Maritime workers to strike

Maritime workers at Ports of Auckland are gearing up to down tools in a two-day strike starting on Tuesday. Union spokesman Denis Carlisle says the industrial action is about getting a fair share of the profit their hard work generates. He says workers' productivity and increased living costs are not reflected in their pay.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Eggs not so free range

By CATHERINE WOULFE - Sunday Star Times
Shoppers paying almost double the normal price for free-range eggs may be wasting their money if they think they are choosing the most ethical and nutritious option. Many eggs sold as "free-range" are laid by hens that never get outside to peck at fresh grass and insects, and may even have clipped beaks, say industry insiders and animal welfare experts. Despite calls by eggs producers, the government has failed to set legal standards for how much outside space a free-range hen must have, the size of flocks and the provision of grassy paddocks, instead relying on a largely voluntary welfare code. SPCA chief executive Robyn McDonald said many free-range hens are in barns all their lives, eating only grain.

Taxi blitz alarming

A crackdown on the safety of taxis in Auckland has revealed some alarming results. As part of a regular police blitz on drunken drivers this weekend, Taxi Enforcement Officers from Land Transport worked with police to check the standard of cabs. Of the 573 stopped, over half had minor defects. But 52 were so bad they have been banned from the road for safety reasons.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

TVNZ launches Freeview channel

TVNZ 6, New Zealand's first advertising-free public service television channel, started broadcasting at 10am on Freeview on Sunday. TVNZ 6 will feature between 50% and 70% local content, with no advertising Chief executive Rick Ellis says that having a channel free from advertising-driven ratings pressures makes it possible to give the channel a more distinctive Kiwi flavour than any channel before it.. TVNZ will launch a second channel carrying documentary, news and factual programmes called TVNZ 7 on Freeview in March 2008.
Source:One News

Scholarship for Maori speakers to teach

The Government is creating a $30,000 a year scholarship to people who speak te reo Maori to retrain as teachers. Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia said that as well as paying course costs, the scholarship offered a $30,000 annual allowance to people from other careers to retrain in teaching. "It aims to increase incentives for te reo speakers in other professions to make the switch into teaching," he said. To be eligible, applicants would need to be fluent in te reo Maori and have either three years' work experience and a degree to receive the te reo Maori scholarship.
Source:NZPA

Students banned from birth suites

By MARY JANE BOLAND - Sunday Star Times
Women in labour are banning medical students from the delivery suite - raising the prospect of a generation of doctors without sufficient training in natural births.m Male students especially say it is increasingly difficult to attend the five normal deliveries required during their fifth and sixth years at medical school. Some say the problem may contribute to the growing rate of caesareans. Figures out this month show 33.1% of births were caesareans at National Women's Hospital last year, nearly twice the 1991 rate.

Daylight Savings is underway today

United Future leader Peter Dunne is looking forward to more time in the fresh air. Mr Dunne campaigned with Nelson city councillor Mark Holmes to win the extension to Daylight Saving, which took effect this morning. He says the 27 week period will be good for families, and help save energy. Mark Holmes plans to spend the first day of Daylight Saving relaxing at home. He says while some people opposed the idea, most will appreciate it.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Xue to appear on America's Most Wanted

New Zealand fugitive Nai Yin Xue - who is on the run in the United States - is to feature on the crime show "America's Most Wanted". An appeal for information about him goes out on the popular show at four o'clock this afternoon, New Zealand time. He is suspected of killing his wife in Auckland and dumping her body in the boot of a car. Xue also abandoned his three-year-old daughter, nicknamed Pumpkin, before fleeing to the US.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Rugby World Cup

The All Blacks defeated Romania 85-8

Rugby-Ranfurly Shield heading north

The Ranfurly Shield is heading north after Auckland toppled Canterbury 26-15 in Christchurch. The win also ensures Auckland head in to the Air New Zealand Cup quarterfinals as the top qualifier. Auckland led 13-10 at halftime.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Rally for Myanmar

Hundreds of Aucklanders have been meeting in Aotea Square this afternoon to show support for the pro-democracy protests in Myanmar. Myanmar's military is refusing to hand over power to the elected government. One of the groups spearheading the Auckland gathering is Global Peace and Justice Auckland. Spokesman John Minto says they hope to raise awareness in New Zealand. He says it is a chance for them to show solidarity with the people of Myanmar who are going through a really tough time trying to overthrow the military dictatorship.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Overwhelming e-Day response

The response to New Zealand's first ever national e-Day has been overwhelming. The event this weekend gives people a chance to clear out their old computers and mobile phones. More than 44 tonnes of old computer equipment has been handed over. Organiser Lawrence Zwimpfer says e-Day is aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of e-waste dumped in landfills. He says people have a chance to get rid of old equipment knowing it is going to be properly recycled, and not damage the environment.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Maori find it easier to get motivated in Oz

A new report has found that one in seven Maori now live across the Tasman, lured by better weather and higher wages. The Te Puni Kokiri document "Maori in Australia" finds that 80 percent agree it is easier for them to fit into Australian society than it is for immigrants from other countries. Seventy 70 percent believe it is easier to get motivated in Australia than it is in New Zealand. The negative factors including being cut off from their culture and a lack of government understanding about cultural requirements. Maori living in Australia work in fields including entertainment, security, shearing, mining and construction. Queensland has the highest number of Maori with just over 31,000.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Dramatic poll comeback for Labour

Labour has staged a dramatic comeback in public support, to be within 5.2 percent of National in the latest Herald-Digipoll survey. The party is up 2.8 percent, while National is down 5.5 percent. The survey puts National on 44.8 percent support, and Labour on 39.6. The Greens are the only other party over the five percent threshold, rising 1.2 percent to 7.2 percent. If the poll translated into votes at an election, Labour and National would be fighting for the favour of the Maori Party to form a government.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Heavy rain will swell South Island rivers

A severe weather warning has been issued for parts of the South Island. MetService says an active front is forecast to reach Fiordland this evening and cross the remainder of the South Island tomorrow morning. It is expected to bring heavy rain to the West Coast and Southern Alps, with up to 120 millimetres in Fiordland and 150 to 250 millimetres in the ranges of Westland. Significant spillover is likely into the headwaters of the Otago and Canterbury rivers.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Fire crews battle huge blaze in deep south

Fire-fighters struggling to quell a huge blaze sweeping through bush at the coastal area of Daffodil Bay, near Invercargill, have called for reinforcements. They say the situation is getting worse and have called for another three helicopters with monsoon buckets to join three already on the job. The fire has already burnt forty hectares of young growth and there are fears it is heading for a bigger, thicker plantation.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Bigamist sentenced to nine months jail

A man was today sentenced in Wellington District Court to nine months in prison for bigamy. Mohammad Waseem, 39, of Tauranga, had earlier pleaded guilty to being married to two women at the same time. Crown lawyer Megan Inwood said Waseem was aware that it was illegal to be involved in two marriages. Judge Denys Barry said Waseem had married his first wife in 1997 and separated from her two years later. He then married again in 2002 and had three children with his second wife, but failed to divorce his first wife. When marrying for the second time, Waseem changed his name, birth date and details about his parents on the marriage documents.
Source:NZPA

Air NZ plans biofuel flight

Air New Zealand plans to be at the forefront of more environmentally-friendly aviation fuel. The airline is signing a memorandum of understanding with Boeing and Rolls Royce to work together on environmentally sustainable projects. First up will the the first ever trial of a bio-fuelled and Rolls Royce powered Boeing plane. The flight will take off from Auckland toward the end of next year or early 2009. For safety reasons, it will not be carrying any passengers and only one engine will run on a blended bio-fuel kerosene mix. The remaining three will run on regular aviation fuel.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

British store has to re-label NZ lamb

British supermarket giant Tesco has been forced to change British labels on its marinated lamb shanks after a customer spotted the lamb was from New Zealand. Sharp-eyed customer Hilary Datchens said she was left feeling cheated after she saw the small print of the label as she was throwing it away, the Daily Mail newspaper reported. The label for the slow cooked lamb shanks carried the word British in large white letters set against a scene of rolling green countryside. The small print giving a description of "tender lamb shanks of marinated New Zealand lamb" was on the inside of the packaging. New Zealand lamb is roughly half the price of British lamb and farmers' leaders have called for tighter rules on labelling to protect their industry.
Source:NZPA

Clark heads to Europe for meetings

Prime Minister Helen Clark heads off today for a 11 day trip to Britain and France. Miss Clark will meet with former British PM Tony Blair and his successor Gordon Brown. She is also scheduled to hold talks with the secretary-generals of the European Union and NATO, and French President Nicholas Sarkozy. During her time in France, Miss Clark will also attend the 90th anniversary commemorations of the WWI battle of Passchendaele.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Taxi driving writer to take break from road

Martin Edmond can quit his day job as a taxi driver now he has scooped a $35,000 prize. The intellectual has won a 2007 Copyright Licensing Limited award which will allow him to write a new book - The Zone of The Marvellous. The awards are for New Zealand writers of non-fiction books. Martin Edmond is the son of the late poet, Lauris Edmond. He has already won a Montana Book Award and been nominated twice more. Edmond went back to driving taxis in Sydney after falling on hard times a couple of years ago. He is hoping he will not have to go back to driving taxis for awhile, or ever.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Ritalin refunded after drug causes serious side effects

Drug funding agency Pharmac is funding ritalin again for some sufferers of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) after an alternatively funded drug has caused serious side effects in patients. Pharmac switched its funding from ritalin to rubifen another, cheaper, methylphenidate medicine earlier this year. Medsafe interim manager Dr Stewart Jessamine said between February and September 21 this year there had been 88 reports of people suffering adverse reactions within a few hours to days after changing to rubifen. Most people reported a loss of therapeutic effect, while many had symptoms of aggression. Others reported unusual psychiatric effects, including mood disorders and irritability.
Source:NZPA

Native bats bound for Auckland Zoo

Twelve native short-tailed bats from the genetically rare Tararua Forest's Waiohine Valley population are leaving their home on Kapiti Island to take up residence at Auckland Zoo. The Department of Conservation, Auckland Zoo, and iwi are hopeful that the bats will successfully breed to assist the recovery plan for this genetically unique group. The Waiohine Valley population, discovered in the late 1990s, is the only known short-tailed bat population living in the southern North Island, and currently numbers just 200.
Source:One News

NZ tops list as least corrupt country

New Zealand remains at the top of an annual ranking of corruption perceptions among world nations, sharing its place with Denmark and Finland. Somalia and Myanmar share the lowest score of 1.4 in 179th place, while Denmark has edged up to share the top score of 9.4 with perennial high-flyers Finland and New Zealand. Going in the other direction, Iceland slipped back to sixth and Australia dropped out of the top 10 to 11th.

NZ keeps 2nd best business ranking

New Zealand retained its second place to Singapore in the World Bank’s annual listing of the easiest countries in which to do business. The Doing Business survey measures countries on 10 criteria – starting a business, dealing with licences, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and closing a business. New Zealand had the top rating for property, investment and lack of red tape in starting up.

NZ man and wife killed in Swiss plane crash

A New Zealand man and his wife were killed when their plane crashed into a Swiss mountain range while they were returning from a trip to Italy. Former Upper Hutt man Greg Dickson, 37, and his British wife, Clare, 26, died when the Piper single-engined aircraft in which they were travelling crashed in bad weather near Ambri, 100km south of Zurich. They were returning from the Italian island of Elba when the crash happened. Mr Dickson was working as a computer programmer for investment bank Credit Suisse in Zurich and Mrs Dickson was completing her masters degree in law and working as a paralegal for a pharmaceutical company
Source:NZPA

Airforce crew save East Timor baby

A New Zealand airforce helicopter crew serving in East Timor saved a baby suffering from respiratory difficulties this week The baby girl was born five-weeks premature and was unlikely to have survived but for a mercy flight by an Iroquois crew, who flew 20 nautical miles off the coast of Dili to the mother's home on Atauro Island. RNZAF Iroquois detachment commander Squadron Leader Daniel O'Reilly said an emergency medical team administered constant CPR to the infant during the flight back to medical facilities near Dili.
Source:NZPA

Nat's health policy harms poor - PM

Prime Minister Helen Clark is rejecting National's arguments that market forces would control doctors' fees. National has inadvertently revealed it wants to remove the restriction on the amount doctors can charge for consultations, while maintaining current subsidies put in place by the Government as part of the deal that resulted in doctors' fees being capped. Miss Clark argues National's policy would hurt those who can least afford it. She says it would be harshest for people on lower incomes, particularly those with young families and the elderly. She believes it would result in fewer people going to the doctor.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Computer model speeds up cancer detection

A new computer model is being developed to help control colorectal cancer. New Zealand has one of the highest rates of the cancer in the world. It kills more than 1100 people annually. Professor Ann Richardson from the University of Otago says the $1.4 million model will speed up the detection and treatment process. She says it will be used to design future services for treatment and for monitor those at a high risk.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Ski fields reopening

The ski fields on Mt Ruapehu are reopening today following Tuesday's eruption. Scientists have told ski field management there have not been any tremors and it is safe for skiers. Department of Conservation spokesman Bhrent Guy says the only ski field in the area not open is located at the far west side of Whakapapa.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Locke hopes for republic soon

Green MP Keith Locke says New Zealand should not rule out becoming a republic within a few years. Prime Minister Helen Clark said during the 100th anniversary of Dominion Day yesterday that there is little support for a republic at this stage. Mr Locke has a private member's bill in the ballot which, if passed, would force a referendum on the issue. He says if MPs decide to support it, there is nothing to stop New Zealand becoming a republic within two or three years.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Garageland make beelines to Kings Arms

In a blast from the 90s - Garageland are back. The band will play at Auckland's Kings Arms on November 10, after a seven year hiatus. Garageland fans are urged to go along and let their hair down, roll up their sleeves and show off their beautiful last century tattoos. The band may be taking a leaf out of Supergroove's book - another 90s Kiwi favourite who are reforming. Supergroove will support Crowded House and do two solo shows in October, also at the Kings Arms.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

New take on 80s fashion

There is a new face on the fashion block. Ruby Fowler, an 88-year-old former Christchurch City Councillor, has launched her new clothing label today. It is called "45-Plus Frocks for the Mature". Mrs Fowler says there was a huge gap in the market. She says she could not get a suitable outfit for herself, as she does not want plunging necklines, but does want sleeves and hemlines below the knee. Mrs Fowler plans to target rest homes with her frocks. She says the launch will include a fashion show, with former Christchurch deputy Mayor Lesley Keast taking to the catwalk.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

PM disturbed at Myanmar violence

Prime Minister Helen Clark is expressing concern at the latest reports of violence in Myanmar.
The country's military regime has cracked down on anti-government protests in Rangoon using tear gas, live rounds and physical force to disperse public marches. Miss Clark says she is deeply disturbed at the reports. She says engaging in peaceful protest is a fundamental human right. The Prime Minister says it is simply unacceptable for peaceful protesters to be shot, beaten or arrested and is calling for the Myanmar authorities to respect citizen rights and stop using violence.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Climber's leg amputated

The 22-year-old climber injured on Mt Ruapehu has had his right leg amputated below the knee. Auckland teacher William Pike was in a hut near Crater Lake when an eruption sent lahars spewing down the mountain. He was pinned by a boulder and both his legs were crushed. The rescue team spent several hours trying to free him and bring him down the mountain. Waikato Hospital says Mr Pike has regained consciousness after the surgery.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Whitebait bonanza in Greymouth

Whitebaiters on the Grey River have enjoyed a rare bonanza over the past 24 hours. Rivers in Buller and South Westland have provided slim pickings for many, but in Greymouth yesterday the sun was shining, the water crystal clear and the whitebait were running. And it was more of the same - just many more whitebaiters - on the Grey this morning, some with 20-litre buckets brim full, others with varying amounts, and all very happy. Catches so far have not been so good on the rivers in the deep south, which traditionally produce the big yields.
Source:NZPA

NZ still long way off becoming republic - PM

New Zealand has made great strides in the 100 years since it became a "dominion", but it is still a long way off becoming a republic, Prime Minister Helen Clark says. Academics, politicians and other public figures gathered for a symposium at Parliament today – marking 100 years since then prime minister Joseph Ward symbolically proclaimed the country was no longer a colony of the British Empire. The country eventually became fully independent in 1947. Miss Clark today told delegates New Zealand had made great progress in the 100 years since it had become a dominion – embracing diversity and forging a unique identity. But she later told reporters that she believed the next step – moving to a republic – was a long way off. "I think New Zealanders generally take the view, `if it aint broke then don't fix it', and things tend to work as they are," she said. " So the debate about republicanism is not one that people are seized of at the moment."
Source:NZPA

American cult embarrasses Niue government

Niue is being urged by New Zealand to remove an American cult from the tiny Pacific island.
The country's Immigration and Finance Minister Fisa Pihigia says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and New Zealand Aid has ticked-off the island's administration for allowing a "messy situation" to run on and on, but he has been unable to move the cult. Two small families, said to belong to the Maha Devi Ascension Group, arrived on the island more than a year ago, saying they wanted to buy the Matavai Resort. They later changed their plans and said they wanted to build several top quality health spas, but the resort continued to allow the families to stay in its best rooms, even though there was no sign of them paying any money. Niu FM reported in July that the Americans had run up a $400,000 bill in Niue, but some locals wanted them to stay, in the hope they'd bring US dollars into the cash-strapped economy.
Source:NZPA

Kiwi movie man dies in UK

A New Zealand-born special effects expert has been killed while working on a movie in Britain.
Conway Wickliffe, 41, has worked on numerous blockbuster films including Bond movies, Casino Royale, Die Another Day and V for Vendetta. It is believed he was fatally injured during a car stunt on the set of his latest film, the new Batman sequel, Dark Knight.
Source:One News

Glass of wine improves memory - research

Having one or two glasses of wine a day may improve your memory, according to New Zealand researchers. The study at Auckland University found alcohol could even help Alzheimer sufferers. Even heavy drinking was given the thumbs up, but only when combined with times of heightened emotion. In other circumstances, high levels of alcohol decreased the ability of new brain cells to develop and mature causing an impairment of memory. The results of the study, carried out by Dr Kalev and Professor Matthew During, are published in this week's Journal of Neuroscience.
Source:NZPA

Significant milestone in NZ's history

A significant but little-recognized part of New Zealand history reaches a significant milestone today. It is the 100th anniversary of Dominion Day. On this day in 1907 Prime Minister Joseph Ward read a proclamation on the steps of the Parliamentary library, announcing that New Zealand was no longer a colony of the British Empire. This year is also the 60th anniversary of the ratification of the Statute of Westminster which removed Britain's right to make laws for New Zealand.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Kiwi torch bearer wanted

The search is on for a New Zealander to carry the torch during the Australian leg of the Olympic relay. The relay is a key event in the lead up to next year's Beijing Olympics. It starts in Athens on April 1, stopping off in 22 cities around the globe. New Zealand Olympic Committee spokesman Barry Maister says the relay will not be going as far as New Zealand but a place has been allocated for a New Zealander to bear the torch during the Canberra leg on April 24. He expects there to be a lot of interest in the position but says unfortunately only one person can have the honour. Nominations are open for someone who has dedicated their life to development of sport at the grass roots level.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

National retains large lead in latest poll

Support for both Labour and National is slightly up in a new opinion poll, however National retains a healthy lead. The latest Morgan Poll has National up one to 49 percent and Labour up one to 35 percent. In the smaller parties; the Greens have dropped two to 7.5 percent support, the Maori Party is steady on 3 percent and New Zealand First support is unchanged at 2.5. ACT has risen half a point to 1.5 percent, and United Future is also up by half a point to 1 percent.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Online option for police law feedback

The public is being offered a novel way of contributing to the review process of new police legislation. The Police Act wiki is an online forum similar to popular website Wikipedia. Superintendent Hamish McCardle says people can access the site and participate in the way the new guidelines are scripted. He says the final outcome may well go towards informing a select committee process for the official policing bill next year. Mr McCardle says the website will be monitored in case people attempt to sabotage it. The public can have its say over the next three months by clicking on the wiki link at policeact.govt.nz
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Two injured in Mount Ruapehu eruption

Two people are believed to have been injured in an eruption at Mount Ruapehu tonight. Another person, a snow groomer, is trapped on the mountain. The Ministry of Civil defence says a small volcanic eruption occurred at 8:20pm and lasted for about 10 minutes. Ash has been falling on ski fields, and there are small lahars on the northern and eastern sides of the mountain. As a precaution, ski fields have been evacuated, and Civil Defence says people should not go on the mountain until authorities consider the area to be safe.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Cleavage forces woman out of casino

An English tourist gambling at Christchurch Casino was told to leave the premises by casino staff as she was showing too much cleavage and was offending other patrons. Helen Simpson, 33, was with her partner for about an hour at the casino and while she admits she is a bit heavy on the top she was still shocked at the request. "She just said you're causing offence because you're showing a lot of front, you need to cover up or you need to leave," says Simpson. Simpson did not leave right away and instead borrowed a zip-up top from a friend. But like her partner she was amazed and disappointed. "I suppose you will get this by the minority; the majority of the people are lovely but what happened was a bit of a nightmare really," says Chris Olivier, her partner.
Source:One News

Modified fish give officials the slip

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is trying to trace a number of genetically modified aquarium fish, which have been mistakenly imported and sold in pet shops throughout the country. Initially 210 of the modified Zebra Danios were brought into the country. They have since bred and MAF has so far found 333 of the fish., which have been genetically modified with a red fluorescent protein, making them an unusually bright red-pink. MAF's incursion manager David Yard says the GM fish pose an extremely low biosecurity risk as they are unlikely to enter the food chain or have any environmental impact. He says they are tropical and are unlikely to survive outside a temperature controlled tank.

Electorate boundaries finalised

A new electorate named Botany has been created to reflect Auckland's growing population and nine electorates have had their names and boundaries changed. The Representation Commission today announced finalised boundaries for electorates. Earlier in the year the commission outlined draft boundaries which included the new seat – taking general seats to 63, leaving Maori seats numbers stable at seven and reducing list seats by one to make up the 121-seat Parliament.
Source:NZPA

Kenyan police confident of tracking killers

Police in Nairobi are confident they will catch up with the men who beat a 76-year-old New Zealander to death in his apartment on the weekend. Julian Nathan was in Nairobi to help set up an avocado oil processing plant for New Zealand company Olivado, with engineers Phil Civil and Ray Kensington. Mr Nathan's son, Chris, is the company's managing director. The two other men were bound, blind-folded and gagged in one room by two intruders, while Mr Nathan was killed in the other. Police were continuing to hold two guards from the compound, who they were questioning over what role, if any, they had in the robbery. It was possible the offenders had left Nairobi, but the spokesman said police were confident the leads they had would result in an arrest sooner or later.
Source:NZPA

NZ at lower risk as cyclone season looms

By MICHAEL FIELD - Fairfax Media
It is shaping up to be a good cyclone season in the South Pacific from next week with experts in New Zealand predicting fewer storms in parts of the region. The season runs from November to May but NIWA's climate scientist Dr Jim Salinger says conditions favour a calmer season ahead. The Pacific wide El Nino-La Nina index is favouring weaker La Nina conditions while the tropical seas surface temperatures - crucial to developing cyclones - are below average. Salinger says there was an average risk of cyclones occurrence for those areas of the South Pacific near the International Date Line. This includes the northern regions of New Zealand as well as Tuvalu, Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, Tonga and Niue.

Girls more likely to be overweight than boys

Being a girl increases a child's odds of being obese, a new study from Auckland University has found. Having an overweight mother, or watching television also increased the likelihood of a child being overweight by the age of seven, the study found. The research, published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, monitored the weight of 571 New Zealand children of European heritage from birth to age seven. The research found having a mother who was overweight or obese, being a girl, and spending a lot of time in front of the TV were all independently associated with the chances of becoming obese. "Children with overweight mothers tend to be overweight themselves at a very early age," says Professor Ed Mitchell of the faculty of medical and health sciences.
Source:NZPA

Chch Maori attainment levels lag

Christchurch Maori are lagging behind the rest of the country in high school achievement levels, new statistics show. The statistics were presented by Ministry of Education officials in Christchurch yesterday on the first of a two-day conference on Maori Education. They show that just 33.9 per cent of Christchurch Maori will leave school with a National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) level 2 or higher, compared with a national average of 46.6%. Across New Zealand, 21.4% of Maori will leave with an NCEA level 3 or higher, but in Christchurch that drops to 12.6%.
Source:The Press

Rugby-Kelleher dark over jersey clash

By TONY SMITH in Edinburgh - Fairfax Media
Veteran halfback Byron Kelleher says the All Blacks "would have been better off wearing black" after a farcical clash of colours with Scotland at Murrayfield yesterday. The All Blacks lost the toss and were accorded away team status in the World Cup pool C match. That meant they had to change their jerseys, with Scotland set to wear their traditional blue. The All Blacks trundled out their alternative strip - grey with silver panels. They have had it for two years but it had stayed in storage until yesterday. But Scotland's blue jersey also had significant shades of grey which made it confusing for spectators and the players.

Fishing catch limits slashed

The fishing industry has been thrown into turmoil with massive cuts in catch limits. Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton has announced new limits which will cover the entire the country. He admits job losses are inevitable. Orange roughy catch limits are being cut by up to 38 percent, while red cod, flatfish and eel catches are all slashed by between 13 and 78 percent. But it is the ten percent reduction in hoki catches that is likely to cause the most economic damage. Mr Anderton says the decision will not be welcomed by the industry, however it is a move that needs to happen to ensure the rebuild of fish stocks.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Historic building gutted by arson

An arsonist has virtually destroyed one of Waitakere City's historic buildings. McCormick's Cottage on Te Atatu Peninsula was torched on Saturday night. All that remains is two chimneys, one badly charred wall of the cottage and the remains of a lean-to. Police and fire officials are investigating the cause of the blaze and think an accelerant was used. The cottage is believed to have been built in the 1880s by Henry McCormick, an immigrant Irish shipwright.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Kiwis eclipse Poms as Aussie migrants

New Zealand has overtaken Britain as the largest source country for permanent migrants to Australia.Departmental statistics released by Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews show arrivals from New Zealand reached 23,906 last year, up from 19,033 the previous year. The number of UK migrants remained steady at 23,223 during 2006-07. Together, New Zealand and the UK accounted for one third of all settler arrivals. The next largest source countries were India, China and the Philippines, with the number of migrants from each country increasing last year compared with 2005-06.

Pokies may be banned in the garden city

Christchurch's local elections are only weeks away and contenders have found something to agree on - a region-wide ban on pokie machines. When asked by the Problem Gambling Foundation where they stood on the issue, all 23 candidates said they want them gone. The city has 2,600 machines - fed an estimated 4 million dollars a day by punters. The foundation's regional manager - David Coom, says it is easy to get rid of them.
© CanWest TVWorks Limited

Land at centre of dispute won’t be sold

The land at the centre of a bitter dispute between Maori and the government is now unlikely to ever be sold. The block was occupied by protestors earlier this year when landcorp put the Whenuakite block in Coromandel on the market for more than $10 million. Now Cabinet has completed a review of Landcorp's farm sales and it seems Whenuakite will not make it back to the market. “You can assume we have been very sensitive to where there are historical recreational conservation treaty issues around Landcorp's properties," Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.
© CanWest TVWorks Limited

Breathless NZ swimmer claims record

New Zealander Dave Mullins claimed a world record after swimming 244 metres underwater on one breath in a suburban Wellington pool at the weekend, it has been reported. Wearing a mono fin, Mullins took four minutes and two seconds to swim nearly five lengths of the 50-metre pool on Sunday, extending by 18 metres a record he set only two days earlier, the Dominion Post reported.

Man charged with smuggling Fijian iguanas

Authorities in the United States have arrested a man for smuggling endangered Fijian iguanas into the country. According to an Associated Press report, the man has been charged with stealing three endangered iguanas from a nature preserve in Fiji and smuggling them into the United States in his prosthetic leg. Jereme James, 33, faces a single count of smuggling, according to a federal indictment returned in Los Angeles. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. US prosecutors said James stole the banded iguanas while in Fiji in September 2002.

Council confirms $50m for Eden Park

Auckland City Council has agreed to pay $30 million toward the $190 million needed to upgrade Eden Park for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The council is also promising to provide another $20 million for transport and design improvements in the area. The chairman of the Eden Park Redevelopment Board, John Waller, has welcomed the announcement, saying it is great news for both Eden Park and the Rugby World Cup.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

PM heads to Europe next week

Helen Clark will hold official talks with her British and French counterparts on a trip to Europe next week. She will meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at Downing Street. She will also speak with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is in a new role as Middle East envoy. Miss Clark will then head to Paris for talks with French President Nicholas Sarkozy and to launch the New Zealand rugby ball pavilion tourism promotion. Also on the list of people to meet are the heads of the European Commission and NATO.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Rugby-All Blacks do it easy over Scotland

The All Blacks have notched an unconvincing 40-nil win over Scotland in pool play at Murrayfield in the Rugby World Cup this morning (NZ time). Despite a defensively perfect record, they made a number of uncharacteristic errors, especially on attack, and allowed the Scots to disrupt them throughout the match. All told, the New Zealanders made a staggering 20 handling errors. Also this morning at the World Cup, Australia thumped a second-string Fiji 55-12.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Teen falls to his death

An Auckland teenager has died after falling from a fourth-storey window on a rugby trip to the UK. Scotland Yard will not name the teen, but he has been identified by friends as 17-year-old Howick College student Ross Kimpton. He was a member of the school's 1st XV which arrived in Britain last week. A Scotland Yard spokesman says the teen fell from a window in the team's hostel The Lodge in London's Norfolk Square on Saturday.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

NZ worker killed in Kenya

A New Zealander working in Kenya has been beaten to death by robbers. Seventy-six-year-old Julian Nathan was employed to do electrical work for New Zealand food oil company Olivado and was killed at his apartment complex in Nairobi at the weekend. There is a suggestion that guards at the company's compound may have been involved. It was a military-type raid and the robbers knew what they were doing. Money, computers and telephones were taken.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Myer's Hobart store burns

Hobart's historic Myer department store has been destroyed by fire. What is left of the building and its famous 171-year-old Liverpool Street facade will have to be demolished. The cause of the fire is being investigated. It is described as a huge blow for Hobart's entire CBD.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Man held over NZ apple scam

The Philippines National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed charges against a man who allegedly conned at least six people out of 700,000 pesos ($20,870) in cash in exchange for non-existent jobs as apple pickers in New Zealand. The man has been charged with violation of laws covering migrant workers and fraud. A NBI spokesman said the case stemmed from a complaint filed by at least six people who all claimed that they were enticed by the suspect to work as apple pickers in New Zealand with a monthly salary equivalent to 80,000 pesos ($2385). One of the complainants told the NBI that the suspect demanded and received from them a total of P700,000 as fees, but the promised jobs did not materialise.
NZPA

Loud music sending NZ teens deaf: study

New research shows seven out of 10 under 30-year-olds in New Zealand are experiencing symptoms of permanent hearing damage after listening to loud music. The study by the National Foundation for the Deaf showed just six per cent bothered to take precautions against loud music. The foundation said the young people had symptoms including dullness of hearing and ringing in the ears (tinnitus) - both early signs of irreversible hearing damage. The results of the study of 10,000 New Zealanders was released to mark the start of the foundation's Deaf Awareness Week with the message: Don't Lose the Music.

Rugby-Punter puts five million on All Blacks

Chokers or not, one punter is prepared to get behind the All Blacks to the tune of five million to win the Rugby World Cup in France. With the tournament nearing the quarter-final stages, New Zealand are the top picks at $1.71 with Betfair. "We can't discuss his identity. Unfortunately I can't disclose his country of origin," Betfair spokesman Hugh Taggart said. "This is an enormous bet. It's certainly one of the biggest individual bets we've seen on Betfair and one that would normally have bookies running for cover." South Africa are second pick at $4.50 with Australia firming to outright third favouritism at $10.50.

US determined to catch NZ fugitive

Authorities in the US are playing catch-up as they try to find fugitive murder suspect Nai Yin Xue who is believed to have killed his wife before heading overseas. A number of American law enforcement agencies are trying to map Xue's movements since he touched down in Los Angeles over a week ago after first abandoning his daughter in Melbourne. They fear the New Zealand fugitive will continue his crime spree in the US. Xue has been traced to a cheap motel near Los Angeles airport but is now thought to have moved on from the city's Chinatown because he doesn't speak the prevailing Cantonese dialect and may be running low on funds. New Zealand's police liaison officer in the United States, Neville Matthews, says authorities there have put at least 15 officers on the case.
Source:One News

Burglars leave goat behind

Burglars of a Reefton house stole cash, CDs and alcohol - but left behind a goat. A couple returned to their home at midnight on Thursday to find they had been burgled. The woman, who is terrified of goats, then went into the spare room to find the animal curled up on the bed. Police have spoken to two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, about the burglary.
Copyright ©2006, APN Holdings NZ Limited

Calcium link to heart attacks

By Stephen Cook
Women Taking calcium supplements to cut their risk of fracturing frail and thinning bones are more likely to have heart attacks and strokes, a major new University of Auckland study has found. The new findings are expected to cause widespread alarm among the estimated 300,000 mainly elderly New Zealand women who suffer from the brittle bone disease, osteoporosis. Calcium supplements - often prescribed by doctors - have long been associated with better bone health, with many international trials showing a regular intake of calcium helps to cut the risk of broken bones in the elderly by almost a quarter. A buildup of calcium in blood vessels and heart valves increases a person's risk of heart disease but until now, the relationship between dietary calcium and cardiovascular problems had been uncertain.
Copyright ©2006, APN Holdings NZ Limited

Solar policy isn't just for sunny north

By KERRIE WATERWORTH - Sunday Star Times
Solar not good enough for colder parts and industry underskilled in installations, says expert. Solar hot water systems may not always be cost-effective south of Wellington, according to one of the country's leading experts on renewable energy. Otago University's director of energy management programme, Associate Professor Bob Lloyd believes current solar power systems aren't up to scratch and don't save energy in our colder climes. "It's a lot easier to make the decision to go solar in Auckland. The new government subsidy policy, however, is forcing suppliers to improve solar hot water systems to make them more cost-effective for locations such as Dunedin where the strength of the sun and the number of sunlight hours is not so good," he says. The government is spending $15.5 million over the next 3 1/2 years to promote and subsidise solar water heating in homes and government buildings. Eligible households can get a $500 grant toward installation.

Small town NZ riding tail of property boom

By EMMA PAGE - Sunday Star Times
Small town New Zealand is outperforming its bigger city counterparts in house price growth as the property boom filters down through the market. Experts say areas like Grey District on the West Coast and Masterton in the Wairarapa could be riding the tail of the property boom as they experience median sale price growth of around 30 per cent much higher than some of the most affluent Auckland suburbs and the national median of 10.6 per cent. The top sale growth suburbs or districts are revealed on a website launched tomorrow by property information company Quotable Value. Called QV Insider, the site gives information about specific areas and suburbs, including rental prices, yield and median sale price growth.

Primary teacher shortfall reaches 1000

By CATHERINE WOULFE - Sunday Star Times
Schools warned to adopt "culture change" to avert classroom crisis. Almost 1000 primary school classes could be without a teacher next year as the government scrambles to make good on a pre-election promise to drop class sizes. In May, the number of students in each new entrants class is set to drop from 23 to 18, meaning at least 700 more teachers are needed. But the shortfall could rocket to 930, according to Ministry of Education reports obtained by the National Party under the Official Information Act. Areas under most pressure will be Auckland and Waikato while many teachers looking for work lived in the South Island, the documents said.

Holiday time on the slopes

The skifields are hoping to cash in on the start of the school holidays. Treble Cone says it has had 10 centimetres of snow overnight, and it is still falling. Mt Hutt is running a week of events aimed at under-16s, and also hosts the Canterbury ski championships today. There have been five to ten centimetres of fresh snow at the Remarkables overnight, but Coronet Peak is closed for the day.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

OE talks for working in Spain, Portugal

A working holiday scheme is under discussion which may result in Portugal and Spain joining the growing list of OE destinations for young New Zealanders. Both countries have expressed interest in a reciprocal scheme, which is one of several initiatives to strengthen ties. The idea has been discussed by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters during his visit to Spain and Portugal. An academic and scientific exchange programme and a possible teacher exchange scheme were also suggested.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Aussies cool off in kiwiland

Australians have been rediscovering New Zealand as a holiday destination and an extra 50,000 have visited in the past 12 months. Chief Executive of the Inbound Tour Operators Council of New Zealand Paul Yeo says a new advertising campaign in Australia which focused on New Zealand as a winter destination has obviously paid off with a sharp rise in tourist numbers from Australia. Mr Yeo says Australian visitors like New Zealand in the winter because the weather is a novelty. Winter tourism is also a bonus for local businesses because trade is usually slow the off-season.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Tumble driers recalled

More than 2,000 tumble clothes dryers sold by The Warehouse have been recalled. The Telmann 3.5 kilogram tumble dryer has been involved in several recent fires, because of what is believed to be a faulty door latch. Warehouse spokeswoman Cynthia Church says the company has sold the dryers three years. Customers will receive a full refund when they return of the product.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

US police taking Xue hunt "very seriously"

Auckland police are confident US officials are taking the hunt for murder suspect Nai Yin Xue very seriously. Chinese newspapers in Los Angles are now carrying the story of the fugitive who is being sought by the FBI, US Marshals, the Los Angeles Police Department and Interpol after the body of his wife Anan Liu was found in the boot of his car in Auckland and his three-year-old daughter was abandoned in Melbourne. He fled to Los Angles where he took a shuttle bus to the city's Chinatown. Xue lived in the city in 2000. Child Youth and Family is urging the media to back off when Xue's daughter, Qian, who has become known as Pumpkin, arrives in New Zealand to be reunited with her grandmother who is travelling from China. Spokesman Ray Smith from says he understands there is huge public interest in the case, but the family needs space and time to come to terms with what has happened and plan for the future.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

World of Wearable Art-Creators rattle their dags to win

Two first-time entrants have taken away the top prize in this year's Montana World of Wearable Art Awards in Wellington. Aucklanders Paula Coulthard and Ursula Dixon have won the supreme prize with their creation entitled Rattle Your Dags. Their entry is made from recycled wool sacks, hemp rope, and crystals with merino horns curving out from a recycled cycling helmet. The designers say the creation was inspired by their farming backgrounds and embodies the message - do not be a sheep blindly following the flock. The pair also won the award for best first-time entrant worth $1500 on top of the $10,000 they will receive for winning for first prize.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Cyclone risk lessened

Weak La Nina weather conditions this cyclone season are expected to lessen the risk of tropical cyclone activity in the South Pacific. NIWA is predicting that the coming cyclone season risk is average for areas near the international date line, including the Far North of New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Niue and Tuvalu.
It predicts there is a reduced risk east of the date line including the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Pitcairn Island. NIWA spokesman Dr Jim Salinger says there is a good chance the first tropical cyclone will occur before December.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Fishermen fined $20,000 each for dumping catch

Two commercial fishermen have been fined $20,000 each after admitting dumping as much as 311 tonnes of southern blue whiting in the Southern Ocean in 2004. Ross William McCoy and James Geoffrey pleaded guilty in Nelson District Court this week to 15 charges of dumping the fish. It is believed to be the largest case of dumping of its kind in New Zealand, the Nelson Mail reported. The ship could not keep up with the large amounts of fish caught and unprocessed fish were dumped each time a fresh catch was hauled aboard. A crew member videoed and photographed the dumping and reported it to the Ministry of Fisheries.
Source:NZPA

Too many 'bogus' refugees coming into NZ - Brown

By SIMON WOOD - NZPA
Too many "fraudulent and bogus" refugees are being allowed to settle in the country, New Zealand First deputy leader Peter Brown says. Twenty three refugees had their refugee status cancelled in the last financial year because the New Zealand Immigration Service was not doing its job when first considering refugee claims, Mr Brown said. The Refugee Status Appeals Authority has the power to cancel refugee status obtained by fraudulent means or if it is discovered a refugee should have been excluded because of a serious criminal history. A total of 49 refugees have had their status cancelled since the 2002/2003 financial year.

Law change for govt depts

The Office of the Ombudsmen is suggesting a law change so government departments can offer apologies without the risk of litigation. It is making the request in its annual report to Parliament. Chief Ombudsman John Belgrave says in some cases where complaints are made against government agencies they could be resolved, or stopped from escalating, if a sincere apology is offered. He accepts an apology can be seen as an admission of liability for potential civil action, but says some overseas jurisdictions have laws that protect against this.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Call for fluoride in water

Calls to fluoridate Rotorua's water are once again being voiced. This follows claims from local Principals' Association member Patrick Walsh, who says many teenagers with dental problems have been told by local dentistry practices to travel to Tauranga or Taupo for treatment, or join a two to three month waiting list. Mr Walsh says a shortage of dentists is a problem which cannot be fixed quickly but fluoridating the water will halve dental problems in Rotorua.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Heart attack victims get help

Help is now much closer for people in Invercargill if they have a heart attack. In a first for New Zealand, St John is putting 50 external defibrillators into public places around the city. The defibrillators have been purchased thanks to a $186,000 grant from the ILT Foundation. St John spokesman Peter Perriam says the machines are smaller than a lap top and easy to use. He says nationally about ten people die each day from heart attacks so use of these machines will literally mean the difference between life and death
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Praise for govt stance on climate change

A visiting American activist claims the world has less than a decade to take serious action over climate issues. Polar explorer Will Steger is in Christchurch speaking to high school students about global warming and will attend the Antarctic Festival Week, celebrating 50 years of New Zealand's presence on the ice. He is praising the government's stance on climate change, including the announcement of its emissions trading scheme this week.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Fiji, Tonga aviation officials train in China

Aviation officials and technicians from Fiji and Tonga are reportedly being trained at a university in the north China city of Tianjin, in cargo and passenger transportation and ground services. The programme for the seven officials at the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC), starting from Monday, was part of the commitment made by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao last year to provide training to 2,000 government officials and technical staff from Pacific island countries in three years to assist them in capacity building.

Single parent families not risk factor

New Otago University research claims single parent families are not a major risk factor in children's development. The results come from the Christchurch Health and Development Study, which tracks 950 children born in 1977. Professor David Fergusson says the research shows a child's development is more linked to contextual factors, such as socio-economic status and how a family functions. He says the results are contrary to conventional wisdom, and some international studies, which link mental health problems, educational performance and criminal behaviour to single parent children.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Parly procedure circumvented

Normal parliamentary procedure has been circumvented in a move to raise the driving age. United Future leader Peter Dunne sought and was granted permission, to bring an amendment of the Land Transport Driver Licensing Act before Parliament. As he is a Minister outside Cabinet it will be treated as a Government Bill, meaning he has not had to rely on it being drawn from the ballot as a Private Member's Bill. Mr Dunne says he wants to raise the age to 16 and extend the learner license period to a year. That would mean young drivers will not get their full license until they are 18.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Injured kiwi set for re-release

A little spotted kiwi which was injured by her mate is set to be re-released onto the island sanctuary of Tiritiri Matangi, off Auckland. DOC scientist Dr Hugh Robertson says the kiwi received a stab wound to her beak when her breeding partner attempted to defend their nest. He says the kiwi has been recovering at Auckland Zoo since July. Dr Robertson says the growth in the kiwi population is due to a predator-free living environment. The total population of the threatened bird is believed to be around 1500 nationally.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Avondale Cadbury plant closing

Cadbury is proposing to close its Avondale plant by late 2009, a move that threatens 140 full time and 50 seasonal jobs. The confectionery giant says some manufacturing would be moved to its Dunedin factory. It says the proposal is designed to increase efficiency and improve returns. Cadbury says it is entering consultation with employees and unions, which is expected to take three to five weeks, after which a decision will be announced.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Opportunistic thief must cough up for morning tea

A man who stole $10,000 from his employer on the spur of the moment has been ordered to pay $150 towards a morning tea shout for staff at the store as compensation for the emotional harm he caused. Kenneth Cossgrove, 46, appeared in the Nelson District Court this week, having admitted a charge of stealing money bags containing the $10,000 from the counter of Motueka's Mitre 10 store on November 27 last year. Cossgrove, who no longer works at the store, was sentenced to 250 hours of community work and ordered to pay $396 reparation, plus $150 as compensation for emotional harm, which was to be used by the store manager to shout morning tea for the staff.

The Nelson Mail

Seven trapped in cave

Six children and one adult are trapped in a cave in the small Northland town of Waipu. A police spokesman says a fire appliance has been called in to help pump rising waters out of the cave. The children are not thought to be in any danger. 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Carisbrook could get historic place listing (Dunedin-Rugby ground)

Carisbrook could join the Basin Reserve as the country's only sporting venues listed as official historic places. Opponents of the proposed multipurpose stadium in Awatea Street have lodged an application for the century-old ground to become a Category One historic place. If the application is successful, it could prevent it from being sold to developers.The Carisbrook land is estimated to be worth close to $10 million. The Historic Places Trust has confirmed it will prioritise Carisbrook, and work will begin before Christmas.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Caesareans set to be most common births

By Martin Johnston
Caesareans are likely to be the commonest way of delivering a baby at Auckland City Hospital within five years, a report says. The 2006 clinical report of the hospital's National Women's service shows that 33.1 per cent of births at the facility were caesareans - nearly twice the rate for 1991. Just over half of all births were spontaneous vaginal deliveries last year, down from 68 per cent in 1991. The reasons for the continuing increases in the caesarean rate are not clear, but it is thought to be related to increases in the average age of child-bearing and obesity.
Copyright ©2006, APN Holdings NZ Limited

700 teachers needed by next year

By REBECCA TODD - The Press
New Zealand primary schools will need an extra 700 teachers by next May to meet new rules on smaller class sizes. The Government has promised to reduce class sizes for new entrants and Year 1 classes to 18 pupils from term two next year. Schools are currently funded for classes of 23. Thirteen Christchurch primary schools spoken to by The Press were overwhelmingly in support of the extra funding, but concerned about competition for teachers. Some schools had junior class sizes of up to 30 pupils and welcomed any opportunity to improve ratios.

WOW set to wow

Wellington plays host to a ten day extravaganza of special effects, choreography and outrageous costumes at the annual World of Wearable Art Awards which begins tonight. More than 150 designers will showcase their creations to near sell-out crowds in each of the nine performances. WOW chief executive Gabrielle Hervey says around a third of the entrants have come from places as far afield as Alaska, Dubai, Thailand, Germany and India. She says the awards give artists a chance to produce creations from the wildest reaches of their imaginations.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Waiheke Island turns cooking oil into biodiesel

A trust on Auckland's Waiheke Island has launched a plant which converts used cooking oil to biofuels. The bio-diesel plant run by Waiheke Resource Trust was launched today as a way of dealing with the large amount of cooking oil waste generated at the popular tourist destination. "Disposing of the oil was a real headache for us, now its an asset," trust spokesman John Stansfield said. "This plant will eventually process up to 30,000 litres of oil a year. This will reduce the amount of fuel imported by the island, it will save money and create jobs.
Source:NZPA

Aussie will fund world's longest golf course

Plans to build the world's longest golf course, across 1200km (750 miles) of treeless desert, has received a welcome boost after the Australian government offered seed funding for the venture. The 18-hole course will stretch along the Eyre Highway which crosses the arid Nullarbor Plain in the south of the continent, with one hole placed in each town along the way, and one at a remote sheep farm. Doughty golfers who tee off in the Western Australian mining town of Kalgoorlie will end their round in the South Australian south coast town of Ceduna, more than 1200km to the east.

Women urged to vote for women in local polls

The Human Rights Commission is encouraging women to vote for women, saying the number of women in local government has been declining. Equal employment commissioner Dr Judy McGregor said today - the 114th anniversary of Suffrage Day - the drop in female representation needed to be addressed. The number of female representation in local body governance dropped from 28 per cent in 2001 to 27 per cent in 2004. New Zealand had not yet reached the Commonwealth target of 30 per cent .
Source:NZPA

Massey funds Peter Snell scholarship

Massey University is funding a Doctoral Scholarship named after Olympic athletics legend Peter Snell. The Peter Snell Doctoral Scholarship in Public Health and Exercise Science is aimed at people doing research that will benefit New Zealanders' health and wellbeing, the university said. It will include payment of doctoral fees and a stipend. Dr Stannard said one of the benefits of the scholarship was the potential to spend time in Dr Snell's own laboratory at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre. Dr Snell won three Olympic gold medals - one in 1960 at Rome and two at the 1964 Tokyo Games - and two golds at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth.
Source:NZPA

Text bullies may have phones shut down

Text bullies have been warned their cellphones could be shut down as complaints to police increase. The police said about 75 calls had been referred to them because of cellphone text threats of harm. NetSafe, an internet safety group, said it had received 150 calls from people claiming to be bullied or harassed on the internet or cellphones, and had referred half of them to police.
Source:NZPA

Govt's plan worries oil/gas industry

The oil and gas industry is nervous about the government's draft energy plan. The government wants to stop the construction of gas-fired power stations in a bid to tackle climate change. John Pfahlert, spokesman for the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association says the industry contributes about $1.6 billion to the economy each year. He says if the plan goes ahead, it would be disastrous for the gas and oil industry.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Electronic junk cluttering NZ homes

It is estimated there are more than a quarter of a million obsolete computers in New Zealand homes. The figure is one of the driving forces behind a national eDay, launched in Wellington this morning, which will give people a chance to dispose of old computer equipment and cell phones in an environmentally friendly way. A pilot scheme run by computer company Dell in Wellington last year saw 54 tonnes of old home computer equipment off-loaded. This year's eDay will be held in 12 locations across the country on the weekend of 29 to 30 September.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Canterbury skifields forced to close early

By TARA ROSS - The Press
Canterbury's cruel ski season has come to an early close for many of the region's skifields. Mount Cheeseman, the Craigieburn Valley ski area, Mount Lyford, Mount Olympus, Hanmer Springs and Fox Peak have closed as north-west winds strip what little snow they have left. Mount Potts is open for heliskiing only, while Temple Basin shut before it even opened. The Porters ski area could close soon too. Porters ski area, Mount Hutt ski area, Broken River, Ohau Snow Field and Mount Dobson are still open. Roundhill is closed this week but will reopen on Saturday.

Schools given $11.1m for e-learning

More than $11 million over three years will be spent over three years for 122 schools to use technology more. Education Minister Steve Maharey said the funding would focus on improving the quality of teaching through better use of technology. The Correspondence School was included with funding to go towards using audio and video conferencing and to develop online learning. Other initiatives included schools using blogs and a technology expo.
Source:NZPA

Manhire, Farrell and Scott honoured with literary award

The Prime Minister's literary awards today honoured three writers - a historian, a poet and a novelist. The three writers - historian Dick Scott, poet Bill Manhire and novelist Fiona Farrell - have all been recognised in the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement, in a ceremony at Premier House in Wellington tonight. Each received $60,000 in recognition of their significant contribution to New Zealand literature. Prime Minister Helen Clark said each writer had added something special to New Zealand's cultural landscape through their work.
Source:NZPA

Govt launches cervical campaign

The Government launched a new campaign today aimed at encouraging women to get regular cervical smears. Two and a half million dollars is to be spent on the initiative which will be specifically targeted at Maori and Pacific Island women who continue to be screened at lower rates than other ethnic groups.
The national average coverage rate is 70%, yet just 50% of Maori women, and just 45% of Pacific Island women are captured by the existing cervical screening programme.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Toys with excessive lead banned

The Government is banning toys with excessive lead levels following a series of safety concerns over imports from China. Consumer Affairs Minister Judith Tizard says while no new specific problems have been identified, there are no regulations regarding lead content in toys. She says there is a need to clarify the situation and the Government will take steps to specify maximum allowable limits in line with international standards.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Rugby-No black for All Blacks

New Zealand players will not be wearing black shirts at a World Cup game for the first time in 12 years when they face Scotland on Sunday but said it would not put them at any disadvantage. As the home team, Scotland have chosen to wear their traditional dark blue jerseys for the Pool C match at Murrayfield meaning that New Zealand will have to don their silver-grey second strip to avoid a colour clash. The last time New Zealand wore a non-black jersey at the tournament was against Scotland in the 1995 quarter-finals. Wearing white did not appear to hurt them as they won 48-30.

Beckham's Wellington game confirmed

New Zealand football's worst kept secret has been confirmed - David Beckham will play in Wellington later this year. Beckham's appearance with his LA Galaxy team on December 2 against the Wellington Phoenix A-league side was confirmed this morning at press conference. Phoenix chairman Terry Serepisos said he hoped the match would be a sellout crowd. It is believed Beckham will be required to play at least 55 minutes against Phoenix in a $1.3 million deal.
Source:Dominion Post

Large gap between girls' and boys' writing skills

The gap between boys' and girls' writing abilities is evident from a young age and widens as they get older, according to an Otago university study. Testing of primary school students across 30 "tasks" showed year four girls outdoing year four boys in 60 per cent of them. By year eight, the last year before secondary school, the girls were ahead in 70 per cent of the tasks. The report said this was a "serious concern". The gap was larger than in any other area surveyed in the National Education Monitoring Project (NEMP) which covers 15 subjects over a four-year-cycle with comparisons based on a wide range of factors including ethnicity, home language and socio-economic index.
Source:NZPA

Australian researchers in search of moa

By PAUL GORMAN - The Press
It's the latest in eco-tourism – a month-long trip to the darkest corners of the South Island to try to meet a moa.
Australian cryptozoologists Rex and Heather Gilroy, who run the Australasian Cryptozoological Research Centre, are now finalising plans for a New Zealand trip in November to prove that moa still live in the bush. The Gilroys have been travelling here from Katoomba in New South Wales for the past 27 years in search of any variety of New Zealand's flightless bird, believed to have been extinct for several hundred years. We prefer to keep an open mind on the issue, for in those Fiordland wilderness regions any mystery creatures could easily escape human detection," Rex Gilroy said.

Whitebait snapped up at $130 a kg

By GREER McDONALD - The Dominion Post
Whitebait lovers are being battered by exorbitant prices after a slow start to the season. Retail prices in Wellington have reached $130 a kilogram - for those who can find whitebait - but connoisseurs are prepared to pay a premium, retailers said yesterday. Whitebait lovers are being battered by exorbitant prices after a slow start to the season. Poor catch levels have been reported since the season started on September 1. "There's not a lot around," West Coast Whitebaiters Association president Jim Bushby said from Greymouth yesterday.

Primary teacher 'supply crisis' hits schools

A "teacher supply crisis" has primary schools struggling to put enough staff in front of classrooms, the country's largest education union says. New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) national president Irene Cooper said it had reached the point where some schools were forced to split classes when a relief teacher could not be found, to ensure children had some form of supervision. The Ministry of Education agreed, saying since 2001 an extra 3068 primary teachers had been trained on top of what was needed to keep up with school roll growth.
Source:NZPA

PM marks state house landmark

The Prime Minister and two senior cabinet ministers will mark a slice of New Zealand history in Wellington today. It is 70 years since the first state house was built. Helen Clark, Chris Carter and Annette King will visit the property in Fife Lane, Miramar, this morning to mark the occasion. Miss Clark visited the house for its 50th anniversary 20 years ago when she was Minister of Housing.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Best songwriter announced tonight

The year's best songwriter will be announced in Auckland tonight. Five musicians are in the running for the 2007 Silver Scroll, including Opshop for the song Maybe and Brooke Fraser for Albertine. Sean Donnelly is the songwriter behind SJD and is nominated for his electropop gem, Beautiful Haze, which is about working for a living. Underground pop-art favourites The Mint Chicks burst into the mainstream this year with a self-deprecating take on a love song, entitled Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No! Liam Finn, the son of Neil, is proving the Finn family talent pool is very deep, nominated for the single Second Chance, from his acclaimed debut solo album.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Edith Campion dies, aged 83

Poet and actress Edith Campion has died at her home in Otaki, aged 83. She was the mother of award-winning Kiwi director Jane Campion, and two other children - Anna and Michael. Edith Campion and her husband Richard founded the professional theatre company, The New Zealand Players, in the early 1950s. In later years she was a writer of poetry, short stories and novellas. She also had a cameo role as a teacher in Jane Campion's 1990 film An Angel at My Table.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Maori girls more likely to be overweight

Young Maori girls are more likely to be obese than their non-Maori counterparts. The health group Te Hotu Manawa Maori told a Wellington audience this morning that when it comes to children, Maori and non-Maori males have a similar prevalence of obesity. But Maori females are one-and-a-half times more likely to be overweight than non-Maori females. The group has been working closely with the Obesity Action Coalition, which is calling for a ban on all TV advertising for food and beverages during children's programmes.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Rugby World Cup -Results for games played to 18 Sept

Teams and Results
France vs Argentina - Argentina wins, 17-12
New Zealand vs Italy -New Zealand wins, 76-14
Australia vs Japan - Australia wins, 91-3
England vs United States - England wins, 28-10
Wales vs Canada -Wales wins, 42-17
South Africa vs Samoa - South Africa wins, 59-7
Scotland vs Portugal -Scotland wins, 56-10
Ireland vs Namibia - Ireland wins, 32-17
Argentina vs Georgia - Argentina wins, 33-3
United States vs Tonga - Tonga wins, 25-15
Japan vs Fiji - Fiji wins, 35-31
Italy vs Romania - Italy wins, 24-18
England vs South Africa- South Africa wins, 36-0
New Zealand vs Portugal - New Zealand wins, 108-13
Wales vs Australia - Australia wins, 32-20
Ireland vs Georgia - Ireland wins 14-10
Fiji vs Canada - Fiji wins 29-16
Samoa vs Tonga -Tonga wins 19-15
France vs Namibia -France wins 87-10

Meat companies caught telling porkies

Two bacon and ham companies have been given a ticking off for misleading labels implying their products were from New Zealand when they used imported ingredients. The Kiwi brand label included the phrase "The taste of New Zealand". The label for Premier's bacon and ham products read "Country Goodness from the Heart of the Wairarapa". The Commerce Commission says while the products were produced in New Zealand, a significant amount of the pork used to make the products was imported.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Seasoned weatherman returns to One

It is back to the future for TV One's weather. Jim Hickey and Karen Olsen are to be the state broadcaster's "One Weather" team. Olsen has been with TV One since 1994, after a career with MetService that included a year-long stint on Raoul Island. Jim Hickey also has a degree in meteorology and was TVNZ's senior weathercaster from 1988 to 2003. He is still not sure what prompted the state broadcaster to offer him the job, saying it is a little bit like groundhog day.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

NZ girl abandoned at Melbourne railway station

A toddler abandoned at a Melbourne railway station is from New Zealand, it was revealed today. The girl, known by police as "Pumpkin" because she was wearing some Pumpkin Patch clothing, was left at Southern Cross Station on Saturday. CCTV footage taken before she was found showed her holding the hand of a man pulling a small suitcase. The man disappeared and the toddler was found wandering around the station 15 minutes later by security staff. Inspector Brad Shallies said today he was "confident" the man seen with Pumpkin was a relative and that police knew his identity, the Age reported. He said the girl arrived in Melbourne from New Zealand on Thursday with the man. Police here are understood to be assisting colleagues in Melbourne with the investigation.
NZ HERALD STAFF, AAP

Tokelau has boosted its GDP by selling its internet domain name - .tk.

Tokelau has boosted its GDP by selling its internet domain name - .tk. The dutch company who bought the address gives an undisclosed amount to Tokelau from every .tk sale it makes allowing the atoll to add 10% to its economy. There are now more than 1.6 million .tk domain names registered and it is adding around 10,000 each day. Apart from a boost in revenue, the partnership with .tk has offered Tokelau free voice-over IP telephony services. Tokelau's move follows the lead of other Pacific countries, Tuvalu and Niue.
Copyright © 2007 Radio New Zealand

NZ study into alcohol dependence and depression

A study into the best treatment for both alcohol dependence and depression – thought to be a world first– will get under way in New Zealand later this month. Funded by the Health Council over 3 ½ years, the research is being led by the National Addiction Centre at Otago University, Christchurch, and will be launched in Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Source:NZPA

New drivers facing zero alcohol limit

By Simon O'Rourke
The Prime Minister has revealed that new driver licence holders of any age could soon face a "zero alcohol tolerance" policy. It is understood the Cabinet will soon discuss a paper that proposes new driving regulations surrounding the issue of alcohol. A new law would be introduced if the issue went before Parliament. The office of the Minister of Justice, Mark Burton, is drafting the paper and details are being closely guarded.
©2007, APN Holdings NZ Limited

Aust Defence Force defends sailors' breast ops

The Australian Defence Force has denied paying for breast enlargements so that female sailors could look sexy and said taxpayers only footed the bill if the surgery was needed for psychological reasons. The navy paid $10,000 each for the sailors, aged 25 and 32, to have cosmetic breast enlargements, newspapers have reported. Plastic surgeon Kourosh Tavakoli, who performed the operations, said the sailors claimed the breast enlargements were necessary for mental health reasons. "I've had two female navy officers who've got the navy to pay for breast augmentation for psychological reasons," he said.

Greens protest bank's logging link

The Greens are staging a colourful protest rally outside the offices of ANZ Bank in central Auckland this morning. The party claims ANZ is putting its financial support behind Malaysian logging company, Rimbunan, which is clearing rainforest in Papua New Guinea. Green co-leader Russell Norman says the Bank's support is allowing the logging to continue, which is causing a major threat to rare species of tree kangaroos, frogs, orangutans and bats. He says ANZ is a significant player in PNG, and without the financial support given to the logging company, Rimbunan would not be able to operate.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Whitebait too rich for some

A Christchurch seafood company says it will not be stocking whitebait while the prices are so high. It has been a slow start to the season on the West Coast as cold water temperatures are reportedly keeping the delicacy out to sea. This means early season prices are high - as much as a $110 dollars a kilogram. City Seafood Market owner Paul Leonard says he will not even stock whitebait at the moment, as people would think they are being ripped off.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Carbon compo for low earners

Compensation is on the cards for low and modest income earners under the Government's proposed carbon emissions trading scheme. Full details of the policy are due to be released on Thursday but Prime Minister Helen Clark has put some aspects into the public domain. She says compensation would be given to those who suffered most from any increase in energy prices as a consequence of the scheme. Miss Clark says it is important it is available for low to modest income consumers, because they are not in a position necessarily to radically alter their pattern of energy use.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Meningitis vaccine for babies from next year

The Health Ministry has confirmed the addition of a new vaccine to the national immunisation schedule, which is reviewed every two years. The latest schedule includes the pneumococcal vaccine Prevenar, which will be given to all newborn babies from next year as part of efforts to reduce the effects of pneumococcal disease. The disease can cause meningitis, blood poisoning and pneumonia. Dr Alison Roberts, acting manager National Immunisation Programme, says the addition of Prevenar to the schedule means that from next year all New Zealand babies will have access to free immunisations protecting them against 11 serious diseases.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Emmy for Anna?

New Zealand actress Anna Paquin is among the stars from downunder hoping to win an Emmy. Australians Toni Collette, Judy Davis, and Rachel Griffiths are also nominated. Ms Paquin's TV movie, Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee, a western, picked up the most nominations: 17. Hollywood announces the coveted Primetime Emmy Award winners tomorrow night honouring excellence in television.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Nazi paraphernalia auction to be held

A letter signed by Adolf Hitler is to be auction in Christchurch next week as part of a collection of Nazi memorabilia. The auction has been criticised by Jewish leaders who say it is morally repugnant. The letter is dated April 1941 and bears Hitler’s personal seal. It is part of a collection that includes clothing, paintings and medals that will be auctioned next week. Experts say Hitler often used a printing press to sign items, so if the letter is authentic it is very unusual. New Zealand’s Jewish Council is concerned by the auction and says the sale of Nazi memorabilia is an insult to all the victims of the Nazi regime. Unlike some European countries, New Zealand has no laws against selling Nazi paraphernalia. The Jewish Council says it is morally wrong and is calling on the Government to review the law. The letter will be auctioned on Friday and if genuine, could fetch several thousand dollars.
© CanWest TVWorks Limited

Fire ruins wedding day

It was a disastrous day for an Invercargill family preparing for a wedding last evening. While they were out making last-minute arrangements a cigarette butt or ashes placed in a rubbish bin ignited, setting fire to their home. When firefighters arrived, flames were shooting from the back of the house and moments later the front windows exploded. The firefighters managed to prevent the flames spreading to a second, attached home, but the first house was completely destroyed, with the exception of one bedroom.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Church service marks anniversary

Air Force personnel are marking the anniversary of the Battle of Britain today. Many New Zealanders flew with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War battle for the skies, between July and October 1940. Air Force Association president Robin Klitscher says members will be commemorating the event as they have always done. He says there will be a church service at St Paul's Cathedral in Wellington and wreaths will be laid.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Rugby Word Cup. NZ vs Portugal

The All Blacks have defeated Portugal 108-13

De Bres disappointed by UN treaty snub

Race Relation Commissioner Joris De Bres is disappointed the government has not backed the United Nations' Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. New Zealand was one of four countries to vote against the declaration, describing it as incompatible with New Zealand laws. It says the Treaty of Waitangi and common law already covers indigenous rights. The United States, Australia and Canada also refused to endorse the treaty while 143 countries voted in support of it and 11 abstained.
Source: Newstalk ZB/One News

Cocktail concoctions go down a treat

Mixologogists from around the world have been putting their skills to the test at the World Cocktail Championships in Queenstown. Today’s grand final shake-off was the last chance to put their mixing where their mouth is. 14 teams representing bars had seven minutes to produce an award-winning concoction.
It was thirsty work for the four member judging panel, which was made up of 3 News entertainment reporter Kate Rodger, as well Sopranos actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, all the way from Hollywood. After nearly five hours of taste-testing, Viva Las Vegas took first place with their Ample Extremo.
© CanWest TVWorks Limited

Kiwi entrepreneur solves I-phone problem

Apple’s I-Phone has been a huge seller overseas, but here sales have been sluggish because it can not be used as a phone. After much hype, the I-Phone was released in the US in July. And while some importers have them here, they can only work on America’s AT&T phone network, preventing them from being used have phones in New Zealand. But now a young Christchurch entrepreneur has come up with a solution. Layton Duncan has begun importing add-on devices from the Czech Republic that enable the I-Phone to connect to the Vodafone network. The small devices connect between the Vodafone sim card and the I-Phone.
© CanWest TVWorks Limited

Farmers slam unhealthy milk claims

Federated Farmers is rubbishing a book by a Lincoln University professor claiming milk is not good for you. Keith Woodford's book claims milk with the A1 protein causes all sorts of problems and the country needs to switch to cows that produce milk with the A2 protein. Federated Farmers President Charlie Pedersen says the debate is fueled by people with commercial interests in A2 milk. He says most milk is in its complete form with both A2 and A1 proteins.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

NZ winemakers beat the world's best

By Errol Kiong
New Zealanders have carried away the top awards at the world's largest wine competition. Villa Maria Estate's group winemaker Alastair Maling was named the International White Winemaker of the Year, and Bald Hills Vineyard's pinot noir was declared the champion red at the 2007 International Wine Challenge in London. The Bald Hills pinot also won the sustainable trophy for its environmentally friendly production methods, and New Zealander Samantha Connew won South Australian winery Wirra Wirra the International Red Winemaker of the Year prize. The International Wine Challenge, which drew 9358 entrants this year, is judged by a panel of more than 465 winemakers, merchants and writers from around the world, including more than 40 Masters of Wine.
©2007, APN Holdings NZ Limited

Push on to raise minimum driver age

By Phil Taylor
Transport Minister Annette King has raised the prospect of Parliament being polled on lifting the legal driving age, saying it was probably time to see what MPs thought. National's transport spokesman, Maurice Williamson, personally favours lifting the age to 16, although he says his party has not yet formed a policy. Such a move would appear to have the support of United Future leader Peter Dunne, whose suggestion that the Government is spending up on roads but does not want to address the driving issue prompted Ms King's comments.
Source:NZPA

Price of butter set to soar

From Monday New Zealanders will pay more for butter. Dairy giant Fonterra is raising the cost by 23%, meaning people could pay almost $2.50 for 500 grams. A worldwide milk shortage has driven up the price of milk on international markets. And it is not just dairy prices peaking - fruit and vegetables are going up in price too.
Source:One News

Rugby-Heineken ordered to remove ads in France

The Dutch beer group and Rugby World Cup sponsor Heineken has been ordered to remove promotional material from streets in France, because it infringes laws on alcohol advertising. A Paris court has upheld a plea from France's national association for the prevention of alcoholism and addiction. It argued World Cup material bearing the name Heineken is in breach of a 1991 law. Heineken has been given 48 hours to remove the publicity, which is mostly in the form of banners displayed outside bars and cafes. It can potentially be fined 5,000 euros per offence. The company is waiting for the full details of the ruling before deciding whether to appeal. Heineken is one of the Rugby World Cup's main sponsors.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

PM remains the most powerful NZer

Prime Minister Helen Clark once again tops the New Zealand Listener's annual list of the country's most powerful people. "It is the fourth year running that Helen Clark has topped the Power List," says NZ Listener editor Pamela Stirling. "It now seems to be a given among political analysts and commentators that she is the most powerful prime minister since Keith Holyoake in the 1960s." Her opposition, in National leader John Key, has risen from ninth to third place, just behind Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen. All Black Coach Graham Henry has rocketed up, coming in at seventh, compared to 23rd last year.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

NZ joint winner of Smokefree award

New Zealand, Ireland and Finland have jointly won the Global Smokefree Partnership's Extraordinary Award, Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor said today. The award was for "exceptional and outstanding commitment" to developing guidelines for the international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. "This award is a testament to the high regard ion which New Zealand is held internationally in this arena," Mr O'Connor said. "New Zealand has played a leading role in establishing international agreement on the guidelines, which were adopted unanimously at the Conference of Parties in Bangkok in July."
Source:NZPA

Man given $500 by "happy" couple

A Tauranga man cannot get over the contents of an envelope handed to him yesterday while he was walking down the street. Rangi Tamati was on Grey St when a stranger gave him the envelope and said " this is for you ." Inside was $500 in cash. The locksmith says the man, was accompanied by a woman and seemed to be in a very happy mood. Mr Tamati says he donated some of the money to charity and spent the rest on clothes. He does not know why he was given the cash, and is not asking too many questions.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Peters to meet EU leaders

Foreign Minister Winston Peters heads to Europe next week for a series of high level talks. He will visit Spain and Portugal and will also have meetings with counterparts in the European Union. Mr Peters says the centrepoint of the EU talks will be the adoption of a joint declaration on EU-New Zealand relations, which sets out the directions in which the relationship has moved and where it might be enhanced. He says they will also discuss global concerns such as Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea as well as touching on recent developments in the Pacific.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Tauranga company can handle the heat

A Tauranga-based company has unveiled details of a new range of "space-age" flame-resistant clothing it believes has the potential to make tens of millions of dollars. Flamecrusher says its 2BKool range includes tops and long johns, designed to regulate body temperature, which is crucial in top level motor racing. Owner Bernie Gillon says the gear is now certified by the Formula One governing body, and they cannot keep up with the demand.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

School produces three computer champs

By RICHARD WOODD - Taranaki Daily News
Hawera High School in Taranaki has three computer programming champions - and one of them could be a genius. They have beaten 50 other schools for top honours in a nation-wide programming teams contest. One, Kieran McLaughlan, hasn't hung around. Twelve days after the contest, he flew to Boston to start a five-year scholarship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, worth $250,000. He sat the US college entrance exams and scored near-maximum in all the papers. Kieran (18) will probably go into science-based practical research and development, says the school's head of computing, Andrew Phayer.

Dozens of birds die on longline

Conservationists are demanding urgent action to prevent further seabird deaths after dozens, including the critically endangered Chatham albatross, were killed. A long-line ship on the hunt for ling and bluenose on the Chatham Rise last week snared 12 Chatham albatrosses and 22 Salvin's albatrosses. A government observer on board reported the deaths.
Source:Dominion Post

Churchman, Maori champion dies

Retired archbishop Whakahuihui Vercoe has died, aged 79. A staunch supporter of the Treaty of Waitangi and the status of Maori in New Zealand, he retired in 2006 after two years as Anglican Archbishop of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. Archbishop Vercoe was born at Torere, Opotiki, in 1928. After studying at Feilding Agricultural High School, Canterbury University and College House Theological College, he was ordained in 1952, the New Zealand Herald reported. He served as a military chaplain in Malaya between 1961 and 1963 and South Vietnam in 1968 and 1969.
Source:NZPA

Pacific Blue tallies up savings

Cut-price airline Pacific Blue estimates New Zealanders have saved at least $4 million on air travel in the three weeks since it announced it was entering the domestic market . The company says it has sold around 100,000 of its introductory $39 one-way fares. Commercial General Manager, Adrian Hamilton-Manns, says the fare seems to have set a benchmark with competitors, as Air New Zealand and Qantas match it.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News

Crackdown on Campylobacter in chicken

Food officials have introduced strict new rules in their attempts to crack down on cases of Campylobacter. The Food Safety Authority wants the number of cases, many of which are linked to raw or undercooked chicken, to fall by 50 percent over the next five years. The authority has given chicken processors until April to cut Campylobacter contamination levels by 90 percent. It says it will take strong action against processing plants that do not meet the target. The authority says that could lead to some premises being closed.
© 2007 Newstalk ZB News