New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands ::: A News Blog ::: est 2004



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Sunday, October 31

Ruling on events from 135 years ago?

The Attorney General has welcomed a Waitangi Tribunal report on claims from the Gisborne region. The report has found the execution of more than 100 unarmed prisoners at Ngatapa Pa in 1868 was one of the worst abuses of law and human rights in the country's colonial history. It also found the murders of up to 70 people by religious leader Te Kooti and his followers breached the Treaty. Considering these events took place in 1868 some find it difficult to understand the point of the report.



Tour money unpaid.

Auckland travel company 'Go Holidays' is chasing New Zealand Maori Rugby League for $85,000 of unpaid travel expenses. The money is owing for the 2003 Maori rugby leauges tour to France.



"Live Somewhere Else" Burqa Women Told.

NZ First leader Winston Peters has suggested two muslim woman who refuse to remove their 'burqa' during a court appearance would be happier living 'somewhere else'. The muslim women have been called to testify in a fraud case. One woman told the judge she would rather kill herself than reveal her face as this would be embarrassing and against her religion. There is overwhelming opposition among the general public to allowing such foriegn culture practises when they clash with accepted NZ values.



Niue aid package.

NZ PM Helen Clarke has signed a $20 million aid deal with Niue during a recent visit to the island.$6 million will go to building a new hospital after the old one was destroyed by a cyclone. Assistance will also be provided to try and save Niues' language and culture. There are 1,300 people living on Niue, and 20,000 Niueans living in New Zealand.



Saturday, October 30

Maori artifacts stolen.

Thieves have stolen Maori artifacts valued at $500,000 from a Banks Peninsula (Christchurch) museum. The thieves broke through the roof of the Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum and stole treasured greenstone artifacts.



Thursday, October 28

NZ soldiers return home.

Ten NZ soldiers will return home after 6 months in Bosnia. The troops worked for the Liaison and Observation Team attached to the Stabilisation Force . They will arrive in Palmerston North on sat 30th Oct.



NZ movie wins award at St Tropez.

NZ film 'Fracture' has been voted 'Most popular film' at the annual St Tropez film festival. Auckland actress Kate Elliot won the prize for best actress. The film is based on the novel 'Crime Story' by Maurice Gee.



Wednesday, October 27

Population stats out.

NZ's population at September 30th is estimated at 4,072,500. Growth was 1.2%, down from 1.7% last year.



NZ ranks near top in media freedom.

New Zealand has ranked highly in a global survey of media freedom. The French media watch-dog, Reporters Without Borders, places New Zealand ninth. It is the only country outside of Europe to be in the top ten. Denmark and Finland were first and second respectively. Australia was 41st on the list, mostly due to its government preventing journalists from interviewing refugees held in detention camps. The United Kingdom ranked 28th and the USA was 22nd equal. Cuba and North Korea were the worst ranked nations on 166 and 167 respectively.
Copyright 2003 Newstalk ZB News.



Tuesday, October 26

Americans living in NZ sign up.

There has been a sharp increase in the number of US citizens living in NZ registering to vote in the upcoming elections. There are approx 15,000 Americans currently resident in NZ.



Former ACT MP Donna Awatere in court.

MP Donna Awatere Huata and her husband Wi Huata were in court today facing fraud charges. Donna Huata faces 11 fraud charges totalling $92,000 and Wi Huata faces six fraud charges involving $58,000. The case concerns cheques cashed against the Government funded Pipi Foundation. They also face charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.



NZ dollar up.

The NZ dollar continues to rise, today going above 70c against the US$. (26/10)



Monday, October 25

Pitcairn Island convictions.

Six men on Pitcairn Island have been convicted on rape and indecent assault charges. Sentences will be announced next week. The men's lawyers had argued that the Bounty mutineers, who settled on the island, stopped being British subjects when they burnt the ship (Bounty) in 1789.



US gun laws.

Christchurch gun dealer David Tipple has returned to NZ after serving 20 months in a US jail for violating gun laws. He breached US customs regulations by not advising an airline in writing that he had firearms in his luggage.



Sunday, October 24

Demonstrators clash outside parliament.

About 50 National Front members holding a rally outside parliament were surrounded by anti-racism protesters and one NF member had to be rescued by police after being assaulted by the crowd.
A recent poll showed 53% of NZers believe race relations are getting worse. Asians are identified as the most discriminated against.



Skilled labour shortage causing problems.

Not only are employers struggling to find skilled staff, there is now a shortfall emerging in the unskilled market. The growth in the economy is expected to continue but is being hampered by unfilled staff vacancies. The Government is trying to attract skilled overseas workers and finding ways to retain skilled NZers. With the economy so strong now would be a good time for expatriates thinking of returning home, to make the move.



Saturday, October 23

Rugby/Canterbury take NPC title.

Canterbury defeated Wellington 40-27 to take out the NPC division 1 championship. The game was played in Wellington sat 23rd.



Waitangi Day name change.

A bill proposing NZs' national day,Waitangi Day has a name change to New Zealand Day is likely to be heard before Christmas. The bill was proposed by United Futures Peter Dunne. The first reading of the bill should take place in december.



Samoans being recruited for prison staff vacancies.

The Department of Corrections is looking to recruit Samoans to make up a shortfall of 290 prison officers. An additional 1800 officers will be needed when new prisons open in Northland,Waikato,Otago and a womens prison in Sth Auckland. Department representatives are currently in Samoa seeking prospective employees. They are also looking at the UK as a source of new staff.



Chinese student numbers fall.

The number of Chinese students coming to NZ for study has fallen by 50%. Reasons given are...fee rises,the strong NZ dollar,and competition from Australia,Britain and Canada. The export education industry brings in 2.2b per year with students coming from 120 countries around the world.



Doctors strike called off.

A strike planned for Nov 2-8 by 2000 doctors has been called off. The junior doctors claims for better working conditions is progressing satisfactorily according to DHB spokeswoman Jean O'Callaghan.



Personal debt rising.

NZers owed $106 billion in personal debt at the end of last year. Almost 16% had debt which is greater than their assets. Approx 80% of the $106b debt is in mortgage lending.



Thursday, October 21

MP's take pay rise.

MP's were awarded a pay rise today. The PM's salary goes up 4% to $317.200, and the deputy PM Michael Cullen up to $226.700, an increase of $8700. The basic salary of a backbench MP is set at $113,300 an increase of 3%.



Cricket: NZ vs Bangladesh

James Franklin has become only the second NZer to claim a test hat trick. The wickets came during the 1st test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.



NZ voted least corrupt.

New Zealand has been found the 2nd least corrupt country by Berlin based Transparency International. Finland was first with Denmark and Iceland joining NZ in the top 4. Australia comes in 9th. Most corrupt were Bangladesh,Nigeria and Myanmar.
Click HERE for media link.



Wednesday, October 20

NZ woman dies in Tanzania road crash.

An as yet unidentified NZ woman has been killed in a road accident in Tanzania.
At least 10 people died when a tourist bus and truck carrying onions collided in Tanzania at the town of Arusha.



PM Clarke embarrassed by Indian 'nuclear' blunder.

While visiting an engineering plant in Bombay India, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clarke was told by staff the company manufactured nuclear weapons. PR executives said the weapons were sold to Sweden and Russia. Senior managers later categorically denied this. The remarks caused a flurry of activity from New Zealand Foreign Affairs officials and journalists.
New Zealand has anti-nuclear legislation.



Tuesday, October 19

UK reviews working holiday rules.

Britain is to revisit the rules for working holidays. It is expected to return to the older and more restrictive system.
A spokesman for the British High Commission in Wellington said the Home Office began its review about six months ago after an influx of applications from countries such as Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, India and Pakistan.
A leaked document also considers restricting the scheme to countries with return arrangements (about 9000 UK citizens use the New Zealand working holidays scheme each year)



David Lange very ill.


Former Labour Prime Minister David Lange is very ill. He is reported to have end stage kidney failure. It has been suggested by one renal physician he should consider palliative care.



Monday, October 18

PM visits India.

The PM's visit to India is the first by a New Zealand leader in 20 years. During her visit she will meet the Indian President,Prime Minister and the leader of the ruling congress party (Sonia Gandhi). Although the high level visit is designed to foster trade links it is thought she will also encourage India to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.



Christchurch Wizard thinking outside the Square..

Christchurch wizard, Ian Brackenbury has decided to retire from wizardry and move to Oamaru, Nth Otago. The 72 year old wizard said he wants to be closer to his family.



Tamihere vs the Brown Aristocracy?

Labour MP John Tamihere has stood down from his ministerial posts following allegations he did not pay tax on a 'golden handshake' of almost $200,000 when he left the Waipareira Trust. Mr Tamihere worked for the Trust for 10 years before entering parliament.
Tamihere has in the past spoken out against some of the established Maori leaders and their stranglehold on Maori issues. His downfall can only help the newly formed Maori Party and hurt a labour party already alienated from the Maori vote.
There is little doubt Tamiheres' problems are a deliberate and calculated attempt to remove him from the political arena....the only unanswered question is..by who?



Friday, October 15

John Banks has left the building.

Former Auckland Mayor,John Banks appears to have been defeated in the mayoral race by Dick Hubbard not because of his performance in the job but because of his aggressive,confrontational and sometime rude style. At times he appeared to be no more than "a cliche wrapped in bombast".
The National Party is thought to be making approaches to him, but they would be well advised to be cautious. It is possible voters have had enough of this grandiose,aggressive style of politiking.



Wednesday, October 13

It's hard to be humble when your perfect ...

New Zealand has been voted favourite holiday destination for the first time in the UK Telegraph travel awards.
NZ also recently won the Guardian & Observer's People's Choice award for best long-haul travel destination for the fourth time...........ok ! thats fine, but if this country is so great where do local people go for holidays?


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