith says that on a separate day as part of the same tangi, a firearm was again discharged as the Commissioner of Police and other senior police officers arrived. He says police made inquiries to establish that this was custom on the marae. However, he says the marae committee was advised of their legal obligations to ensure that the person carrying out the practice was a licensed firearm holder and that the firing would be done in such a way so as not to alarm or intimidate people. He says blank rounds were essential. Iti is on bail and will reappear in the Whakatane District Court next Thursday. (Mr Iti seems remarkably happy with the outcome of the Tuhoe protest. I wonder what point he thinks was made? I am as certain as I can be, that in 2005, the ancient custom of Whakapohane, or baring of the buttocks at ones foes, loses whatever little power it had, especially when the physiques of those performing it are less than athletic. Indeed, I think that the message he intended to send backfired, and opposition to his position hardened. - BH) CONFLICTING POLLS FOR NATIONAL ------------------------------ Two political polls are registering conflicting results for National. TV3's poll has seen support for the party rise by six percent to 38, following Don Brash's second Orewa speech. That puts the two main parties just eight points apart. But the NBR's first Phillips Fox poll of the year shows National has lost two points since December, putting it on 34 percent, 10 points behind Labour. The poll was conducted before National's welfare spokeswoman Katherine Rich was sacked. The NBR poll also shows New Zealand First has lost a point, but is still within the five percent threshold. ACT is up half a percent and the Maori Party is up one to 2.7 percent. WELLINGTON SWIMMERS STUNG ------------------------- Swimmers are being warned to take care during dips in Wellington Harbour following the arrival of a swarm of jellyfish of varying shapes and sizes. Nathan Hight from Surf Lifesaving Wellington says several people have been treated in recent days for stings and quite painful skin irritations after coming into contact with the jellyfish. He says some of the jellyfish are a little different from those normally seen in the harbour. Nathan Hight says usually on surf beaches people would expect to see a bluebottle-type jellyfish, but the ones found this year are more subtle and people often fail to notice them until they leave the water and discover a rash. THE FINANCIAL PAGE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Date: 4 February 2005 Brian Dooley Wellington New Zealand CURRENCIES ~~~~~~~~~~ The currency codes given below conform to ISO 4217, which can be found at http://www.xe.net/currency/iso_4217.htm. The rates given are for telegraphic transfer. To Buy NZD 1.00 USD 0.7167 AUD 0.9288 GBP 0.3811 JPY 75.15 CAD 0.8909 EUR 0.5542 HKD 5.6043 SGD 1.1776 ZAR 4.3504 CHF 0.8651 INTEREST RATES (%) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call : 6.50 90 Day: 6.78 SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian Harmer does NOT administer the mailing list. Please do not send subscription related messages to him. Instead, visit the website listed below, where you can make changes as required. _______________________________________________ WYSIWYG News mailing list News@wysiwygnews.com If you wish to unsubscribe, please visit http://wysiwygnews.com/mailman/listinfo/news Mailing List services provided by OneSquared <http://www.onesquared.net/>
