Subject: 11 November, 2007 ----- WYSIWYG NEWS ------------------------------ Copyright, Brian Harmer.
Armistice day - We will remember them. "On the Road"* ------------- >From Wairoa, across the river, there is another road to the North that also ends in Gisborne. Our newlyweds had invited us to drop in and visit them at Waikaremoana on our way home from Gisborne. Never having been there before, we overcame our natural reluctance to play "gooseberry" on their honeymoon, and set out on this interesting side road. From Wairoa to Frasertown is pleasant and civilized area in a pastoral sort of way. At Frasertown, the road branches to the North as SH 36 to Marumaru, Te Reinga, Tiniroto, Waerengaokuri and eventually back to Gisborne. I must try it some day, as I suspect it is an amazing, albeit lonely landscape. Our path, however, was the road that goes Northwest (at least on average) from Frasertown as SH 38, through Waikaremoana and on to Murupara and through the Kaingaroa forest to Rotorua. Almost the first sign we encountered warned of winding dirt roads for the next 105 km. For the next 30 km I thought they had got it at least partially wrong. It was certainly winding, following the pretty valley in which the Waikaretaheke river winds its way, but the road was well sealed, and well maintained, and passed through some of the most picturesque farmland you could wish for. The further we went from Frasertown, the closer came the valley walls, the steeper and more frequent the turns in the road, and the more often the single lane road bridges crossed from one side of the river to the other. Often the approaches to these bridges had such limited visibility that a city dweller like myself ended up on the bridge staring at an oncoming car to which I should have given way. Frequent users on this road are obviously aware of the limitations of city drivers, and despite a couple of such mistakes on my part, they just waved amiably as I acknowledged my error. The valley was adorned with some of the loveliest stands of trees that I have seen for a while. New Zealand's own native bush is mostly glossy evergreen, and mostly of modest height, though very beautiful in its own way. I did notice that down on these lush green river flats, a very large number of trees were majestic specimens of European deciduous trees, undoubtedly grown from seeds brought by homesick pioneers. In today's biosecurity environment, such seeds would never be allowed across the border, but I have to confess that these ancient ones contributed most spectacularly to the delights of the journey, with all their spring growth on display. Sometimes they stood singly and impressive. At other times they were in picturesque groves. Eventually the good road surface expired, and we were on a gravel road, leaving a trail of swirling dust in our wake, and struggling to keep the vehicle on course. Lack of practice with such conditions meant that I came close to having the tail slide out on several occasions, so a slower pace was required. Houses near the road must be very difficult to keep clean, especially in summer. Passing through tiny settlements such as Tarapatiki, Piripaua, and Kokako, it occurred to me that only the late model cars occasionally passing distinguished this from New Zealand as it was when my family migrated here from England in 1954. The little holiday homes, known locally as a bach (pronounced as batch) in the North Island, or a crib in the lower South Island, were exactly as they used to be, back then. Most were of ordinary weatherboard (US = clapboard) construction, but a surprising number were clad in what I think is fibrolite "shakes". Fibrolite was a popular asbestos cement material in the fifties. I just hope that no one in such a house takes to the walls with power tools or sandpaper. Paint is obviously not highly valued by many, and several houses had the merest traces of an ancient coat of paint. Few modern structures existed, and it's my understanding that much this land adjoining the Urewera National Park is Maori land, and that consent for anything "out of character" may be hard to come by. Long may it remain so. Paradise is not yet entirely lost, and this little fragment of New Zealand the way it was, is well worth the effort of preservation. A little further on we reached the tiny township of Tuai, and signs indicating the presence of a nearby hydro power generator. Penstocks from a dam were visible to the right, and my subsequent exploration of maps indicated that this related to the hydro-lake Whakamarino. Just a few minutes further, and we reached the turnoff for Onepoto, at which place there was suddenly cellular coverage again (at least for Vodaphone customers). We phoned Helen and Vasely who were waiting for our call, and they directed us the last kilometre to the excellent and well equipped bach in which they were staying. After a brief period of catch up, we set out to explore the immediate area, and with Vasely at the wheel, we went further round the lake to the base of a track leading to Lou's Lookout. This is a walkway posted as 45 minute return. It is reasonably steep, and the track is largely unformed, so good shoes were a blessing given my week ankles. In places it is wet underfoot, and in other places, "underfoot" almost disappears, as the path wanders through an ancient landslide through large boulders and beside steep dark caves. Eventually we emerged from the bush which obscured all views and suddenly we were standing on a wooden platform looking out over the splendour of the lake. Across the bay the huge bulk of the Panekiri Bluffs dominated the scene. I enjoyed the panorama and rejoiced in having made it to the top, but was equally glad to return to ground level from where we set off to find a picnic spot. Mary and the youngsters then climbed the track to the trig station at the top of bluff (it ascends from the lake at 550m to about 1,160m), while my lack of condition counselled me to have a siesta at lake level, and to await the wanderers' return. Mary apparently made it to the top in just 45 minutes which augurs well for her upcoming local half marathon walk up Belmont in December). She walked back to meet the youngsters, and they eventually all got back to the trig where they took photos to prove the point, and then came back to find me. We enjoyed an excellent meal at the end of the day, and had a very nice evening with the young folk before settling down for the night. The Ureweras are not what South Islanders would call "real" mountains, since they top out at a modest 1,400 metres, but there are almost 4,000 square kilometres of steep densely bush clad hill country, with relatively few tracks and even fewer roads through them. It would be a foolish traveller indeed who took this country lightly, or entered it unprepared or without appropriate bush skills. It is a spectacular landscape on a grand scale. Watching the last rays of the sun in the evening, and hearing a magnificent dawn chorus the next day convinced me that this is a slice of heaven to which I would like to return, preferably fitter than I am now. Unless something takes my mind off it in the intervening period, next week we shall traverse SH2 back to Napier and SH50 to Takapau, and thence home through the Wairarapa to Wellington * Many thanks to the several readers who wrote in support of the occasional column of a more personal nature. What you lacked in numbers you more than made up for in the strength of your expressions of your support. ---- 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 "GS" will indicate an opinion from our editorial assistant. 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. Thanks to Pat and George in Alexandria, VA for their most generous support, cycle after cycle. I hope all is well with you both. ---- On with the News. Monday, 5 October 2007 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NO LIVE DIDYMO FOUND IN NORTH ISLAND ------------------------------------ Biosecurity Minister Jim Anderton has confirmed there is no evidence of live didymo in the river samples from the central North Island. Biosecurity New Zealand was notified on October 31 that dead didymo cells were found in surveillance samples collected from the six sites. Mr Anderton says further samples from all six sites have been tested, and show no live didymo. He says MAF is currently working to identify the source of the dead cells. (In some of the news items I heard on radio, Mr Anderton seemed to suggest faulty sampling of some kind. "HIGH EXPECTATIONS" BLAMED FOR POOR RATING ------------------------------------------ Telecom's blaming the high expectations of its customers for a survey which rates it the worst ISP in the country. A Consumer's survey of 10,000 Internet users has voted Xtra the worst provider for a third year in row. Xtra's new Yahoo Bubble service, which blocked customers from checking their emails for days, may have contributed to the poor result. Xtra spokesman Nick Brown says New Zealanders are early adopters of technology, which is putting pressure on Telecom. He says management will look closely at the survey results as Telecom works to improve its service to customers. (Of course if you expect competence you are doomed to disappointment? Is that what he just said? There is nothing leading edge about a decent broadband service. A better excuse is needed than that - BH) SPOT CHECKS SEE 63 TAXIS ORDERED OFF ROAD ----------------------------------------- There was a dismal showing from Auckland's taxi fleet during spot checks over the weekend. Faults were found in more than half of the 295 cabs stopped by Land Transport New Zealand Taxi Enforcement staff. Of the cabs, 63 were so bad they were ordered off the road for safety reasons. Taxi Federation executive director Tim Reddish says taxi companies need to use self-compliance regimes. He says the standards have not been acceptable for many years. MAORI FARE POORLY IN MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY ----------------------------------------- The latest figures on drug and alcohol use paint a disturbing picture for Maori. They come from a mental health survey carried out by Otago University. Almost 13,000 people were interviewed on a range of behaviours and conditions relating to mental health. The figures suggest that of those who drink, it becomes dangerous in 36 percent of Maori, 33 percent of Pacific Islanders and 23 percent of others. It is a similar picture when it comes to drugs. Drug use occurs in 20 percent of Maori, 13 percent of others and nine percent of Pacific Islanders, with drug disorder most common among Maori. The findings of the survey will be presented at the Cutting Edge Addiction Conference in Auckland today. SCHOOL LEAVING AGE TO BE RAISED? -------------------------------- Students hoping to leave school earlier rather later may be in for some bad news from the Government. Prime Minister Helen Clark has given a hefty hint that the school leaving age could be raised to 17. She says half of all New Zealanders in the workforce do not have the skills to function fully in a knowledge economy. Miss Clark says if we are trying to build the economy of the future our people need to be more skilled. She says one of the first places to address that is what is happening at the point of exit out of school. (Madness. Teachers are not babysitters. This is just an attempt to stall an influx of young job seekers as far as I can see - BH) FAMILY FIRST HAS CONCERNS OVER CANCER VACCINE --------------------------------------------- Family First is warning the safety of a vaccine to protect young girls from cervical cancer has not been proven. The Prime Minister wants the Health Ministry to bring in the vaccine, Gardasil, for routine immunisation of girls as young as 12 years old. But Family First spokesman Bob McCoskrie says the government is jumping the gun in trying to introduce it now. He claims there have been five deaths from the vaccine in the United States since the middle of last year, and more than three thousand adverse reactions to it. Bob McCoskrie says even the Health Ministry has admitted that the vaccine is in the early stage of development and its effectiveness is yet to be fully evaluated. CONCERN OVER BOOZE-RELATED BRAIN DAMAGE IN NZ --------------------------------------------- There is a warning the New Zealand health system will be swamped within the next 20 years with people suffering from alcohol related brain damage. International experts are meeting in Auckland today to discuss the issue, including Sonia Berton, Chief Executive of ARBIAS, an Australian based organisation that treats people with alcohol related brain damage. Ms Berton says one in five Kiwis are at risk of alcohol related brain damage. She says those affected require nursing and home care. In its more devastating form, people will often present themselves to health services or criminal justice, and Ms Berton says it is going to be pretty costly. She says over 800 thousand adults, and over half of young people under the age of 25, are placing themselves at risk because of the amount they are drinking. NATIONAL UNIMPRESSED WITH FALTERING DHB --------------------------------------- National is not impressed with Capital and Coast District Health Board's moves to address problems in its children's oncology department. The service is in jeopardy following the resignation of the last of its specialists working in the ward. National is now calling for Parliament's Health Select Committee to investigate. Health spokesman Tony Ryall does not buy the DHB's argument it has had long running problems getting oncologists. Nor is he satisfied with the claim it is urgently seeking a replacement, saying that line has been heard for quite some time. Tony Ryall says parents need assurances that all that can be done is being done. (I suspect that no one is especially impressed with any of the DHBs, but I suspect that the problem is systemic. That is, DHBs are mostly led by professional bureaucrats, rather than by clinicians and pastoral workers who really understand the priorities. Both in health and education, it is my conviction that the central power structure will give priority to expanding their own empire. The ratio of managers to service delivery people is getting worse. Too many marketers, HR people, and designers of new logos and letterheads. - BH) LABOUR FINALLY CONCEDES TO TAX CUTS ----------------------------------- Tax cuts and another scuffle have dominated the Labour Party conference held in Auckland over the weekend. The Labour hierarchy is furious at the actions of one of its delegates marring what was a significant conference for the party. Les Richards' alleged attack on protesters almost overshadowed what happened inside the conference. Party President Mike Williams described the incident as an act of stupidity, while Helen Clark says it was regrettable and should not have happened. Police are investigating. The main policy talking point was confirmation there WILL be personal tax cuts ahead of next year's election. The announcement paves the way for tax cuts to be another major election issue, with both National and Labour trying to lure voters with the thought of more money in the pocket. But exactly how significant any tax cut offered by a Labour-led Government will be is still up in the air. Both Helen Clark and Finance Minister Michael Cullen have spoken of the plan to bring in across-the-board tax cuts in time for the election. The issue drew strong applause from delegates at the conference over the weekend. Helen Clark says it will be a matter of ensuring any tax cuts are fair. She will not elaborate beyond that, saying they need to focus on the design of the plan. The PM Clark says the cost of tax cuts will be based on the best advice from officials. (Even as I write this, Dr Cullen is being reported as unconvinced of the economic benefits of tax cuts, or of any attempt to achieve wage parity with Australia. It's as if they have decided that they want to lose the election. - BH) FIREWORKS CALL-OUTS DOWN THIS YEAR - SO FAR ------------------------------------------- Service says it has had fewer fireworks related call-outs so far than in previous years. But it is waiting for tonight to see if the new legislation has had a significant impact. Spokesman Scott Sargentina says the Service had pushed for the introduction of restrictions on the sale of fireworks to only four days and an increase to 18 for the age of people allowed to buy them. He says they are optimistic those changes are going to significantly decrease the number of incidents they are called to. But Mr Sargentina they will wait for Guy Fawkes tonight and re-evaluate things tomorrow. Tuesday, 6 October 2007 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MORE TERROR ACCUSED NAMED AS APPEAL FAILS ----------------------------------------- A last ditch bid to keep name suppression has been denied for two men arrested in last month's anti-terror raids. Lawyers for Whiri Kemara and Tuhoe Lambert fought their clients' cases all the way to the Court of Appeal. They had to use a special legal provision to ask the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal a High Court decision that would have allowed their identities to be published. The Court of Appeal has dismissed that appeal, but its reasons for doing so are not yet known. CLOSE ELECTION RACE TO BE RECOUNTED ----------------------------------- There will be a judicial recount of an extremely narrow Environment Bay Of Plenty election result. Karen Summerhays beat Larry Baldock for the final Tauranga seat on the regional council - by just five votes. Mr Baldock's application for a recount has been approved. It will be held this Friday in Christchurch, with a final result expected that afternoon. UNION BUOYED BY SHIPPING PLAN ----------------------------- The Maritime Union says the push to renew coastal shipping is long overdue. The Government is aiming to have 30 percent of domestic freight moved by coastal shipping within 30 years. Maritime Union secretary Trevor Hanson says it will reduce traffic jams and lead to fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Hanson is also pleased the need to entice and train new merchant sailors to replace the current ageing workforce has been acknowledged. HOME-BUYERS PROMISED BETTER PROTECTION -------------------------------------- The Real Estate Institute is being stripped of much of its powers as part of a major shakeup of the industry. An independent Real Estate Agents Authority will be established to oversee licensing and complaints, while a Disciplinary Tribunal will also be set up to deal with more serious cases. The changes will mean agents will no longer be required to be members of the Real Estate Institute. Associate Justice Minister Clayton Cosgrove says the reforms are designed to bring accountability and transparency to the sector. He says good honest real estate agents have been let down by their leadership and the industry is a mess, with little accountability as consumers are being ripped off. Mr Cosgrove says the reforms will give home-buyers much better protection. He says it may be time for some agents to look for a new job. Barfoot and Thompson director Peter Thompson is pleased there could be more transparency with disciplinary action, but is concerned agents are no longer required to become members of the Real Estate Institute, which he believes is good for the industry. He says it could allow more sharks to get into selling real estate. Mr Thompson claims the new body will do nothing more than what is being done at the moment and will increase the costs for consumers. (Now a chorus of naysayers suggest that such a scheme is unworkable. Yeah, right! - BH) GOVT UNVEILS NEW SCHOOL CURRICULUM ---------------------------------- A new school curriculum has been unveiled. It follows consultation with more than 15,000 people who filed more than 10,000 submissions on the final draft. Education Minister Chris Carter says the single document is clearer and simpler than the seven it replaces. He says it shifts away from focusing on knowledge of facts and figures, to knowing how to use knowledge effectively and apply it outside the classroom. Other changes include the addition of Te Reo Maori and New Zealand Sign Language as official languages. The Greens say it will also ensure all children learn more about sustainability and environmental responsibility. NEW WEBSITE RATES CARS ---------------------- A new information site for car buyers goes live today. www.rightcar.govt.nz has been developed by Land Transport New Zealand. The site provides detailed information on over 2,000 new and used cars. It compares safety, fuel efficiency and carbon emissions, rating them on a six star system. Chief executive Wayne Donnelly says it is part of LTNZ's drive to reduce CO2 emissions, bring down the road toll and improve the efficiency of New Zealand's vehicle fleet. POLITICAL PARTIES DIVIDED ON ELECTION SPENDING ---------------------------------------------- A political stalemate is emerging over the proposed laws on election spending. Legislation's due to be introduced to Parliament shortly extending the definitions put on electioneering, after last year's election spending debacle. Helen Clark says it has been impossible to reach political consensus on the legislation. She has fired a shot at National saying they were the ones that wanted the current rules rolled over which is what the Government is now trying to do. The legislation would legitimise Labour's pledge card that caused so much fuss after the last election. However, Helen Clark says they have given no thought to using it again, and says in such matters Labour would err on the side of caution. SCHOOL SUPPORT STAFF CHASE 10% PAY RISE --------------------------------------- Bargaining starts today on a pay claim for 11-thousand school support staff around the country. The claim, put together by the New Zealand Educational Institute, was endorsed by members at union meetings in September. President Irene Cooper says school support staff, including teacher aides, sports coordinators and librarians, are some of the lowest paid in the education sector. She says their average wage is 12 to13 dollars an hour, which is not a living wage. Irene Cooper says they are pushing for a ten percent wage increase over two years. AUCKLAND MARKET FLOODED WITH HOMES FOR SALE ------------------------------------------- Those trying to sell their house in Auckland are being warned they may have to drop their price. Barfoot and Thompson signed up nearly two-thousand new listings in October, increasing the year's average by a thousand to over five-and-a-half-thousand listings. Director Peter Thompson says there is plenty of choice out there for buyers, meaning it is taking longer for sales to be made. However, the glut of houses on the market does not appear to be having any great effect on prices so far. Mr Thompson says the average sale price for Auckland was nearly 547 thousand dollars in October, up 1.5 percent from September. PARKING WARDENS NOW BUS-LANE MONITORS ------------------------------------- Manukau City council is getting tough on drivers who clog bus- only lanes. Its parking officers have been certified by the Commissioner of Police and are now authorised to issue tickets to drivers. The penalty is a 150 dollar fine. The parking officers will use video cameras to monitor the bus lanes. Wednesday, 7 October 2007 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PETERS SET AGAINST LATEST AIRPORT BID ------------------------------------- New Zealand First is urging the Auckland International Airport to reject the latest bid for a partial take over. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board wants a 40 percent stake in the company. Its earlier proposal was rejected last month. NZ First leader Winston Peters says selling the airport to a foreign-owned company, regardless of the percentage, lessens New Zealand control of our own assets. He says the airport is performing very well, and it is easy to see why it is attracting international bidders. NZ'S FINANCIAL SYSTEMS RULED TO BE SOUND ---------------------------------------- The latest diagnosis of New Zealand's financial system has found it is sound. The Reserve Bank has released the latest of its twice-yearly financial stability reports. Governor Alan Bollard says New Zealand has been reasonably resilient against a back-drop of worldwide market volatility. Dr Bollard says recent events highlight the importance of liquidity for institutions and the financial system as a whole. But he says New Zealand is heavily reliant on foreign capital markets, and these markets may not be as secure and liquid as previously thought. Dr Bollard says the Reserve Bank is starting work on a specific liquidity policy for banks which it expects to introduce next year. (I once read of a person whose boss provided a reference: "this person has done his job to his entire satisfaction" ... perhaps the report was done by an independent external authority, but surely they would have said so? - BH) NEW CURRICULUM OKAY BY TEACHERS UNION ------------------------------------- The teachers' union says a new school curriculum will modernise education, but there is a lot more work to do. Education Minister Chris Carter yesterday launched the curriculum for students in years one to ten. New Zealand Educational Institute President Irene Cooper says teachers nationwide have had a say about what is in the new curriculum. She says the vision is strong, but the Ministry needs to make sure it gets into every school. Education Minister Chris Carter has announced there will be a day next year for teachers to figure out how they will implement the curriculum. Ms Cooper says one day is not enough for teachers to get up to speed. She says schools are going to need three weeks to come to grips with the curriculum. Ms Cooper says the new approach to learning will be a big change for some schools. At least one principal is giving the new curriculum the thumbs up. The new document puts an emphasis on students thinking for themselves and a strong environmental component. South New Brighton School Principal John Bockett, says it has become easier for schools to add their own local flavour. He says it affirms the work that his school has done teaching students about the environment. The new-look curriculum also has a focus on te reo Maori, sign language, statistics, and learning a second language. HEATED DEBATE OVER TERRORISM SUPPRESSION BILL --------------------------------------------- New Zealand First has confirmed its support for the proposed amendments to the country's anti-terror laws. The Suppression of Terrorism Amendment Bill is a step closer to passing after going through committee stage debate in Parliament last night. New Zealand First MP Ron Mark has reserved a few barbs for those, particularly the Greens and the Maori Party, who oppose the Bill. He says the greatest threat to civil liberties, civilisation, and democratic society is the belief that there is no threat. He says anybody who says terror acts are not possible, are ignoring history. However, Hone Harawira has gone on the front foot against the Bill. The Maori Party MP says he will not stand quietly by and wait for the New Zealand Police force to come up with its idea of what is right and what is wrong. He says his support for whanau, iwi, and individuals threatened by the terror of state forces is absolute. Meanwhile, Maori members of the Anglican Church are joining the debate over the way police handled terror raids in Ruatoki. The church condemned the behaviour of police at roadblocks when they held their two-yearly meeting at the weekend. Archdeacon Hone Kaa says Tuhoe has always been a community that has resisted the Government. But he says there is no excuse for women, children and the elderly being subjected to terror. Mr Kaa says police should have considered using their Maori Liason Officers to deal with people. NEW REAL ESTATE RULES LABELLED UNSUSTAINABLE -------------------------------------------- Changes to the Real Estate rules will come at a price to the industry and consumers, according to one company. An independent authority will be set up to investigate complaints and licensing issues, and agents will not have to be a member of the institute. But First National Chief Executive Paul Slatin is wondering where the nine million dollars to run it will come from. He says there is no doubt the reforms will result in fewer agents, particularly if a recommendation is adopted to make sure networks employ agents on a permanent basis rather than through a contract. He says that will affect smaller offices in particular. Mr Slatin says he supports anything that gets rid of bad apples, but the new plans are unsustainable and based on economic fallacies. (The sky is falling! The sky is falling! - BH) Thursday, 8 October 2007 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NO TERROR CHARGES TO BE LAID ---------------------------- Solicitor General David Collins has decided those arrested in security raids last month won't face terrorism charges. The cases of 12 of the 16 people picked up in the October 15 raids were referred to him to consider charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act. Mr Collins says he has made the decision after considering all the evidence available, assessing the relevant law, applying the law to the evidence and deciding whether it would be in the public interest from the prosecutions to proceed. Mr Collins says there is insufficient evidence to establish the very high standards required that a group or entity was planning, or preparing to commit a terrorist act Tuhoe activist Tame Iti is one of the 12 people who was in question and is currently on remand on firearms charges, in custody. His son Toi Iti says his family is ecstatic and feels vindicated. He says the family knew right from the start that his father is not a terrorist, and are glad that some sanity has prevailed after all the craziness. Toi Iti is hoping today's decision means his father will soon be out of jail. Charl Hirschfeld represents another of the accused, Whiri Kemara, who he says is extremely relieved by the decision. He says his client was hoping for this outcome, but he was never allowed to see all the evidence so he could not be sure. Mr Hirschfeld says on the evidence he had seen, it was a very thin case. He will seek bail for Whiri Kemara tomorrow afternoon. Police Commissioner Howard Broad says police are disappointed that consent has not been given, but satisfied with the Solicitor-General's endorsement that police had a sufficient and proper basis for investigating the activities in question. "The Solicitor-General's tribute to the professionalism and integrity of the police in bringing to an end what he has described as very disturbing activities without a single shot being fired, injury or loss of life will buoy up my staff who have been the butt of considerable comment and criticism since October 15." Mr Broad says it was unfortunate, but unavoidable, that the 'terrorist' term became associated publicly with the case and the people connected with it, before the Solicitor-General had made his decision. He says police had to advise those subject to search warrants that their searches and inquiries related to potential offences under both the Arms Act and the Terrorism Suppression Act. "That the Ruatoki Valley was the epicentre of military style training camps was a geographical fact not of police's making. We had a legitimate cause to conduct enforcement actions in the valley as part of this investigation. "We are deeply concerned at the impact the operation has had on the people in the Ruatoki Valley and those who are connected to Tuhoe. We clearly appreciate that people were caught up in the termination of the operation who were innocent. We regret the hurt and stress caused to the community of Ruatoki and we will seek an appropriate way to repair the damage done to Police/Maori relations." Mr Broad notes that Peter Williams QC, acting on behalf of the Tuhoe people, says he wishes to place evidence before him of what he considers to be unsatisfactory police actions. He believes the QC is correct in directing those representations to him and says he will work out a way in which they can be looked at objectively and dispassionately. "While suggestions that relationships may have been set back 100 years may seem rather over the top, history tells us that episodes such as this can and do take decades to heal." Mr Broad says the police are confident that the nation is mature enough to work through all the ramifications of what has gone on in recent weeks, to learn from it and to move forward. (The fascinating thing about the media reaction to this has been the way in which they hear what they want to hear. They manufacture public outrage. In an admittedly unscientific phone-in poll on Friday night, 21,829 people responded, and 88% of them supported the police's action, as do I. - BH) MANUKAU TO KEEP AIRPORT SHARES ------------------------------ Manukau City Council has decided to retain its shareholding in Auckland Airport. Interest from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board means the council again has the option to sell its share of just over 10 percent. At a meeting this morning, the council heard more than 500 submissions, the majority of which were in favour of retaining the shares. Mayor Len Brown says the airport is a vital asset for the region. He says it is a major employer and as a transport hub, it brings a lot of business into Manukau. PRISON OF 6-8 STOREYS PLANNED FOR MT EDEN ----------------------------------------- Plans for a six to eight storey high prison on the current Mt Eden jail site seem to be a done deal. The Corrections Department has outlined its plans to the local community board. Auckland City Councillor Cathy Casey is concerned at the height and size of the proposed structure, that would provide another 964 prison cells. But she says locals have little avenue to object as Corrections is not required to go through normal regulatory channels. Dr Casey says while the area around the prison is largely commercial, she is concerned at the size of the proposal and the number of inmates who would be housed in the jail. (There seems to be an intention to close the Victorian prisons such as Mt Eden. I wonder if they will have the courage to demolish them. - BH) LABOUR MARKET REMAINS TIGHT --------------------------- Labour conditions remained tight in the September 2007 quarter. Statistics New Zealand's labour force survey has recorded an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent. It is the lowest rate recorded in the 20-year history of the survey. The number of people unemployed decreased by 2,000, driven by a drop in female unemployment, while male unemployment remained constant. NZAID'S PROCESSES BEING FIXED ----------------------------- Foreign Minister Winston Peters promises problems with the NZAID programme are being fixed. An audit report has criticised the development agency's management and administration processes. Mr Peters says immediate steps have been taken to remedy the identified problems and he has demanded officials fix things as a matter of urgency. He says the audit does not suggest NZAID funding has been misspent, misappropriated, or that any of NZAID's projects have been compromised. (I have had the privilege of teaching students on NZAID scholarships, and supervising doctoral candidates sponsored by NZAID. In this area at least, I believe they do a great job. - BH) REFUGEE SERVICE OPENED BY PM ---------------------------- A support service for refugees living in Auckland is being launched today. The Regional Refugee Mobile Team includes a psychologist, nurse, language teacher, and a social worker. Refugees As Survivors New Zealand CEO Gary Poole says the team will work with refugees, to help them integrate into society. He says many of the refugees have been traumatised and are victims of war. Mr Poole says the refugees have been specifically chosen by the United Nations, and are not asylum seekers. Before the support service is available to them, the refugees complete an orientation course in Mangere. Prime Minister Helen Clark will officially open the service at its Mt Roskill headquarters this afternoon. FOCUS NEEDED ON UNDER FIVES --------------------------- The government is being encouraged to focus over the next five years on children under five. New Zealand is ranked the worst in the developed world for people under 19 being killed in accidents or by injury, which includes violence, murder and suicide. Plunket CEO Paul Baigent says action is needed to improve the country's economic, social and community benefits. He says more money is needed for early childhood education and free parenting classes. Mr Baigent says families need to know they have support available. UNION UNHAPPY OVER PORT EMPLOYMENT ---------------------------------- The Port of Napier is being told to consider offering employment to locals, after offering a contract to an out-of- town company. The Maritime Union says 25 permanent and 60 casual jobs at Hawke's Bay Stevedoring are now in jeopardy. Spokesman Trevor Hansen says the union will meet with Port officials today. He says it is unfair to employees when companies change contracts. Trevor Hansen says national strike action will be considered if a resolution can not be reached. WELLINGTON COMPLEX WILL BE BIG ------------------------------ A new apartment complex planned for central Wellington will be the city's biggest. If approved, the building on the corner of Victoria and Willis Streets will have 471 apartments. It will be built on the site of Wellington's vegetable market. HEALTH BOARDS NEED RULES ------------------------ The Auditor-General has told three Auckland District Health Boards they need rules in place for when their members have conflicts of interest. Kevin Brady carried out a performance audit after the High Court set aside a contract for laboratory services to be provided for the Auckland, Counties-Manukau and Waitemata District Health Boards. The court had found a member of the Auckland DHB had a conflict of interest, and did not do enough to protect the process of awarding the contract from that conflict of interest. Mr Brady says it is often not easy to decide whether a person's other interests or connections mean they should be excluded from any decision made by the DHB they serve. He has recommended the health boards adopt a policy on conflicts of interest specifically to assist members. He says managers should be given the power to enforce it. Friday, 9 October 2007 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SIX BAILED AFTER NO-TERROR CHARGES DECISION ------------------------------------------- Six people arrested in anti-terror raids have today been bailed. Among them is high profile activist Tame Iti, who was the only defendant not to object to publication of his image. Valerie Morse, Emily Bailey, Omar Hamed and a Swiss national with name suppression all objected to even pixelated images being used. Whiri Kemara was bailed earlier today and also objected to the use of his image. All those bailed today have tight conditions including not going to Ruatoki, not possessing a firearm or passport and regularly reporting to police stations. JAILED MUMS MAY GET BABIES FOR TWO YEARS ---------------------------------------- Mothers who are serving time behind bars may soon be able to have their babies with them for up to two years. Green MP Sue Bradford's Private Member's Bill has received cross-party support as it was reported back to Parliament. It will allow mothers to have their young children with them in jail for up to two years, rather than the current six months. Sue Bradford says while the change will only affect a very small number of people, it will be hugely beneficial. FINANCIAL ADVISOR WELCOMES NEW CURRICULUM ----------------------------------------- The inclusion of money skills and savings education in the school curriculum is being welcomed by a financial advisor. Spicers advisor Allan Williams says the financial sector has been asking for money management to be brought into schools for a long time. He says teenagers leave school knowing little about hire purchases, investments or saving for retirement and are left to fumble about. Mr Williams says New Zealand is one of the first countries to introduce personal financial management in schools. AMBIGUOUS TERROR ACT UNDER FIRE ------------------------------- The Suppression of Terrorism Act is under fire, after the Solicitor-General's decision not to lay charges against 12 people arrested in anti-terror raids last month. David Collins QC has asked the Law Commission to take a look at the statute, calling it confusing and incoherent. Professor Bill Hodge from Auckland University says the law is clear that if someone blows up a bridge to try to alter Government policy, that is terrorism. But he says it is far more ambiguous on topics like conspiracy, organisation and financing of terrorists. Bill Hodge says it was always far more likely New Zealand would be faced with a conspiracy-like terrorism scenario, so more time should have been taken on that section. Police say it is not their fault if people arrested in terror raids have been branded as terrorists. Supporters of those arrested say the suggestion of terror charges has damaged their reputations. But Police Commissioner Howard Broad says police used the word 'terror' only in search warrants. He says police could not avoid using the name of the Terrorism Suppression Act in the warrants because it is the law. Mr Broad is pleased the Solicitor-General found there was a basis for investigating the activities. The Greens are applauding the Solicitor- General's decision. MP Keith Locke says it lifts a cloud from Tuhoe and activists around the country who have seen themselves as the target of a police over-reaction. He agrees with the Solicitor-General's recommendation that the Suppression of Terrorism Act be reviewed by the Law Commission. The Maori Party are worried about the damage to their image the police raids will continue to have on Maori people. They want Howard Broad to resign. They say the police force has instilled a fear of terrorism in New Zealand following last month's raids. Co-leader Tariana Turia says Howard Broad and others need to go to Tuhoe, apologise, and then resign. She says there were other pieces of legislation which could have been used to address the issues. Mrs Turia says the party is opposed to the way police have terrified the country when they did not need to. Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says people around the world now think Maori are terrorists, and it somehow needs to be repaired. He says there is a lot of propaganda about the country's race relations, but Maori and Tuhoe are seen as terrorists. Dr Sharples has also questioned whether there was government involvement in trying to have terror charges laid. The Police Association's Greg O'Connor wants the legislation to go back to the drawing board. He says the proximity of offending has to be so close that the gun virtually has to be cocked or the bomb primed before police can take action under this legislation. Greg O'Connor says the real shame is that the public will never hear all the electronic evidence police had collected. Meanwhile bail hearings could be held this afternoon for 12 people still in custody. They are now facing a number of firearms charges only. Charl Hirschfeld who represents Whiri Kemara says he will be asking the court to produce his client this afternoon, and he expects Mr Kemara to be given bail. Tame Iti's lawyer Annette Sykes says she is still waiting to hear from the court about what the process will be today. TIGHT LABOUR MARKET WILL TIGHTEN FURTHER ---------------------------------------- Business analysts are warning that the already tight labour market could still get even tighter. The country's unemployment rate is at its lowest in 20 years, putting pressure on employers as they struggle to find staff. Business correspondent Roger Kerr says business should not bank on an improvement any time soon. He says it is too early to conclude the problem is over, and we need to see what the next quarter's figures are like. Roger Kerr says much of the tightness in the market can be attributed to women working in part time jobs, and a red-hot construction sector. RESEARCHER ASKS CHURCH TO BATTLE OBESITY ---------------------------------------- The church could be instrumental in helping Pacific Islanders battle obesity. Victoria University researcher Aliitasi Tavila says organisations promoting healthier eating among Islanders need to be aware of the cultural norms around food when special occasions are held at church. She says 90 percent of Pacific Islanders attend church and the volume of food being consumed is too large. Mrs Tavila says people can access food at any hour of the day. She says if churches provide a good example it will filter down through the community. POLICE BOSS SAYS APOLOGY WOULD SEEM GLIB ---------------------------------------- The Police Commissioner says it is not the time to apologise over police actions during the anti-terror raids. Solicitor- General David Collins yesterday announced he will not allow police to lay charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act, and will not release details of the investigation. Commissioner Howard Broad says an apology would seem like a glib attempt to make things better. He says he regrets innocent people got caught up in the operation, and that they felt stressed and hurt as a result. Mr Broad says he is looking for a way to bridge the gap between police and the Ruatoki community. He has the government on his side. Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen says no one can pretend that there is a brutal and repressive police force acting at the behest of the state in an uncontrolled and unjustified fashion. Dr Cullen says anyone who claims otherwise has misread what the Solicitor-General has said. David Collins says charges will not be laid because of the way the Act is drafted. It has proved too complex for the evidence police have collected to meet the bar necessary for charges to follow. He has indicated there were no other statutes under which police could have used the intercepts and warrants that they executed. He says they have looked carefully to see if there was another more appropriate charge but have been unable to find one. David Collins says the Act was extremely difficult to apply in the domestic circumstances observed by police in this case. He says the legislation has to be comprehensible and able to work in a practical sense. Mr Collins is recommending the Law Commission review the Act, and the government says it will take that advice. Meanwhile opponents of anti-terror laws want them done away with. Activist John Minto is welcoming the decision not to lay charges, but says the anti-terror laws do not need reviewing, they should be scrapped. He says they should never have been there in the first place. John Minto says everything the police have alleged against the 12 people who were facing charges is covered by existing laws. A top Queen's Council is not surprised much of the evidence around those arrested is being kept secret. Peter Williams says it is not usual for the prosecution to release the details of the evidence. He says usually the rule is that actual evidence is not discussed until the court has heard it. Mr Williams says it would have been overkill if the accused had been charged under the Terrorism Suppression Act. The Ruatoki community is surprised but pleased at the decision. Tuhoe spokesman Tamati Kruger says they are relieved. He says the iwi do not want to isolate themselves from the rest of the country. He says they want to be contributing members of society and that means having good relationships with people. Mr Kruger says many families are still feeling traumatised after last month's raids. He is now questioning how much taxpayer money was spent on the two-year operation. The son of one of the high profile people arrested, Tame Iti, is driving from his Rotorua home to Auckland today to greet his father in Mt Eden prison. Toi Iti is hoping his father will soon be free. He hopes his father will now be granted bail so he can get out in time for his grand- daughter's fourth birthday at the end of the month. Toi Iti says he slept soundly last night for the first time since his father was arrested. 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. 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