Copyright, Brian Harmer This weekend, we were invited to a attend birthday celebration for a dear friend, but she decided that Havelock North was a good place to have it. As the old joke goes "If I was going to Havelock North, I wouldn't start from here". For a variety of reasons, it was practical to deliver the present to the Kapiti Coast before driving on to Hawke's Bay, so our journey this week begins a little North of Waikanae. The weather is a little hazy, but blessed with a thin wintry sun. A flash of white tail and brilliant blue plumage revealed several pukeko stalking along the roadside grasses, seeking heaven knows what. The pukeko is a swamp hen, reputedly best cooked with an axe head, and the bird is discarded when the axe head goes soft, and the axe head is eaten. As we progressed Northward, the Tararuas appeared on our right. The tops were shrouded with cloud, like soft butter icing running over a warm cake. Shades of grey marked the receding folds in all the hills, each successive layer being softer and lighter in colour than the one in front.
At the Southern entrance to Otaki, the bridge carries us across the shingle fan of the river and past the excellent Brown Sugar Caf� which is already doing a roaring trade, but sadly we must pass it by today. Out the other side and into the open country again. Where the road runs beside the rail line, toetoes (a large local form of pampas grass) spread their gleaming plumage to the winter sun, and wave to acknowledge our passing. A feature of the rural landscape which I must doe something about one day, with camera or pastels, is the number of derelict but character laden farm buildings. Their infinite variety, the textures of bleached wood, rusted iron, pealing paint, combined with the sense that each of them has a story to tell just fascinates me. Great reels of hay shrunk wrapped in green plastic add a new dimension in recent years. Often their placement alongside a fence, or in stacks expresses the individuality of the farmer. Sheep do not yet seem moved to graze, and seem content to lie like great bundles of snowy rag casting shadows on the warming soil. Dark rich soil in market gardens seems to be putting forth new growth in neat drilled rows, as if unaware that this is Autumn, verging on Winter. Indeed the poplars which are there to break the wind are for the most part stark grey silhouettes, hanging vainly on to the last leaves of summer. A marae with lots of cars outside, and elders seated sombrely on the porch of the wharenui hints at the likelihood of a tangihanga (Maori funeral observances) taking place. Oblivious to human tragedy, a horse stretches over the fence to nibble the greener grass inside. The landscape is still slightly frosted with the dew of morning, as we swing off the main road, past Kimberley. Nearer than before, the Tararuas are positively wreathed in cloud spilling over from the Wairarapa side. Here and there a field of late maize waits harvest, with the seed company's shield proudly proclaiming the variety to other potential buyers. As the sun gets a little higher, the contrast between light and shade is more marked, and the folded landscape becomes even more dramatic. Shannon is there, and a house of perhaps 1950s vintage is advertised for private sale at NZD$40,000. On the North side of town, beside the road, in the rough grass beside the ditch, a goat with wide twisted horns munches stolidly as we pass. Tokomaru's excellent steam museum is obviously not having an open day. Linton Army Camp is to the left, and quite suddenly, the turn off to Woodville is upon us, and we are trapped behind a bulk fertiliser truck and trailer. The road between Massey and the Manawatu Gorge is narrow and winding, so no opportunity presents itself o pass. On the other hand, this is a powerful truck, heading north to fetch a load back, so he is keeping up with the traffic, though the trailer bangs and clatters over every bump. The gorge is wild an beautiful, and you can but admire the skill and the sheer physical labour that took a railway line along one side, and a road along the other. The journey will continue next week (perhaps, since I will be in Melbourne, and I am not sure how well things will work). ------ All news items (except where noted otherwise) are reproduced by kind permission of copyright owner, IRN Ltd. 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. ---- This week's formatting is sponsored by a generous anonymous donor in New Jersey. On with the news: Monday, 6 May ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WAIKATO BACTERIA LEVELS DROP ---------------------------- Levels of bacteria in the Waikato River at Cambridge have dropped dramatically, since a dairy factory stopped discharging pollutants. Last week, Environment Waikato revealed Fonterra's NZMP Hautapu factory, had been polluting the river with bacteria which had been multiplying inside an approved wastewater pipe. The company immediately stopped using the pipe. Environment Waikato water scientist Bill Vant says test results since the pipe was shut down are pleasing. He says the bacteria levels are several hundred times lower than a fortnight ago. Further testing will continue on a weekly basis. PM HELPS EASE REFUGEE PRESSURE ------------------------------ The Prime Minister has dismissed Opposition claims that the Government is accepting queue-jumping asylum seekers. New Zealand is on the brink of filling its UN quota of 750 refugees for the year. Seventy-one Afghans and 69 Iraqis are due in the country this week, and a final intake of 81 is due next month. Helen Clark says all our refugees have already been assessed by the United Nations and passed as genuine. She has just met with the Indonesian President, and says New Zealand is looking at sourcing more of our refugee quota from the Asia Pacific region to help ease pressure on refugee camps. IT AND COMMS BOOST ------------------ A Government task force is to look at ways of growing the information technology and communications sector. It will include some of the country's top technology entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and business leaders . It is one of three task forces launched by the Government last month, as part of its Innovation Framework policy. The other two will look at the biotechnology and the creative industries. Communications Minister, Paul Swain, says the information technology sector is seen as critical to the growth of New Zealand's economy. He says it has a range of goals, including creating a better understanding of the current New Zealand IT environment. (For a sage, if sometimes slightly acerbic view on the NZ IT scene, you shouldn't miss Bruce Simpson's excellent Aardvark http://www.aardvark.co.nz/ - BH) HISTORIC WAITANGI CLAIMS AGREED 'IN PRINCIPLE' ---------------------------------------------- The Nga Rauru Iwi Authority has agreed in principal to a settlement with the Crown, for the historic Treaty of Waitangi claims of Nga Rauru Kiitahi. The agreement will be signed at Kaipo Marae, Waitotara on May 16th. Treaty Negotiations Minister Margaret Wilson, says the Crown and Nga Rauru negotiators will now work intensively on preparing a draft Deed of Settlement. It will then be put before the Nga Rauru people for approval. Ms Wilson says she has been impressed with how well the negotiators from the Southern Taranaki iwi have represented their people during the settlement process. REFUGEES MEET 'HERO' CAPTAIN ---------------------------- Close to one hundred Afghan refugees rescued by the Norwegian freighter the Tampa, are meeting with the man who saved them. Captain Arne Rinnan rescued more than 400 refugees from a sinking Indonesian boat last year. The Tampa is in Auckland for a quick stopover. Child, Youth and Family Service, Otahuhu manager, Julie Sutherland says the Auckland based refugees - including 40 boys - are pleased they have the chance to thank the Tampa captain again. She says the boys will present him with an album of photos and letters. Ms Sutherland says the refugees view the Tampa captain as a hero for saving them. FUNDING PACKAGE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES -------------------------------------------- People with disabilities are to benefit from a pre-Budget funding boost of more than $27 million. It is designed to improve their job opportunities and conditions. Minister for Disability Issues, Ruth Dyson, says the funding will be allocated over the next four years. She says the money will go towards implementing the Government's vocational services strategy, repealing legislation and revising the under-rate workers' permit system. Ms Dyson says the funding package confirms the Government's commitment to providing genuine and equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities. SIS IN NO HURRY TO REPLACE SOUTHERN CROSS ----------------------------------------- SIS says health insurance is a difficult market, which it is in no hurry to enter. Greypower has asked SIS, which specialises in insurance for older age groups, to consider offering health insurance. It follows Southern Cross's move to restructure premiums from the middle of the year so young customers no longer subsidise older age groups. Greypower believes that will drive customers back to the public health system unless someone fills the gap. General manager Martin Fox says SIS has no expertise in the area, but it is getting feedback from people looking for options. He acknowledges his customers want other options, but says SIS has no immediate plans for health insurance. AUTHORITY CHECKS OUT UNITED JET ------------------------------- The Civil Aviation Authority is carrying out a routine investigation into the United Airlines flight that was aborted for the third time on Friday. The 747 flight to San Francisco was turned back to Auckland, after the jet lost air pressure. The same plane, with the same passengers, was forced to divert to Auckland after hitting violent turbulence on Wednesday. One flight attendant and five passengers were injured. Another plane attempted to get the passengers to their destination on Thursday, but had to turn back after the pilot heard a strange engine noise. CCA spokesman, Bill Sommer, says the Authority wants to find out what caused the plane to lose air pressure. DEHUMIDIFIER'S 'USELESS' SAYS ASTHMA EXPERT ------------------------------------------- An asthma specialist says buying a dehumidifier to keep house dust mite allergens down is a waste of money. New Zealand's humid climate is believed to be a perfect environment for dust mites, which affect asthma. But Wellington Asthma Research Group director, Julian Crane, says there is no evidence air filters or dehumidifiers work. Professor Crane says unless they are on 24 hours a day, seven days a week in a sealed room, they don not affect humidity levels in the average house. The Asthma Foundation says barrier covers for pillows, duvets and mattresses are the only way it knows, of stopping dust mite allergens. WIDERSTROM PLEADS NOT GUILTY ---------------------------- Former political press secretary, Rex Widerstrom, has pleaded not guilty in a Perth court, to seven sex charges involving a 14-year-old girl he met over the Internet. Mr Widerstrom, a former press secretary to NZ First leader Winston Peters, was extradited to Australia in February, to face the charges. The 39-year-old father of four pleaded not guilty to the seven charges, and not guilty to one further charge of indecent dealing. Mr Widerstrom's bail conditions have been renewed. He is not allowed to contact the teenager, but he has not been barred from Internet access because the judge deemed it too difficult to police. He has been ordered to reappear in court on September the 25th when a trial date is expected to be set. EMPLOYEES' LEGAL PROTECTION 'TOO HARD' -------------------------------------- The issue of introducing employment laws, which protect workers rights in the event of a business being sold, may be decided through the election. A Ministerial Advisory Group, of employers and unions, has been unable to reach a policy agreement on the issue. The Group also looked at the legal protections for when the work of employees is contracted out. Associate Minister of Labour Laila Harre say it is not surprising consensus has not developed. Ms Harre says the government and political parties now need to say where they stand on the issue. EXPELLED ALLIANCE MPS SHOULD QUIT CABINET ----------------------------------------- The Opposition is calling on the Prime Minister to sack the Alliance MPs who are part of her Cabinet. National Shadow leader of the House Gerry Brownlee wants Helen Clark to explain why she is allowing Jim Anderton, Sandra Lee, Matt Robson and John Wright to stay as members of the Executive. He says the Prime Minister needs to explain how she intends applying provisions in the Cabinet Manual, to those four MPs who have been expelled from the Alliance. Gerry Brownlee says Parliament's Speaker cannot act, because the MPs have not written to inform him they have been kicked out of the Alliance. But he says Helen Clark can act, by removing them from the Executive. SEX OFFENDER GREER FOUND. ------------------------- Dangerous sex offender Allan Ivo Greer has been found after more than 40 hours on the loose. He was recaptured in Mauriceville north of Masterton early this afternoon. The town was cordoned off by police this morning after a number of sightings by local people. Greer escaped from Purehurehu Regional Forensic Health Unit in Porirua on Saturday evening. Capital and Coast Health spokesman, Michael Tull, says he broke loose due to a faulty locking system in a door. He then fled into an unsupervised courtyard and scaled a five metre high fence. Mr Tull says a full security audit will be conducted in the wake of the breakout. The faulty door has now been repaired, and a report into the incident is being compiled. Police had to move some of his victims because of safety concerns. (We were driving back from Havelock North approaching Masterton as the news of his recapture was announced. We were unlikely to have picked him up as a hitchhiker, but nevertheless it was enough to make me worry � BH) Tuesday, 07 May ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ECSTASY BUST AT AUCKLAND AIRPORT -------------------------------- Customs says its latest seizure of Ecstasy tablets indicates the increasing demand in New Zealand for the drug. Officers at Auckland International Airport have intercepted a man off a flight from Taipei, with 8,000 ecstasy tablets concealed on his body. They could sell on the street for up to half a million dollars. Customs manager Phil Chitty says it is the result of good work by his officers and the latest in a long line of seizures of the drug. Mr Chitty says the increased demand on the street means more interceptions are being made at the border. A 31-year-old Hong Kong Chinese has been charged with importing the drug. LITTLE INROAD MADE IN DEBT REPAYMENT ------------------------------------ It is taking longer for men to pay off their student loans - and women still take three decades. The University Students Association says the average repayment time for male graduates has increased from 14 to 15 years. For women graduates the figure is steady at 28 years. Association Co- President Andrew Campbell says the repayment times show the Government's work to date has done little to help the student debt crisis. He says access to living allowances must be increased, and tuition fees reduced, if the government wants to solve the problem. LONGER IN JAIL FOR MYSTERY MAN ------------------------------ It will be another week behind bars in Christchurch for an Asian man who is refusing to tell the Immigration Service who he really is. The man variously known as Sean Wu, Jack Li, Jacky Lee and Joe Li Wah, has spent the past two months in custody as immigration staff try to find out who he is and what he is doing in New Zealand. This morning his lawyer Greg Trainor again applied for bail and told the Court an address was available where Wu could reside while enquiries continue. Judge Somerville set a bail hearing for next week but reminded Wu his future is in his own hands and if he wants to be released, all he has to do is to co- operate with authorities. JACKSON STANDS FOR NEW TAINUI SEAT ---------------------------------- Alliance Deputy Leader Willie Jackson is to contend the new Tainui Maori electorate. The seat, originally called Te Tai Hauauru, is currently held by Labour's Nanaia Mahuta. Mr Jackson has Tainui and Ngati Maniapoto affiliations. He joined Mana Motuhake in 1995 and went on to stand for the Alliance, of which his party is a part, in Manurewa in 1996 and in Hauraki in 1999. He ousted Sandra Lee as leader of Mana Motuhake last year. At number 9 on the Alliance list, Willie Jackson was the highest ranked non-MP in the 1999 election. He says he will bring a more up-front campaign style to the Maori electorate, with street meetings, personal visits to voters and a visible presence in the community. GORDON MAY THROW IN THE TOWEL ----------------------------- Alliance list MP and Laila Harre supporter Liz Gordon is considering quitting politics at the election. Dr Gordon has been given until the end of the month to make her decision known to party president Matt McCarten. She denies her career re-think is related to the Alliance row and says the thought of leaving the party with only two MPs is likely to make her decision harder. The former university lecturer says it has been very frustrating being the Government's junior coalition partner. She says she is also tired of the nastiness in politics, where attacks get very personal. Liz Gordon will announce her decision at the end of the month. She may return to the education sector. INSURANCE COMPANY EXPLAINS AGE-BANDING PREMIUMS ----------------------------------------------- The country's third largest health insurer says it faced the same backlash from customers as Southern Cross, when it changed to age-banding premiums. Southern Cross plans to restructure premiums from the middle of the year, so that young people do not end up subsidising older members. UniMed, with 65,000 customers, says grouping them into five-year age bands ensured its competitiveness. General Manager Dermot Martin says, without it, premiums have to be averaged over a wider age range, making health insurance unattractive to younger people. He says if there is not a balance of ages, high claims for older people catch up and insurance becomes too expensive for everyone. PACKED COURT FOR ALKEMA MURDER ACCUSED -------------------------------------- The man accused of murdering Kate Alkema has appeared before a packed court. Twenty-one-year-old Nika Abraham appeared in the Lower Hutt District Court. He has been remanded in custody, to reappear on June 4. Kate Alkema's body was found on the banks of the Hutt River almost a month ago. Abraham was arrested on April 23. MURDER ACCUSED'S NAME RELEASED ------------------------------ The name has now been released of the Waikanae man charged with murder. Twenty-nine-year-old Richard Charles Van Hawkins has appeared in the Porirua District court this morning. He has been remanded in custody until the 21st of May. Van Hawkins has been charged with stabbing to death a 30-year-old man in Paraparaumu at the weekend. The victim suffered wounds to his neck and chest. Appearing in court today, the accused covered his face from the media and public gallery. He has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric assessment. SUPER SCHEME CHALLENGES ----------------------- The National Party is challenging the legality of the Government's million dollar superannuation fund advertising campaign. The radio, television and newspaper advertising campaign began last month, with a leaflet drop beginning yesterday. National's Superannuation spokesman Gerry Brownlee believes the campaign is very misleading. He says it fails to tell people that at its peak, the fund will only be able to cover about 14 percent of the cost of superannuation. Mr Brownlee says National's taking the matter up with the Audit Office. He says National wants to know how the campaign was cleared for taxpayer funding as "informational". Mr Brownlee says, as far as he can see, it is party political propaganda. National is also lodging a complaint with the Advertising Standards Complaint Board. HEAT TURNED UP ON FINE DODGERS ------------------------------ The heat is about to be turned up on people with outstanding court fines or victim reparations payments. The Government has announced $36 million in extra funding over the next four years to help expand the Fines Collection Call Centre. Courts Minister Matt Robson says the money will enable the Department of Courts to collect an extra $90 million, including $22 million in victims' payments. Mr Robson says experience shows that, if the Department of Courts can find and contact people who owe fines, it can generally get the money. He says the money will allow the fines centre to expand from 53 agents and staff at one location to 180 staff at two locations. (I think greater priority should be given to ordinary citizens who are owed restitution, and that fines should be second in the queue behind them � BH) FEWER TEENS LIGHT UP -------------------- The number of teenage smokers lighting up seems to be declining. Anti-smoking lobby group ASH says the number of Year 10 students (fourth-formers aged 14 and 15) who smoke has fallen. The number of girls who smoke at least once a day fell from 17 to 15 percent from between 1999 and 2001. In the case of Year 10 boys, the drop was from 14 percent to 12 percent. ASH believes a 20 percent increase in the price of cigarettes in 2000 and a large number of schools going smokefree have had some impact on teenage smoking. ASH director Trish Fraser says the recently introduced quit media campaign and quitline could have resulted in many teenagers realising that smoking is a dead-end habit. Ms Fraser says the survey shows that the high smoking rates of the 1990s appear to have been reversed. Smoking has declined significantly among Asian and European girls and Maori and European boys. However, ASH researchers say the results are less certain for boys and further surveys are required to confirm any trend among them. More than 30,000 students from 327 secondary schools took part in the survey last year. (Wellington youth are apparently blowing smoke-laden raspberries at this research, and say that none of their mates have quit. � BH) COMPETITION FOR BUDDING ECONOMISTS ---------------------------------- The Reserve Bank is searching for the next generation of economists. It has unveiled a new nationwide school competition giving students the chance to make the country's interest-rate decisions. The competition is being dubbed the Monetary Policy Challenge and will run in the third school term of this year. Reserve Bank spokeswoman Lisa Ryan says each secondary school can enter a team of no more than five members. She says the students then set an Official Cash Rate to be presented to one of the Reserve Bank's economists. The winning school stands to take away $2,500. Ms Ryan says it may not be as baffling as it sounds as the students can tap into the Reserve Bank's website for help. She says it is surprising how switched on some secondary economics students are. Ms Ryan says information packs have been mailed to the country's economics teachers. (That was such a disappointing article. Based on the headline, I expected a competition for the person who could think of the best use for surplus economists ... you know, like rafting the Waikato with bundles of them lashed together ... just kidding ... honestly! :-) - BH) Wednesday, 08 May ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CLARK'S ART INVESTIGATION TAKES WEEKS ------------------------------------- It is expected to take several weeks for police to investigate a complaint about Helen Clark's charity artwork. Police have confirmed they are following up a complaint after the Prime Minister signed an artwork which she admits she did not do herself. The item was sold for $1,000 to Auckland businessman Henry Van Dijk at a charity auction in aid of Ponsonby Primary School in Auckland. Detectives will not reveal who has lodged the complaint. The Act and National parties say they did not lodge it, although both say they considered doing so. Meanwhile, Auckland barrister Kevin Ryan QC says the police involvement is out of all proportion to the seriousness of the issue and he doubts the case will succeed because Miss Clark made no financial gain. The Prime Minister later reimbursed Mr Van Dijk and the painting was sold at another charity auction for $5,000. NO BLACK CAPS HURT IN BOMB BLAST ------------------------------- A bomb has exploded outside the hotel in Karachi where the Black Caps are staying during their tour of Pakistan. No- one from the New Zealand camp has been injured but it is not yet known if anyone standing outside the Sheraton hotel was hurt. The team was preparing to leave for the cricket ground when the bomb went off, at about ten to two, our time. Windows have been blown out by the force of the blast. Our reporter Brian Waddell, who is also staying at the hotel says Pakistan police have already imposed strong security measures around the New Zealand team. Members of the cricket team are currently standing in the hotel car park where they have been evacuated. No-one is being allowed back into the building while police and emergency services assess the situation. WE DIDN'T DOB PM IN SAYS SCHOOL ------------------------------ Ponsonby Primary School claims it had nothing to do with the dobbing-in of Helen Clark over the fake artwork row. The Prime Minister is the subject of a police investigation after commissioning work to be done for her and signing it as her own. Ponsonby Primary had a doodle supplied by Miss Clark for an art auction. Principal Anne Malcolm says she understands the investigation does not surround those doodles but rather a painting the Prime Minister supplied for another charity. She says Detective Superintendent Malcolm Burgess visited the school yesterday to ask some general questions. Ms Malcolm says no one involved with the school is responsible for dobbing the PM in. PAINTING INQUIRY "WASTE OF POLICE TIME" --------------------------------------- Police are being criticised for assigning a high-ranking detective to investigate the Prime Minister for duping a charity. Helen Clark and her Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton are being investigated for signing artwork for a charity auction which they did not draw themselves. The proceeds went to Ponsonby Primary School in Auckland. Auckland barrister Kevin Ryan QC says the police involvement is out of all proportion to the seriousness of the issue. He says there is something wrong when a detective superintendent is assigned to investigate such a trivial matter while police are struggling to find senior staff to supervise homicide inquiries. He says having a high-ranking detective heading the inquiry is a waste of police time and taxpayers' money. Mr Ryan believes there is not a case to answer because neither party made any gains. He says a judge would throw out the case. Miss Clark reimbursed Auckland businessman Henry Van Dijk the $1,000 paid for the painting. The artwork, a doodle of the Beehive, has since reached $5,000 at an auction. BAIL FOR TEACHER ON DRUGS CHARGES --------------------------------- Two men accused of making the drug ecstasy in a Napier shed have made a brief appearance in the district court. Napier Boys High School teacher, Reuben John Martin, who is 30, and 31-year-old Adam Lee McHardy, a supervisor, are charged with conspiring to manufacture Class B MDMA - commonly known as ecstasy. They have been remanded on bail until the 26th of June. A depositions hearing date is expected to be set then. PACIFIC RADIO NETWORK BOARD APPOINTED ------------------------------------- Veteran Samoan broadcaster Tino Pereira has won a place on the board of the new national Pacific radio network. He joins six other board members, who will be required to provide strategic direction for the network. It is due to begin broadcasting later this year. The Government has set aside $7. 7 million to establish the network, which will have regional input and be run on a non-profit basis. All board members have been appointed for four years. FINANCIAL BOOST FOR BROADCASTING -------------------------------- Government spending on television is being increased by $18 million in this year's budget. Twelve million dollars of it will go to Television New Zealand to meet costs associated with implementing its new charter. Another $6 million will go to New Zealand On Air and will be earmarked for television. The funding boost for NZ On Air gives the organisation $97.121 million a year to hand out. The agency received $93.621 million in the financial year, incorporating a one-off $2.5 million allocation. It spent 62.7 million on television. Broadcasting Minister Marian Hobbs says the additional money for TVNZ acknowledges that the charter will look beyond purely commercial objectives and reflects the cultural and civic importance of public television. She says the support made available through New Zealand On Air is essential in ensuring New Zealand has local content on television and the extra $6 million means developments in this area will be maintained. She says TVNZ will continue to be eligible to apply for New Zealand On Air funding. Ms Hobbs claims the future of public television in New Zealand is much brighter than was the case two-and-a-half years ago. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE PREDICTED FOR WARREN KYD ------------------------------------------- A mission impossible is expected for National's Clevedon MP Warren Kyd. He is up against Remuera lawyer Judith Collins as he tries to retain the right to be National's candidate for the seat in this year's election. Long standing Waitakere MP Brian Neeson was in a similar situation and was ousted by John Key. Mr Neeson says everything points to Mr Kyd being dealt the same blow. He says Mr Kyd has been identified by party hierarchy as someone it wants removed in its efforts to have a younger caucus. FORMER MP FINED --------------- Former MP and senior police officer Ross Meurant has been fined following his conviction on charges of impersonating a police officer. He has also been convicted on assault and driving charges, relating to an incident on the Desert Road in October last year. Mr Meurant's lawyer Warren Stotter applied for his client to be discharged without conviction on the assault and impersonation charges, after the former police officer entered guilty pleas in the Hamilton District Court yesterday. However this morning the judge has rejected that application, and fined Mr Meurant more than $800 in courts costs. Meurant denied the charges in January. The court heard that Mr Meurant saw a truckie trying to take control of the accident and believed he was too agitated. Mr Meurant then drove out of the traffic queue towards the scene when the altercation with the truck driver took place. Bystanders reported that Mr Meurant implied that he was a police officer. In fighting the charges, Warren Stotter argued that because of Mr Meurant's career, he had accumulated a big pile of 'brownie points' and was now entitled to draw on them. TRAIN HITS SLEEPING WOMAN ------------------------- A 60-year-old woman sleeping on the tracks near Middlemore Station in Auckland has been run over and killed by a commuter train. The incident happened around 6am on the southbound service. Senior Sergeant Gavin Macdonald says the driver originally thought that some rubbish was sitting on the tracks. He says the woman woke up but was unable to get off the tracks in time and was dragged by the train for about 40 metres down the tracks. Gavin Macdonald says police are still investigating at the scene and trains have not been allowed to pass through the station this morning. He says the driver is shaken. ANDERTON AND HARRE EXCHANGE VERBAL BLOWS --------------------------------------- The two Alliance factions are fighting again. In a speech to the Seafarers' Union, Laila Harre has slammed Jim Anderton for what she describes as his bitter and unjustified attacks on the party she now leads. She added that she is as angry as the next person about Jim Anderton's decision to leave the Alliance. Mr Anderton has hit back, saying Ms Harre's comments illustrate one of the reasons why he decided to quit the party he founded. Jim Anderton says there are more important things in politics at the moment than attacks between the two Alliance factions. POLICE CAR CRASH LEAVES SERIOUS INJURY -------------------------------------- A man is in a serious condition after his car collided with a police car near Christchurch. The accident happened in the small town of Kirwee, when one car pulled out of a service station and crashed into the police patrol car. The driver of the car has been flown by helicopter to Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries. The officer in the police car was shaken but was unhurt. Police say the State Highway through Kirwee to the South Island's West Coast has only one lane open for west-bound traffic. Vehicles travelling east are being diverted. Police say the accident is being investigated. COMPLAINTS ABOUT INTERNET COMPANY --------------------------------- Consumer complaints have sparked a trans-Tasman investigation into an internet company. New Zealand's Commerce Commission has received 35 complaints in the past fortnight about the Internet Naming Group. The Melbourne- based company claims to have authority to register internet domain names. But Director of Fair Trading Deborah Battell says there is no evidence to support the claims. She says the investigation is a joint operation with the Australian Competition and Commerce Commission. Thursday, 09 May ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EMPLOYMENT FIGURES OUT TODAY ---------------------------- Another factor in the Reserve Bank's interest rate calculations will be unveiled this morning. Employment figures are expected to show the jobless rate continues to hover at 13-year lows. The market is picking an unemployment rate of around 5.4 percent. However analysts say, if the jobless rate falls to around five percent, interest rates will move up faster. At the moment economists believe the Reserve Bank will increase the official cash rate next week by either a quarter or half a percent. At the moment the rate is 5.25 percent. POLICE SEARCH FOR GUNMAN ------------------------ Police believe armed robbery was the motive behind the fatal shooting at an Auckland pizza company. An employee at the Pizza Delivery Company in Pakuranga was killed last night when a man entered the shop at around 8.30pm. Spokeswoman Angeline Barlow says police, sniffer dogs and the police helicopter Eagle were used to try to find the gunman. A scene-examination is also underway. It is the second death of a pizza worker within the last eight months. Forty-year-old Michael Choy was attacked by nine people while he was delivering pizzas in Papakura in September last year. (A young man is dead for $250!!! This is sick stuff � BH) HAVE YOUR SAY ON COURT SYSTEM ----------------------------- What could be a major shake-up for the court system is being launched today. The Law Commission has released a discussion paper on the way the courts operate. The 89-page document calls for public submissions on almost every aspect of the justice system. The report called Striking the Balance, has found that it is debatable whether the ideals of justice for all are being achieved in practice. The report says there are frequent complaints that the system is mysterious, slow, too expensive and not available to everyone who needs it. Commission President, Justice Bruce Robertson wants feedback on issues including the cost and accessibility of the court system. The Law Commission hopes to make a final report including recommendations for reform by April. CLARK TALKS TO ROTORUA MAORI ---------------------------- Prime Minister Helen Clark will lead a ministerial visit to Rotorua today, to meet and talk with local Maori. The two- day visit will focus on Maori economic and social development. Six other ministers including Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia and Tariana Turia will accompany Miss Clark. The visit follows similar trips last year to Northland, Gisborne, Wanganui, Auckland, Christchurch and Hamilton. Miss Clark says it provides the opportunity to talk directly with Maori about development issues. ANAESTHETIST SHORTAGE CONCERNS ------------------------------ Anaesthetists are concerned there could be a staffing crisis in New Zealand if something is not done to address retention problems. Australian hospitals are recruiting New Zealand anaesthetists to help cover a desperate shortage across the Tasman. New Zealand College of Anaesthetists chairwoman Dr Sharon King says student loans are forcing more young anaesthetists to seek work overseas. She says if that trend continues New Zealand will also be short of anaesthetists in a couple of years. Dr King says a Health Ministry taskforce has been set up to deal with retention issues. CUSTOMERS FLOCK TO KIWIBANK --------------------------- Kiwibank is signing up new customers at a rate of 500 a day, according to Deputy Prime Minister, Jim Anderton. Mr Anderton says he's also delighted with the speed in which Kiwibank branches are being opened. He says there are already 140 Kiwibank branches open around the country. Mr Anderton claims Kiwibank could be setting a world record for the speed of its branch openings. (Rose tinted spectacles? I heard another perspective which suggested that actual sign-ups were about fifty percent behind projections � BH) MINISTRY ENTERS WAGES ROW ------------------------- The Education Ministry has entered the secondary teachers' wage row, expressing its frustration over the dispute in an open letter to the country's major newspapers. The letter - which starts "dear families" - explains that the ministry has the responsibility for negotiating the secondary teachers' collective agreement on behalf of the Government. It goes on to say it is very disappointed the secondary teachers' union, the PPTA, could not call off the current strike action, and that it is absolutely determined to resolve the dispute as soon as possible. The letter's signed off by Secretary for Education, Howard Fancy. Friday, 10 May ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JOB FIGURES NO CAUSE FOR COMFORT --------------------------------- Unions say there is no room for complacency despite a drop in the number of people out of work. Unemployment figures for the March quarter job show the jobless rate has fallen by point one of one percent. Sixty-three-thousand jobs were also created during the three months. The Council of Trade Unions is unhappy there are still 188,000 people are out of work. CTU economist Peter Conway says 5. 3 percent unemployment sounds good but the country has to aim for even lower rates through investment in industry training and regional development. MIXED REACTION TO KAUMATUA VISITS --------------------------------- A Maori elder says he is excited by the government's new policy to encourage kaumatua to visit prisons to help Maori inmates but a criminologist has doubts. Corrections Minister Matt Robson says Maori elders will help inmates with family relationships and ensure they re-integrate into the community safely. Mr Robson says kaumatua will have a direct link to him and the department. Bishop Whakahuihui Vercoe says more needs to be done to help Maori prisoners and reduce reoffending and the government's policy is a good start. He says so far 40 people have registered as kaumatua visitors to all prisons in the country. But a Canterbury University sociologist who has spent time behind bars is sceptical of the new policy. Dr Greg Newbold says the base causes of offending have to be dealt with. They include a lack of living and employment skills. He says those issues are more important than feel-good policies of cultural sensitivity and training. EQUAL ACCESS TO CANCER DRUGS ---------------------------- Cancer patients around the country are now guaranteed equal access to cancer drugs. A new assessment process, run by the government's drug management agency, PHARMAC, will ensure all approved drugs are available nationally. PHARMAC medical director Dr Peter Moodie says the changes follow recommendations from the Cancer Treatments' Working Party. He says, in the past, there have been problems making sure cancer treatment is equally available for patients regardless of where they live. Dr Moodie says PHARMAC will also draw advice from the nation's cancer specialists to ensure a mandate is given for any new drug approvals. LUCKY ESCAPE FOR PIZZA COLLEAGUE -------------------------------- Police say the manager of an Auckland pizzeria is lucky to be alive after the robbery which cost the life of an employee. Marcus Doig was shot dead by the man who robbed the Pizza Delivery Company in Pakuranga on Wednesday night. Detective Inspector Steve Rutherford understands the gunman fired more than two shots at the men from a sawn-off rifle. He says 23-year-old Mr Doig was cooperating with the robber when he was shot. Mr Rutherford says it could have easily been a double homicide. The offender got away with up to $300. Police are continuing to examine the scene of the fatal shooting and will be knocking on doors in the area in an attempt to gain more information and find possible witnesses. Police describe the offender as Maori or Pacific Island, in his mid 20s and wearing a bandana covering his face. BETTER NEWS FOR NATIONAL IN LATEST POLL --------------------------------------- Some good news for National supporters. The latest NBR opinion poll has the party gaining three points to 31 percent but it still trails Labour by a significant margin. Labour is down two points to 51 percent, still enough for it to govern alone. The Greens are down slightly to 5.9 percent. For the centre-right, the good news is also that Act has broken the five percent threshold for list representation in Parliament. Its showing of 5.4 percent is more than a point ahead of last month's figure. New Zealand First is steady at 3.2 percent but Winston Peters is favoured to win the Tauranga seat whereas Act's chances of taking a constituency seat do not look great. The split in the Alliance has not benefited any Alliance or former Alliance supporters. Jim Anderton's Progressive Coalition, not yet recognised in Parliament, attracts just 1.4 percent of the vote. The rump of his former party, the Alliance led by Laila Harre, attracts one percent while Alliance supporters who are unsure which faction they support account for 0.2 percent of the vote. According to the poll, if an election were held now, Labour would win about 62 seats compared with National's 38 and seven apiece for Act New Zealand and the Greens. New Zealand First would have four MPs in the new Parliament - assuming leader Winston Peters wins the Tauranga seat. Jim Anderton's Progressive Coalition would earn it two seats in the House based on Mr Anderton winning Wigram. Peter Dunne's Future New Zealand party hardly rates but he seems set to retain his hold on the Ohariu-Belmont seat. (Aaaaggghhh! I was OK until that last sentence! - BH) ANZ CONSIDERS CRITICAL CORONER'S REPORT --------------------------------------- The union for bank staff wants the ANZ to seriously consider findings outlined in a coroner's report over the death of bank worker, Mike Smith. Mr Smith, who had worked for the bank for more than 20 years, committed suicide in March 2000. The Christchurch Coroner found work-related stress compounded his depressive illness. Coroner Richard McElrea expressed surprise that the ANZ did not change Mr Smith's performance targets, even though he had taken considerable sick leave because of his depression. The union representing bank workers, Finsec, says the findings vindicate concerns it has had for many years about the health risks of performance management. Finsec general secretary Don Farr says one of the criticism relates to performance targets given to ANZ employees. He says the targets were unreasonable and he alleges the bank threatened dismissal if they were not met. Mr Farr says Mike Smith's performance was also published for others to see. He claims the bank then refused Finsec's request to adjust the targets. Mr Farr admits the ANZ cannot be blamed for Mr Smith's death, but says the bank must take on board the cause and effect issues. But the ANZ claims it works to maintain the mental health of its employees. ANZ spokesman Steve Fisher says management went to extreme lengths to help Mr Smith. He says the bank is concerned about all its staff and conducts regular surveys of job satisfaction and stress levels. Mr Fisher says the ANZ will review the criticisms in the report. MANSLAUGHTER FOR AIRPORT RUNWAY SPEEDSTER ----------------------------------------- A Gisborne man who drove his car at almost 200 kilometres an hour along the city's airport runway has been convicted of manslaughter. The high-speed joyride in September last year ended in tragedy when the driver, Brent Douglas Emerson failed to stop the car in time. It went off the end of the runway, slewed across grass, flew 20 metres onto a nearby road, and cart-wheeled into a paddock. Levin man, Ross Burgess was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. Mr Burgess's wife was injured. Emerson has tonight been convicted by a jury of manslaughter and dangerous driving causing injury while under the influence of alcohol. He'll be sentenced on the 31st of May. COURT APPEARANCE IN PHARMACY CASE --------------------------------- A man accused of robbing a Plimmerton pharmacy earlier today has been arrested, and will appear in court tomorrow. A team of 30 police searching for the 29-year-old found him this afternoon in Porirua. Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Oxnam says a member of the public spotted the wanted man on a Porirua street, and alerted police. He says the man has been charged with aggravated robbery. Other charges are possible. CENSUS INFO AVAILABLE ON THE WEB ------------------------------- Within a few weeks, census information will be available free of charge on the Statistics New Zealand website. Minister of Statistics Laila Harre's announced a pre-budget funding boost of 617 thousand dollars over the next four years, to fund public access to Census data. She says up until now, Statistics New Zealand has had to charge for the information. Ms Harre says the new policy will save universities, businesses and communities tens of thousands of dollars. PUPPETRY PRODUCER PROTESTS PREMATURE EVACUATION ----------------------------------------------- The executive producer of the controversial stage show Puppetry of the Penis doubts the people of Wanganui are opposed to it. The Wanganui District Council has banned Puppetry from the council-owned Royal Opera House. Mayor Chas Poynter says he has had phone calls from residents concerned about the show, which features two Australians manipulating their genitals in a variety of ways. Executive producer Thomas Milazzo, speaking to our newsroom from Sydney, says he has had problems in the past with coy councils. He says usually he gets the opportunity to discuss it with them, and they then turn around and approve it. He says the way tickets are selling they would have had a full house. He says if people did not want to see it, they wouldn't have sold 200 tickets in advance, so far. TAINUI CEO APPOINTED -------------------- Tainui has appointed a new chief executive officer to oversee its commercial activities. The Waikato tribe has gone through a restructuring phase, separating its commercial assets from its dealings with beneficiaries. Commercial operations are now included under the corporate name of Tainui Group Holdings Limited. Steve Murray, who's of Ngati Kuri descent, will head the division. Mr Murray was previously a strategic business consultant in Hong Kong for an American IT company. THE FINANCIAL PAGE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Date: 9 May 2002 Brian Dooley Wellington New Zealand CURRENCIES ~~~~~~~~~~ The currency codes given below conform to ISO 4217, which can be found at http://www.xe.net/currency/iso_4217.htm. The rates given are for telegraphic transfer and are as given in the Wellington Evening Post today. To Buy NZD 1.00 USD 0.4525 AUD 0.8366 GBP 0.3110 JPY 58.40 CAD 0.7108 EUR 0.5018 HKD 3.5376 SGD 0.8210 ZAR 4.6448 CHF 0.7305 INTEREST RATES (%) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Call : 5.25 90 Day: 5.84 HOW TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian Harmer does NOT administer the mailing list. Please do not send subscription related messages to him. ALL requests to subscribe or unsubscribe must be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe: send a one-line e-mail with the following command: subscribe nznews <e-mail-addr> To unsubscribe, the message to send is: unsubscribe nznews <e-mail- addr> In either case, omit the angular brackets. Remember, to unsubscribe, you must use exactly the same alias as you used to subscribe in the first place. New subscribers can add themselves to the WYSIWYG News E- mail list by using the enrolment form at the Akiko web site: http://nz. com/NZ/News/ -- Brian M. Harmer This message sent to: [email protected]
