news
Sun, 26 Feb 2006 01:42:55 -0800
subject: 26 February, 2006 ----- WYSIWYG NEWS ------------------------------ Copyright, Brian Harmer. What is the sound of summer? I suggest it goes bzzzzzzzz- click, bzzzzzzzz-click, bzzzzzzzz-click. The chorus cicada is harmless to humans, though I imagine that in the right circumstances, enough of them could drive you to madness with the sheer incessant energy of their call. Appearance wise, only their mothers could love them. The rough weathered timber texture and dull grey green colour gives them all the charm of one of Darth Vader's imperial cruisers. However, if you catch them in just the right light, their wings reflect shimmering blues and greens. Their principal charm though, is their undoubted connection with the best and brightest days of summer. Last weekend in Wellington certainly fell into that category. The city was positively jumping. A One Day International cricket match was played at the stadium against the West Indies (NZ won). The 21st Karapoti Classic Mountain Bike Race was held at Karapoti (West of Upper Hutt), and on Sunday the Annual Round the Bays run from Frank Kitts Park to Evans Bay attracted nearly 10,000 entrants, some running, some walking, some in wheelchairs. The fastest arrived in 20 minutes, and the remainder trailed in for the next two and a half hours. There was a sponsored treasure hunt on the beach at Oriental Bay and the queue for the magnificent exotic ice creams at Kaffee Eis was amazing. The mobile coffee bar on the seaward side was also doing a roaring trade, and the footpath was a merry mix of Sunday strollers, inline skaters and people in rental quadricycles. On Sunday, the Volvo round the World yacht race fleet set sail after a brief (two days) rest from Melbourne and were now on their way to the Southern Ocean, and around Cape Horn to Rio de Janeiro. There was a steady breeze, and the tall brown Kevlar sails of the racing fleet all heeled in unison as they raced out towards the heads. From high on the western hills, the picture was spectacular as the spectator craft added white sails and churning wakes to the glorious confusion of the departure and provided spectacular contrast to the deep blue of the harbour. I sincerely hope that these very light and very powerful yachts are up to the rigors of the Southern Ocean. The new week began splendidly with the birth on 20th February to Abbey and our second son, Andrew, of Billie, our third granddaughter, weighing in at 8lbs 5oz or 3.77Kg. May she bring as much joy to her parents as her cousins have done to theirs, and to us. All are well, and every picture I have seen of Andrew since the birth of his daughter has a huge grin that you couldn't remove with a crowbar. Thanks again to those who have generously sent funds in support of WYSIWYG. I hope I have acknowledged you individually. If you posted something and haven't heard from me, please contact me. ---- 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 Neil & Muriel Gibb. Many thanks. ---- On with the News. Sorry to say we have missed a week due to a miscommunication between Helen and I. We hope you will forgive us. Monday, 20 February ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ENGINEERS' VOTE DUE TODAY ------------------------- Air New Zealand engineers will hear if their jobs are safe today. Union members will find out the result of their vote on their union's counter offer to the airline's proposal to cut hundreds of engineering jobs. The company originally talked of making around 600 people redundant, but the plan devised by the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) and the Aviation and Marine Engineers Association would save more than 300 positions. EPMU Andrew Little says it is an anxious wait. He is not sure what will happen if the counter-proposal is not accepted. Air New Zealand originally planned to send aero engine and wide-body heavy maintenance work overseas saving $52m over five years. The union's counter proposal would see wide-body heavy maintenance remain in-house with savings achieved through a combination of job losses and labour reform. DONATIONS NEEDED TO HELP MUD SLIDE VILLAGE ------------------------------------------ Attempts to assess the extent of the damage in the Philippines are being hampered by poor weather. Eighteen hundred people were crushed under metres of mud when a mountainside gave way at Guinsaugon, about 675 kilometres southeast of Manila. About 200 schoolchildren are believed to be amongst the dead after their elementary school was buried in debris. Rescuers are continuing the desperate search for survivors as villagers bury the dead in a mass grave. Oxfam New Zealand spokeswoman Prue Smith says New Zealand can help by offering donations of money, but more aid in the form of water and sanitation engineers could be needed. OFFICIALS SEEK CLARIFICATION ON JAILED NZER ------------------------------------------- There appears to be little New Zealand can do in the case of a New Zealand man serving 20 years for sex offences in Cambodia. The five teenagers who made allegations against Graham Cleghorn are reported to have since retracted them. It has now come to light that an unsuccessful appeal against his sentence was held in secret last month without his lawyer or New Zealand officials knowing. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it wants answers from its Cambodian counterparts. Paul Buchanan, an international relations expert at Auckland University, says the best thing New Zealand can do is seek clarification of Cleghorn's status but he says the Government has to be careful it is not putting diplomatic pressure on a government over the case of a man who may be guilty. (Not only did the man's lawyer not know, it seems he, the accused on whose behalf the appeal was mounted did not know. What sort of judicial system is this? - BH) ANTI-P MARCH SETS OFF --------------------- An emotion-fuelled bid to tackle New Zealand's problem with the drug P will kick off in Auckland this morning. Community worker Marie Cotter has organised a march to the steps of Parliament aimed at increasing public awareness of the dangers of methamphetamine and encouraging the Government to take some action. The grandmother of four says children from P homes will be a part of the march which starts from Victoria Park Market and travels through a number of townships rallying support on its way to Wellington. Ms Cotter is calling on people who have lost loved one to the effects of methamphetamine to join in and lay photos and wreaths on Parliament's steps. Children will present a letter to politicians outlining 12 aims the Government is encouraged to adopt, including more awareness, better rehabilitation programmes, more police resources and tougher sentencing. Ms Cotter believes New Zealand has an epidemic on its hands and could lose an entire generation if something is not done. The marchers arrive at Parliament on Thursday. (I admire their willingness to wear their heart on their sleeves. I wonder if anyone who can or will do anything about it was similarly moved. - BH) ATTACKERS MAY HAVE HAD WRONG ADDRESS ------------------------------------ Police believe nine people who burst into a Te Atatu home, may have had the wrong address. Eight men and a woman started hammering on the door of the west Auckland house at about 2am yesterday. They sped away after attacking two of the occupants, leaving a man with a deep wound to his hand. Detective Sergeant Shaun Highland-Mills says the pair is shaken but is dealing with the attack quite well. Police hope to release details of the vehicle the group fled in. Nothing was taken from the property. PM SENDS TELECOM A MESSAGE -------------------------- The Prime Minister is sending Telecom another warning that its performance must improve. Last week, the company announced it was reducing prices and upgrading broadband speeds, but Helen Clark says the company cannot continue to only make moves when it comes under pressure from the public or Government. She says she has come away from conferences such as APEC feeling like New Zealand is a country cousin in telecommunications. Miss Clark says New Zealand may have been one of the first countries in the world to have access to broadband, but has been outstripped. "I'm interested in how we move forward so that our people get the advantages of fast Internet access right across the country." Miss Clark does not want to prescribe any solutions, but says the Government is serious about getting results. (It is interesting to watch the PM and the relevant ministers slowly starting to take on board, the things that industry commentators have been saying for most of the last two parliamentary terms. Equally interesting to watch Telecom CEO, Teresa Gattung appear on TV and swear with a straight face that we are getting value for money on a par with other OECD countries. Does she not realise that we can browse to the web pages of ISPs in Australia, the US or the UK and see what a rotten deal we are really getting, both in broadband and cellular charges. - BH) LUCKY ESCAPE FOR MICROLIGHT OCCUPANTS ------------------------------------- Police say two men were lucky to walk away from a microlight crash near Paeroa. The microlight got into trouble just before 1pm yesterday when its engine cut out. Police say the pilot tried to land the plane in a paddock on Rangiora Road between Paeroa and Thames, but the plane crashed as the pilot tried to avoid a fence. The two male passengers aged 45 and 60 were not injured, but one was taken to Thames Hospital for observation. Police say the plane was moderately damaged and they have handed the investigation over to the Civil Aviation Authority. ABDUCTION THWARTED IN TAURANGA ------------------------------ Tauranga police are investigating an abduction reported to have taken place in Buretta around eight o'clock last night. A 28 year-old woman says she was standing with her dog outside an address in Shelley Street when two men forced her into an old red van. She says there were two other men in the van, one of whom was driving. The van turned onto Chapel Street heading towards Tauranga but the woman was thrown out near the intersection with Maxwells Road after refusing to comply with their demands. Anyone who saw the vehicle is asked to contact the police. SEX ABUSE TRIAL BEGINS IN CHCH ------------------------------ The trial of a former religious brother on a multitude of child sexual abuse charges has begun in the High Court in Christchurch. Bernard McGrath has pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault, but he pleaded not guilty to a further 53 charges including 20 of indecent assault and eight of sodomy. The charges relate to alleged offending against 17 boys aged under 16 at the former Maryland's School between 1974 and 1977. A jury of seven men and five women were selected to hear evidence from approximately 57 witnesses. The trial is expected to last four weeks. BLEEDING VIRGIN MARY STAND OFF INTENSIFIES ------------------------------------------ The Jewish community is throwing its weight behind the Catholic Bishops' condemnation of CanWest over the screening of a controversial South Park episode. C4 plans to run an episode featuring a bleeding Virgin Mary, which has sparked calls for a boycott of CanWest and its advertisers. A letter to congregations throughout the country has been signed by other Christian leaders as well as the Jewish and Muslim communities. Jewish Council president Stephen Goodman says it is encouraging to see religious communities putting aside political and dogmatic differences to act together on matters of principle. However C4 insists the episode of South Park that has sparked complaints is not as offensive as it sounds. The channel is sticking with its "don't watch it if you don't like it" stance. CanWest spokesman Rick Friesen has seen the programme and says it is what C4 viewers would expect. He says it is not gratuitous but rather legitimate satire that is actually "quite funny". (I would not watch it, but I have yet to see a reputable reviewer who thought it was "quite funny". One did make the point that the stock in trade of South Park is to "gross out" its viewers. - BH) Tuesday, 21 February ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'DR DEATH' DISPUTES COUNCIL'S DIAGNOSIS ---------------------------------------- The Australian euthanasia campaigner dubbed 'Dr Death' claims he is being hounded by the New Zealand Medical Council. The council has deemed that Philip Nitschke was practicing medicine when he presented work shops in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland last month. The workshops focussed on his book 'Killing me Softly' and the manufacture of home made 'suicide pills'. He has been referred to the Ministry of Health, which has the power to prosecute. Dr Nitschke is disappointed by the council's decision. He says it has never been suggested he has been practicing in Australia so to be told that in New Zealand is a bizarre way to deal with the issue. Dr Nitschke says his seminars were political advocacy, not medical advice. "It seems to be a very specific and targeted attack to argue that the holding of workshops with our members is somehow, or in someway practicing medicine. So we do feel a little hounded by the decision." GOOD SALES REPS IN SHORT SUPPLY ------------------------------- A quarter of New Zealand employers are having problems filling jobs because of a lack of suitable talent available. A Manpower Talent Shortage survey reveals that good sales reps are the hardest staff to come by. Ironically given the news from Air New Zealand, engineers are the next most wanted people. It is followed by IT staff - mostly programmers and developers - accountants and labourers. New Zealand's talent shortage however, is not as severe as in other parts of the world. Forty percent of employers worldwide are having difficulty filling positions, with the worst shortages in Mexico with 78 percent, Canada, 66 percent and Japan, 58 percent. The talent shortage is least severe in India, where only 13 percent of employers have problems. JOB SEEKER BELIEVES AGENCIES AGEIST ----------------------------------- News that good sales reps are the hardest staff to find has one Aucklander seething. Eric West has a 20 year background in radio and telephone sales and wants to change industries, but is finding it extremely difficult to even find an employment agency that will talk with him. According to a Manpower survey out today, New Zealand employers say sales representatives' positions are the most difficult jobs to fill with talented people. Mr West suspects the fact he is over 50 is the stumbling block. He says as soon as he tells people how much experience he has, they look at him as if he is Methuselah. He says when he submits his CV by Internet and it disappears into a black hole. Mr West believes agencies are only interested in reps who are in their 20s. (Regrettably, Mr West may also discover a whole lot of other blindingly obvious suspicions are also true. - BH) BAT COLONY SUFFERS SETBACK -------------------------- The attempt to establish a short-tailed bat colony on Kapiti Island has suffered a major setback. More than half the bat pups born in January and destined to be transferred to the island have died, most of them in the last fortnight. Just three bats will be taken to Kapiti Island today to join those transferred there a year ago. Conservation Department spokesman Colin Miskelly says adult bats are believed to have been responsible for the deaths and it may simply be that one or more of the females are more aggressive than last year's females. He says some of the dead bats had bite marks. PM NOT AMUSED BY SOUTH PARK EPISODE ----------------------------------- Prime Minister Helen Clark says she finds the upcoming episode of South Park on C4 featuring a bleeding Virgin Mary offensive. The Prime Minister says she can see why the Catholic Church is not happy about the programme and as a woman, she finds it offensive and not funny. Ms Clark says while in New Zealand we allow free speech, it is a question of taste and judgement and C4 is showing no shame. EDEN PARK ALCOHOL POLICY ------------------------ Eden Park has had a major rethink on its alcohol policy for the upcoming one day international between the Black Caps and the West Indies. Officials have decided to sell only low alcohol beer on the terraces during the March 4 game. It will now be known as the "Lite Zone". At this stage the new low- alcohol move is a one-off. Eden Park chief executive John Alexander says it all stems from crowd behaviour after the Australian one dayer before Christmas. He says after that game, they had a debrief with their caterers, New Zealand Cricket and the Police, with all groups concerned about the behaviour on the terraces. Fans will also have to purchase another ticket for the terraces if they decide to leave the match during the day. Eden Park says a no-tolerance policy will be enforced for all activities disturbing other patrons. RATS FOUND AT OFF SHORE RESERVE ------------------------------- The Department of Conservation has issued the alert after two rats were found on the off shore reserve of Ulva Island in Stewart Island's Paterson Inlet. The area is part of the Rakiura National Park. DOC Southern Islands area manager Andy Roberts says the two rodents were caught recently in the extensive network of traps and bait stations, designed to detect any rats that should make it ashore. He says the detection proves that the stations work. Mr Roberts says it will be a huge setback for native birds and plants on the island reserve if a rat population is re-established. POU SHOWED SIGNS OF DENIAL, COURT HEARS --------------------------------------- The behaviour of smokers, and the psychology of addiction, is under the spotlight at a landmark court case in Auckland. In a landmark case, the children of Invercargill woman Janice Pou are suing British American Tobacco New Zealand and W.D. & H.O. Wills NZ, which they blame for their mother's death from lung cancer. A witness for the tobacco companies has told the court that Janice Pou displayed classic symptoms of psychological denial in her dismissal of warnings about the dangers of cigarettes during her 30 odd years of smoking. She said this suggests Mrs Pou was never motivated to give up smoking. JEWISH COMMUNITY HAPPY AT IRVING SENTENCE ----------------------------------------- The New Zealand Jewish community says it feels vindicated by David Irving's conviction. The controversial British historian has been jailed in Austria for three years for denying the Holocaust, which is a criminal offence in Austria The historian had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges which stemmed from speeches he made in 1989. However, he insisted during his trial that he now acknowledged that the Nazi regime had slaughtered six million Jewish people and said that he made a mistake when he insisted that there had been no gas chambers at the Auschwitz concentration camp. The 67-year-old has lodged an appeal claiming the sentence denies his right to free speech. President of the New Zealand Jewish council, Stephen Goodman, says his conviction will come as a relief to many. He says it validates the widespread belief that Irving's actions and words were unacceptable. he says he does not have an opinion on the sentence itself, but is pleased he has been dealt with. Wednesday, 22 February ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VIRGIN MARY EPISODE SCREENING TONIGHT ------------------------------------- Broadcaster CanWest believes its decision to run a controversial cartoon tonight will put an end to the outrage. The episode of South Park, depicting a statue of the Virgin Mary bleeding and spurting blood at the Pope, had been scheduled to run on C4 in May. CanWest spokesman Rick Friesen says bringing the programme forward will stop weeks of debate and fuss. He says people will realise it is typical South Park humour and they will not be as offended as they anticipated. He is confident the programme meets the requirements of the Television Code approved by the Broadcasting Standards Authority. LOCALS DEVISE PUNISHMENT FOR TREE CHOPPER ----------------------------------------- The Auckland community of Royal Oak has put together what it considers to be a suitable punishment for the man who cut down a one hundred year old Pohutukawa tree. A restorative justice committee met last night and recommends that developer George Bernard Shaw meet the cost of supplying a replacement tree. They want the new tree protected and for Mr Shaw make a $20,000 donation. Last year, Shaw was convicted of hiring contractors to destroy the tree growing on a section he owns in Mt Smart Road. He has apologised to the Auckland City Council and the public and faces a maximum fine of $200,000 or two years in prison when he is sentenced on March 2. COMPANY WITHDRAWS C4 ADVERTISING -------------------------------- A company that has withdrawn its advertising on C4 believes the CanWest-owned channel will suffer financially from its decision to show the Bloody Mary episode of South Park tonight. CanWest is screening the programme earlier than the original date in May, in an effort to stop weeks of debate. Max Recruitment spends $6,000 a month with the company but has now decided it is so offended by the insistence on showing it, that it has withdrawn its advertising. Catholic Communications director Lyndsay Freer doubts the company will be the only ones. She believes CanWest is screening the episode early because it is worried other advertisers would have pulled out before the episode was due to be screened later in the year. (I rather hope a few more will make the point to CanWest in a similar fashion. - BH) DOG ATTACK OWNER MAY BE PROSECUTED ---------------------------------- The Far North District Council is considering whether to prosecute the owner of a dog that attacked a boy in Kaikohe earlier this week. The nine-year-old was left with injuries to his upper body that required hospital care, after he was mauled by an American pit bull terrier. The animal has been caught. Abolishing youth rates will harm teens Employers say legislation abolishing youth rates will hurt the very people it is meant to help. Sue Bradford's private member's bill has its first reading in Parliament tonight. It already has support through to the select committee stage. David Lowe of the northern branch of the Employers and Manufacturers Association says the bill makes it less attractive for bosses to hire young people. "If an employer is faced with a teenager, a 16-year-old wanting a job, and they have the choice also of a more experienced worker, then they are going to choose the more experienced worker. The bill calls for 16 and 17-year-olds to be paid the adult wage of $9.50 an hour. The current youth rate is $7.60. TV3 STANDS BY REPORTER ---------------------- The head of TV3 News is standing by his reporters as the controversy around the South Park cartoon escalates. Catholic Church spokeswoman Lyndsay Freer is angry about what she calls an ambush by a news reporter yesterday. Ms Freer was giving comment on the Bloody Mary cartoon when she was handed a press release saying the episode would screen earlier than expected. But TV3's Head of News Mark Jennings says it was no ambush. He says Ms Freer is a professional PR woman and was treated fairly. He says Ms Freer just did not like what was in the release and reacted badly. The episode will screen tonight, weeks ahead of schedule. CanWest spokesman Rick Friesen says bringing the programme forward will stop continuing debate and fuss. (There is a certain animal cunning in cutting short the debate. I suspect it will disappear into the background now that the screening has been and gone. - BH) TATTOO MUSEUM LAUNCHES STAMPS ----------------------------- A new series of stamps has been launched by the Wellington- based National Tattoo Museum in a bid to raise its profile and bring in some much needed revenue. The Museum on Abel Smith Street is currently struggling to make ends meet and could be forced to close if a significant rise to its rent goes ahead. Director Stephen Maddock says the stamps are for use at Universal Mail postboxes. As well as pictures of New Zealand tattoos, the stamps feature work from overseas, including a painting of work by Paulo Suluaki, a Samoan tattooist and Horioshi III, a Japanese tattooist who runs Japan's tattoo museum. HOSPITAL STOMACH BUG COMES BACK ------------------------------- Tauranga Hospital's stomach bug problems have re-surfaced. Just days after getting the all clear following the closure of some wards to new admissions due to gastroenteritis, the condition has re-appeared. The hospital says it has had to close ward four to new admissions and transfers. Infection Control Coordinator Adrienne Stewart says it is most likely that someone brought the bug back into the hospital - causing another small outbreak. DOES "SOUTH PARK" BREAK THE LAW? -------------------------------- The controversial South Park episode may not just offend people - it may also be breaking the law. The "Bloody Mary" episode is now being screened tonight, pulled forward from its original air date in three months. However, Nelson man David Fisk is seeking leave from the Attorney-General to take legal action because he believes the cartoon and C4 are breaching the Crimes Act. He told New Zealand's Rhema he believes South Park breaches the libel and blasphemy sections of the Act. Mr Fisk is one of a number of people and groups who believe there are strong grounds to prosecute under the Crimes Act. It is understood the libel case brought against TVNZ by the Simunovich Fisheries company sets a precedent which could apply in the South Park case. A Catholic group has organised a prayer vigil tonight in Auckland in advance of the screening of South Park's "Bloody Mary" episode. The peaceful protest is in opposition to the decision by CanWest to advance the episode's air date to tonight and will happen outside the TV3 premises this evening. Brendan Malone of Family Life International hopes Catholics, Christians of all denominations, and anyone who wants to make a stand for common standards of decency in broadcasting will join them. Meanwhile, the Greens believe robust debate about South Park, the Mohammed cartoons and David Irving must be encouraged. The party says the Bloody Mary episode, cartoons that enraged the Muslim world and Austria's jailing of the British historian have fuelled the freedom of speech debate. Greens human rights spokesman Keith Locke says each issue must be treated in a separate context so the lines are not blurred. However, he says overall it is a healthy debate that serves to help society progress. IDENTIFICATION BOMBSHELL IN ABUSE TRIAL --------------------------------------- A bombshell has been dropped during testimony at the High Court in Christchurch by one of the complainants who says a former religious brother abused him. Bernard McGrath is on trial facing 53 child abuse charges. The fourth complainant to give evidence clearly recalled incidents of sexual abuse while he was at Maryland's school between 1974 and 1989. He identified McGrath in a number of photographs as his alleged abuser. However at the end of his testimony he was asked to identify McGrath in court but was unable to do so. (Not sure why that is a bombshell, or even whether it is significant. Many who knew me in 1974 would walk past me in 2006 without recognising me. - BH) ARREST IN ABDUCTION/RAPE CASE ----------------------------- A Hastings man has been arrested in connection with the abduction and rape of a woman in Auckland. The 31-year-old has been charged with sexual violation, abduction for sex and threatening to kill. The 20-year-old victim has told police she was held for nine hours and raped by two men in Auckland last week. Hastings Detective Constable Toni Leppien says the woman seized the opportunity to escape when one of the alleged attackers has been dropped off and the other fell asleep. He says the woman then drove straight to Auckland Central Police Station. CHANGE TO SEX-OFFENDER'S MONITORING ----------------------------------- A major change has been made to the way convicted sex offender Lloyd McIntosh will be monitored in the Christchurch community. The convicted paedophile has been living in a round-the-clock monitored-care home on land at Paparua Prison. The Parole Board has now varied his conditions as New Zealand law prohibits people being in full-time person-to-person monitoring for longer than 12 months. McIntosh is now to be electronically monitored. He will still have to remain at his approved address and meet all other contact and curfew conditions. TEEN CHARGED WITH CREDIT CARD THEFT ----------------------------------- A teenaged visitor accused of buying goods worth more than $30,000 from Queenstown businesses with stolen credit cards has been arrested. Police say the 17-year-old English youth purchased jewellery, cameras, airfares and activities. They say in each transaction the teenager's name either did not match the names on the credit cards he produced, or he just used credit card numbers. Police are expecting more complaints from store owners. The teenager has been staying with family in Queenstown. He will appear in court tomorrow. Thursday, 23 February ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COURT COMPLAINS ABOUT NEWS ITEM ------------------------------- TVNZ is under fire from the Principal Family Court judge for unbalanced reporting following a news item which screened last weekend, which criticised the court for taking a two-month-old baby away from its mother while she was still breast feeding. Judge Peter Boshier says it was not made clear that the mother had left the child after a New Year's Eve party, to allegedly go to a hotel room with a man. He says she did not return home for several days. Judge Boshier intends to write to TVNZ to point out the newsroom did not report in accordance with The Care of Children Act. He says decisions in the Family Court are made for good reasons and parents should not be able to use the media to promote their case. NAZI WAR CRIMINALS UNLIKELY TO BE IN NZ --------------------------------------- The German community believes it is highly unlikely Nazi war criminals are living in New Zealand. Israeli Nazi-hunter Efraim Zuroff believes some could be hiding out in New Zealand. He is in the country publicising the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's Operation Last Chance, which is an attempt to round up surviving Nazi war criminals. But German Society of New Zealand President Inge Attenberger says it is far fetched. She says the society has no reason to be concerned as there are no men who are in their eighties who could have been in the Second World War. Ms Attenberger says the oldest member of the community in New Zealand is a woman in her eighties. A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of war criminals. (I am inclined to think it is far fetched. Allegations of this sort have emerged periodically since at least the sixties, and have been made by people as eminent as the late Simon Wiesenthal, yet as far as I recall, no one has yet been named or extradited. - BH) GREENS WANT LAW CHANGES TO REDUCE OBESITY ----------------------------------------- The Greens are hoping an inquiry into obesity will result in legislative changes which force children to eat healthier food. Parliament's health select committee has agreed to an investigation into obesity and type two diabetes. Green MP Sue Kedgley says she cannot think of a more important inquiry that needs to take place because 10 percent of children and 12 percent of adults are obese. She says that is putting an increasing strain on the health budget. Ms Kedgley says an environment has been created which encourages people to eat unhealthy, high fat, high sugar foods and take minimal exercise. She says the committee will examine the facts which are driving increases in obesity. OUTWARD BOUND VOTED BEST WORKPLACE ---------------------------------- The adventure-based learning and development provider Outward Bound says listening to staff has been the key to its success. It has been voted New Zealand's best place to work, beating 200 other organisations to take top honours in the Unlimited/JRA Best Places to Work Survey. More than 23,000 employees were surveyed. Outward Bound CEO Trevor Taylor says the organisation believes staff are fundamental to business as they are the ones who are out there 24/7 with students delivering the courses. Outward Bound was also the winner in the small workplace category. BEER NZ'S FAVOURITE TIPPLE -------------------------- Beer remains New Zealand's favourite tipple. The beverage accounted for more than two thirds of all alcohol consumption last year. Wine made up 20 percent, with spirits on 11.7 percent. Two point four billion cigarettes went up in smoke last year, a five percent rise on 2004, but well down on the peak of 6.3 billion recorded in 1977. P PROTEST MARCH REACHES WELLINGTON ---------------------------------- A couple of hundred people have turned out in Wellington today to march to Parliament opposing the drug P. The group is made up of people from around the country and it has one simple message - Say no to P. P was re-classified as a class-A drug last year. They are chanting "Hey Hey, Ho Ho - Nasty P has got to go!" Many in the march are former P-users themselves, others are carrying photos of loved ones they have lost to the drug. Politicians have turned out in force to salute the marchers, greeting them with applause on its final leg at Parliament. United Future leader Peter Dunne was among the MPs who told the group they should be proud of what they have achieved. He says P is a scourge on the community which must be stamped out. Mr Dunne says the country has to unite like never before to fight it. The group has also been addressed by National leader Don Brash, Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples, and Labour's Nanaia Mahuta. DEAD MAN WAS LYING ON TRACK --------------------------- Toll New Zealand says a man killed last night after being hit by a train in Papanui, was lying on the track. The accident happened at 11.10pm near the Sawyers Arms Road railway crossing. Toll New Zealand spokeswoman Sue Foley says there was nothing the train driver could do to avoid the man. Meanwhile Ontrack says the level crossing warning system was working. (Those who commit suicide are obviously disturbed anyway, but some consideration should be given to the traumatising effect on the drivers. - BH) LITTLE HOPE FOR CHEESE FACTORY JOBS ----------------------------------- The union representing Mainland Cheese factory workers says it is unlikely their jobs can be saved. Fonterra wants to shut down the Dunedin cheese processing plant and consolidate its operations at Eltham in Taranaki. If approved by the board, 130 staff at the MacAndrew Road plant will be out of work. Dairy Workers Union National Secretary James Ritchie says he is not optimistic as it will be an uphill battle. He says the Dunedin workers are shell-shocked by the news. THREE ARRESTED OVER TEEN RAPE ----------------------------- Three young men have been arrested over the rape of a 14-year- old girl at a Burger King restaurant on Auckland's North Shore. The three, comprising one 17, one 18 and a 20-year-old, are appearing in the North Shore District Court this afternoon. They face a number of sexual violation and related charges. Detective Sergeant Nadine Richmond says police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident. The 14-year-old girl told police she was attacked in the men's toilets of Takapuna Burger King on Sunday night. CIGARETTE SALES BOOM DESPITE NEW LAWS ------------------------------------- Smoke free legislation has failed to curb the number of cigarettes on sale. Statistics New Zealand figures show last year 2.4 billion cigarettes were available to smokers, a five percent increase on 2004. Anti-smoking lobbyists say they had thought the introduction of a ban on smoking in pubs and clubs would have dented demand. ASH director Becky Freeman says the statistics indicate they need to be doing more on the smokefree issue. She says the group's number one recommendation is a tax increase to make cigarettes more expensive. TEENS IN CYF CUSTODY IN KIDNAP CASE ----------------------------------- Two Hastings teens facing kidnap and aggravated robbery charges will be remanded in Child, Youth and Family custody. The 14 and 15-year-olds were arrested when Police were called to a home break in in Flaxmere. Hastings Senior Sergeant Mike O'Leary says further enquiries linked the girls to the detention and robbery of a girl on Sunday. The 15-year-old was lured to a service lane behind shops in Queen Street in Hastings where she was attacked, and her cellphone and ATM card stolen. The pair are also linked to a burglary in Tomoana Road. They have appeared in the Hastings Youth Court and are currently back in Police cells while Child, Youth and Family sorts out a place for them to stay. NZ JOURNALIST ATTACKED IN BANGKOK --------------------------------- A New Zealand journalist is in a Bangkok hospital and her boyfriend is dead, after a late-night robbery in a Cambodian bar. Jane Nye and Briton David Mitchell were attacked when they surprised burglars at the Ginger Monkey bar in downtown Phnom Penh. Mr Mitchell, who owned the bar, died of his injuries. Phnom Penh Post managing editor Charles McDermid says they were stabbed as they arrived back at an apartment above the bar. He says Mr Mitchell was stabbed five times in the chest and the two assailants then turned on Ms Nye, cutting her on the face, neck and hands. 'YES' VOTE SAVES 300 AIR NZ JOBS -------------------------------- Air New Zealand engineers in Christchurch have voted to back their union's plans to save 300 jobs. Last week they rejected the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union's plan - following concerns about taking a pay cut, and conditions surrounding shift and overtime work. Union spokesman George Ryde says tonight's ballot has seen a good result. He says a 91 percent participation by members has produced a 71 percent acceptance of the union's proposals. George Ryde says the union can now go ahead with negotiations about keeping the airline's heavy engineering work in New Zealand. Air New Zealand says tonight's vote means about 300 of the 600 positions which had been destined to end will be saved. (Now they are turning the spotlight on administration including HR and marketing. Interesting. I have wondered for some time now about the ratio of teachers and researchers to administrators in universities. - BH) Friday, 24 February ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MPS URGED TO STOP USING CRIME AS POLITICAL FOOTBALL ---------------------------------------------------- The Salvation Army is calling for a multi-party agreement on law and order as a means of getting the nation's prison population down. In a report out today, the charity says New Zealand has the second-highest rate of imprisonment in the developed world, a figure that is rising despite falling crime rates. Deputy director of the Salvation Army's social policy unit Bonnie Robinson says prisons are no more than holding tanks, providing little in the way of rehabilitation schemes. She cites the example of Finland, which has reduced its prison population by 38 percent since the 1970s. Ms Robinson says one of the reasons was a 1960s multi-party accord, which stopped fear of crime being used as a political football. Ms Robinson says cross party agreement has been achieved before, most notably on superannuation. The Salvation Army is also calling for public education, as the mark of a civilised society is not to react from emotion. It wants the Sentencing, Bail and Parole Acts reviewed. (An instant dismissal of this proposal was made by the National and Labour spokespersons on this topic. It is clearly too valuable as a source of cheap political points to be given away. - BH) MISSING CHILD MAY BE HEADING SOUTH ---------------------------------- Police say a child who has been missing from his Auckland home since Sunday could be trying to ride his BMX to Palmerston North. Concern is growing for the safety of 11-year-old Maara Teritaiti who was last seen at a relative's home in Manukau late on Sunday night. Police spokesman Kevin Loughlin says the boy had cycled the considerable distance from his family home in Ranui, west Auckland. He says Maara has relatives in Palmerston North, and may now be riding his bike there. Mr Loughlin says when he was last seen, the boy was riding a silver BMX bike, wearing an orange hoody and blue shorts with a Spiderman backpack. SNAILS PUT COAL MINE ON HOLD ---------------------------- The discovery of endangered snails near Buller have put coal mining operations at part of Solid Energy's Stockton mine on hold. The Powelliphanta snails have been found by the company in areas where they had previously not been found. Solid Energy says it has suspended all mining operations on the Mt Augustus ridgeline and are seeking permission from the Department of Conservation to move the giant land snails. The company proposes to shift as many snails as possible by hand to another habitat. TOUGHER BAIL CONDITIONS WANTED ------------------------------ The Sensible Sentencing Trust says the law must be changed to ensure people facing serious charges involving P are not granted bail. Police are hunting for Jian Zong Xie and Hong Quin Huang who skipped bail after being charged with the importation of enough pseudoephedrine products to make $15 million worth of P. Police suspect the pair was heading to the Bay of Plenty were they plan to board a ship to China. There was a reported sighting of the couple yesterday in Whakatane. Trust spokesman Garth McVicar say because of prison overcrowding, judges are under pressure to grant bail. He says the Bail Act should be changed to ensure people suspected of involvement in the drug trade never get bail. OFFICERS HOSPITALISED AFTER P LAB BUST -------------------------------------- Three police officers have received hospital treatment after inhaling fumes during a P laboratory bust in Auckland. The members of the North Shore team policing unit were executing a search warrant at a Glenfield property when they stumbled across the lab in the boot of a car. They were overcome by fumes and taken to North Shore Hospital but have since been discharged. Three men have been arrested. Two will appear in the North Shore District Court this morning on serious drugs charges. The third will appear in court next week charged with lesser offences. PREPARATIONS FOR UB40 CONCERT ----------------------------- UB40 fans are being asked to follow simple guidelines to ensure everyone has a great time at Sunday night's concert. Event Venues general manager Peter McLeod says no alcohol is permitted at Rotorua International Stadium and bag searches will be conducted. He says patrons are welcome to bring non- alcoholic drinks and prepared food to as long as they do not use glass. Mr McLeod says this is a very important safety issue that will be enforced. Concert-goers are also encouraged to purchase tickets prior to Sunday to avoid long gate cues. WELLINGTON SCHOOL'S BOARD WALKS OUT ----------------------------------- A Wellington school's board of trustees is citing irreconcilable differences as its reason for a mass walkout. The entire board at Newlands' Paparangi School has resigned, forcing the appointment of a commissioner to act for the board. Helena Barwick, a statutory manager for schools who is working with Paparangi, says it was a group decision, and the board was unable to see eye to eye with principal Sue Blyther. She says the school will continue to function normally until a new board is elected. Helena Barwick stresses the board did NOT resign over concerns with teaching or pupil safety. (This is apparently the second school board to resign en masse this week, after a conflict with their principal. - BH) WAREHOUSE WARNS OF KILLER PLANTS -------------------------------- A South Island-wide recall is being issued by the Warehouse to customers who have recently bought swan plants from its stores. The plants, commonly used by gardeners to attract Monarch butterflies, were sourced from a Southland nursery but have been contaminated by a toxic spray drift which will kill caterpillars and butterflies. The Warehouse says only its South Island stores have been affected and customers who have bought the swan plants can return them for a full refund or replacement. CLINTON MAGIC STILL WORKS ------------------------- Bill Clinton has dazzled business people in Auckland. The former American President has been speaking at the Global Business Forum at Auckland's Sky City. There was a sense of anticipation as the audience waited for Bill Clinton to take the stage. He arrived to huge applause, introduced by Prime Minister Helen Clark. Wearing a navy suit and red tie, President Clinton walked onto the stage to Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow." He praised New Zealand and said he loved coming here. His address touched on issues of world politics, terrorism and security. Guests included Jenny Shipley and her husband, and fashion designer Trelise Cooper. (Jenny Shipley was PM during his official visit here to APEC as the incumbent president in 1999. - BH) LEAVE PETERS ALONE, MEDIA URGED -------------------------------- Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has told the media to get off Winston Peters' back. Mr Downer was responding to a question asking him whether he was now more relaxed with the role of Mr Peters as Foreign Affairs Minister, but not part of the Government. Mr Downer says the arrangement is for New Zealand to make. He says it is not a problem for him at all, adding that he is perfectly happy and enjoys working with Mr Peters. He says the New Zealand First leader is "a good bloke" and that the media should "get off his back". Alexander Downer originally expressed some confusion about Mr Peters role when the pair met in Korea late last year. (I would have thought that being praised by Mr Downer is a career threatening event. - BH) MAN JAILED FOR MURDERING BABY ----------------------------- A 33-year old Upper Hutt man has been jailed for life with a minimum 17-year non parole period for murdering his partner's baby daughter. Blair Williams had his head bowed throughout the sentencing at the High Court in Wellington. Judge Justice Miller told the court Williams did not mean to murder seven month old Kathleen Harris in December 2004. However, he said the level of callousness and brutality involved in Kathleen's death meant a life sentence was the only option. He said the baby suffered a fractured skull, broken arm and severe bruising at the hands of the man who was responsible for her care. As he sentenced Williams, family members in the public gallery yelled out 'murderer'. The father of the murdered baby believes justice has been served by the sentence handed down to his daughter's killer. Jerone Ngaronoa says he is happy with the 17 year non-parole period. Williams was also sentenced to seven years for failing to provide the necessaries of life, to be served concurrently. POLICE HOPE TO CATCH COUPLE ON THE RUN -------------------------------------- Police hunting a Chinese couple on the run say a great public response indicates the pair will be found sooner rather than later. Following media coverage about Jian Zong Xie and Hong Quin Huang, who disappeared after being bailed on serious drug charges, Detective Sheree Gray says they have had a constant stream of calls. She says the most definite sighting was in Whakatane on Wednesday night. She is urging people to remain vigilant, and keep an open mind about where the couple may be now given that was two days ago. Detective Gray says there have been no sightings so far today. 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. If you want to send a personal message to Brian, change the country code to nz and send a message [EMAIL PROTECTED] If you do choose to comment on something in these posts, please don't send the whole newsletter with your message. Just trim it back to the relevant bits. Thanks. Brian. _______________________________________________ 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/>