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Thursday, December 31

NZ's highest honour for Helen Clark

One of New Zealand's longest serving prime ministers has been given the country's highest honour. Helen Clark has been awarded the Order of New Zealand in the New Years Honours list. , a distinction limited to only 20 living New Zealanders. This caps off three decades in both domestic and international politics. Clark gets the top honour for 30 years of service to New Zealand. "Obviously some incredible Kiwis have been honoured with the Order of New Zealand and I feel very privileged to be counted among them," she says. After losing the last election, she took up the number three job with the United Nations as the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme . She is currently back in New Zealand on holiday.
Source: ONE News



Banned jam-maker back in full production

A woman in Northland who was banned from making jam for a local hospice shop is back in full production after a gap of four months. Gloria Crawford, 68, a retired farmer from Waipapa, was told by council inspectors she could no longer make jams and pickles for sale because she did not have a registered kitchen. But the Food Safety Authority overruled what it said were absurd regulations and allowed her to continue after submitting a food safety programme. Mrs Crawford says she passed the jam test several weeks ago and now she's had the all clear for her sauces and pickles.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



NZ cure saves endangered frogs

Zoologists around the world are saving previously doomed frog species using a New Zealand cure for chytrid fungal disease. Over the past three decades, the fungus has wiped out or damaged a third of the world's 6-thousand species of amphibians. But in 2007 a University of Otago team found a cure in simple eye drops containing the antibiotic chloramphenicol. Frogs dipped in the solution recover in a matter of weeks and appear to be immune to the fungus thereafter. The Otago researchers believe the cure has saved many species from extinction, including Archey's Frog, which is native to New Zealand.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



SPCA to launch free vaccination programme

The SPCA says it will launch a free vaccination programme to try to stem disease among pets. The scheme will begin in 2010 from a caravan that has been carrying out free de-sexing operations over the past three years. But the society eventually wants every SPCA shelter to offer free vaccinations to community card holders. Chief executive Robyn Kippenberger says a disease such as parvo virus in dogs is particularly virulent and can be passed on very easily. "While they're diseased they're very highly infectious. I've seen an SPCA lose 25 puppies in a couple of days with parvo virus."
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Freedom camping making a revival in Gisborne

By Niva Retimanu - NewstalkZB
Gisborne District Council says it is doing all it can to entice freedom campers to the area. Freedom campers pitch tents anywhere they like along the coastline, just metres from the sea, in areas that are not officially designated campsites. Council community facilities manager Terry McMillan says this time every year, hundreds of campers visit the region, which is the only area which still allows freedom camping. He says people like the idea because it is unrestricted, cheap and fun. He says the council wants to keep the cost of freedom camping low and so only charge a small fee for waste removal.



Sky Tower fireworks for Auckland New Year

The New Year will kick off with a bang in Auckland. Sky City spokeswoman Connie Sprague says over seven hundred kilos of fireworks will be set off from the Sky Tower. She says at twelve o'clock it will start off with a big bang and there will be five and a half minutes of an absolutely spectacular light show. She expects around 40 thousand people to visit Sky City and many more will watch the fireworks from around Auckland.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Severe weather warning for South Island

By laura heathcote - NewstalkZB
Metservice is warning a vigorous front is set to bring gale force winds and heavy rain to most of the South Island from tomorrow. It has issued a severe weather warning for Westland, Fiordland, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. The front is expected to move onto the South Island tomorrow night with severe gale force winds likely in exposed inland places from Southland to Canterbury. Rainfall intensities may reach as much as 20 to 30 millimetres an hour during thunderstorms. Meanwhile, further north, a severe weather watch has been issued for the Buller, northwest Nelson and Tararua ranges on Saturday. Strong northwestly winds ahead of the front are also expected in Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa.



NZ will go to Delhi despite security concerns - Games chief

The head of the New Zealand Olympic Committee says plans to send athletes to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi have not changed despite a report that the English team may not participate. Games officials in England have denied the report in The Daily Telegraph which says English athletes will not go to Delhi because of the security risk posed by terrorists. NZOC president Mike Stanley, who also heads the New Zealand Commonwealth Games Association, says he is monitoring the security situation in Delhi closely and has received no information to suggest New Zealand athletes will be at risk in Delhi. He says India is going to extraordinary lengths to ensure security at the Games.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Increasing numbers use internet before seeing GP

By REBECCA TODD - The Press
More Kiwis are using the internet to self-diagnose and are challenging doctors based on online information, a new survey shows. The survey, commissioned by the Southern Cross Medical Society, showed more than 80 per cent of members used the internet to find medical information – up 7 per cent on two years ago. However, only a quarter said they trusted that information. Most of those would also check their prescriptions online, and more than a third would challenge a doctor's advice based on internet information.



Wakelin first Kiwi woman to ski to South Pole

By GILES BROWN - The Press
Twizel adventurer Kylie Wakelin has become the first New Zealand woman to ski to the South Pole. Wakelin, 36, a member of an eight-woman team, arrived at the pole yesterday afternoon. "We are on da home run and if i can keep my thumbs warm, ITS IN THE BAG!" she said in a "tweet" on the Commonwealth women's expedition website just before completing the journey. Each woman has towed an 80-kilogram sled loaded with food, fuel and equipment for the past 39 days – skiing for six to 10 hours a day – to travel nearly 900 kilometres to the pole and mark the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth. The expedition includes women from Brunei Darussalam, Cyprus, Ghana, India, Singapore and Britain.
-With NZPA



Big marlin hooked by boy

A Northland boy has hooked in a fish three times his body weight. Sam Marsh, aged 10, of Paihia, was fishing on his father's boat on Boxing Day when he caught a 133kg striped marlin, off Cape Brett. The International Gamefish Association in the United States has been sent the details and should confirm by next month whether the catch is a world record in the category 10 years and under. Sam's father Brian Marsh says the marlin stripped nearly 800 metres of line from his son's reel during the 45 minute struggle.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



More asylum seekers intercepted

Another 48 suspected asylum seekers have been detected in a boat off the north-west of Western Australia. The ABC reports it is the third vessel that border authorities have seized this week and the 61st to arrive in Australia this year. Forty-eight passengers and four crew from the boat intercepted near Ashmore Islands are being taken to Christmas Island for health, security and identity checks. On Tuesday, a stationary vessel was spotted about 260km north of Gove, in the Northern Territory. The 30 passengers and three crew members were expected to be taken to Christmas Island to be processed.
On Monday, an Australian navy ship intercepted a boat believed to be carrying 11 asylum seekers north-west of Ashmore Islands.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Clark tops New Year Honours list

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark and six new Knights and Dames head the New Year Honours list. A total of 193 people are named. Miss Clark has received New Zealand's highest honour, the Order of New Zealand, which is restricted to 20 living persons. Five Knights and one Dame are appointed, following the reinstatement of the Queen's title awards, which were discontinued in 2000. Dame Lesley Max is honoured for her services to children. Film-maker Peter Jackson is made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Other new knights are Douglas Myers, for services to business and the community; Judge Bruce Robertson for services as a High Court and Appeal Court judge; and Professor Mason Durie. Sir Mason is cited for his leadership in Maori health over 25 years.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, December 30

Shortage of lab scientists looms

It is claimed that cost saving in the medical industry is coming at the expense of experienced laboratory workers. A new Ministry of Health report shows more than 80 lab workers left Hawke's Bay, Wanganui and Gisborne in the latest round of tenders. Most of those workers took early retirement. Medical Laboratory Workers Union spokesman Stewart Smith says for the sake of saving a few dollars, New Zealand is heading towards a critical shortage of lab scientists and most laboratories are now reporting difficulties in finding skilled staff.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Roll out of Rugby World Cup tickets begins

Rugby fans worldwide are gearing up for the first release of tickets for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The initial offering, to be launched on January 1, will be in the form of official travel packages, which mean accommodation, travel and rugby tickets. Two agencies in New Zealand have the franchise - House of Travel and Seasonz Travel. Brent Thomas from House of Travel says the travel packages will sell out. "There's absolute demand from all parts of the world right now and we expect (the packages) to sell out very quickly," he says. Thomas says there have already been enquiries from places like Argentina, South Africa, Europe and the US.
Source: ONE News



Filmmakers seeking extras for The Hobbit

Makers of the two movies of The Hobbit, expected to begin filming in New Zealand early next year, are looking for extras. The One Ring Net website reported applications for work on the movies as an extra have been announced by MGM Studios in New Zealand. And Jack Machiela, a tour guide for former Lord Of the Rings film locations, says on his Noldor blog principal photography is scheduled to begin as early as March or April. Three Foot Seven Ltd, the company making The Hobbit, has told him it will only consider applications sent by conventional mail, and from people who can legally work in New Zealand, he says. Casting directors will want clear photographs of people before sending out formal application forms with questions about skills and clothing measurements, says Machiela.
NZPA



Update-Bushfires destroy up to 40 homes in Western Australia

Up to 40 homes have been destroyed by a fire in the Australian town of Toodyay, 80km northeast of Perth. The fire, which started on Tuesday, has been raging through the small community in the Western Australian wheatbelt, burning almost 3,000 hectares of land. Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) spokesperson Allen Gale says the extent of the damage is not yet known. "House after house has been destroyed, in a line, and there are still pockets where the fire is still burning." All roads to the region have been cut off and emergency shelters have been set up for residents fleeing their properties.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



White Island to star in Narnia film

White Island in the Bay of Plenty will provide a backdrop to the latest instalment of the Narnia films. The third movie in The Chronicles Of Narnia series, based on the classic children's books by C S Lewis, will be released next December. White Island Tours marketing executive Patrick O'Sullivan says the filming, which was done without the cast, took place just before Christmas. The main filming of movie, The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, is understood to be taking place in Australia. The first movie, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, was released in 2005, and was followed by Prince Caspian in May last year.
NZPA



Pacific Blue offers direct Cairns flight

Pacific Blue is taking on Air New Zealand on the Auckland to Cairns route. The New Zealand arm of Virgin Blue announced today that it would start twice-weekly return flights, on Tuesday and Saturday, from March 23. With over 30,000 visitors from New Zealand heading to north Queensland every year, Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey said the new services would not only provide an alternative travel option but also help grow the market. Air New Zealand operates three direct return flights a week between Auckland and Cairns.
NZPA



Fire ban in place in Far North

A fire ban is in place in the Far North due to extremely dry conditions. All fires including hangi, beach fires, and New Years Eve fireworks are banned, and only gas barbecues are allowed. A Far North District Council spokesperson, Alison Lees, says there is a serious fire risk through the entire district north of Whangarei. She says there are fines of up to $2000 dollars for breaking the ban, though she admits it is hard to police.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Residents urged to flee Western Australia fire

Emergency shelters have been set up for residents fleeing properties threatened by blazes north-east of Perth. Two bushfires have been burning out of control, one in Toodyay, about 50km north of Perth, the other north of the city which has burnt out 5,000 hectares around Badgingarra. Some 200 firefighters at the site and all power and roads to the region have been cut off. Several homes have been destroyed but there are no reports of injuries. Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) spokesman Kevin Archer told the ABC that residents needed to act immediately if they were going to leave, as fleeing at the last minute can be deadly.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, December 29

Free text books now being delivered in Fiji’s Eastern Division

Fiji’s Ministry of Education has begun its free textbook initiative with distribution to primary schools in the Eastern Division. The distribution is starting here because of the geographical isolation of the islands in this division and the challenges they face in getting educational resources from the main centres. The interim Education Minister, Filipe Bole, says the essential texts are being printed in Fiji. He says the interim government is backing the effort as part of its drive to make education accessible to all, especially economically disadvantaged families. Mr Bole says the government already pays tuition fees and bus fares for students.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Stewart Island welcomes massive cruise ship

The first trip to Stewart Island by a full sized cruise ship is being hailed as a major success. The 62,000 tonne Volendam dropped anchor in the area early on Tuesday morning with close to 1,500 tourists aboard. Hundreds of passengers shrugged off a blast of southerly weather to enjoy the island's simple charms. The native birds on Ulva Island were an especially popular attraction. "We don't have anything like this at home, and to have it so pristine and still true to what it was, it's just a treasure. It's wonderful," says American visitor Julie Dormandy. And the Volendam's visit could be the start of something big. At least four similar visits are planned for next summer.
Source: Newstalk ZB



Severe weather warning issued

Residents near Nelson and the Buller Ranges are being warned to watch out for rapidly rising rivers as heavy rain hits the region. A band of rain lying across central New Zealand is expected to bring intense falls of 20 to 30mm per hour to northwest Nelson and the Buller Ranges. The rain band should move north and weaken during the day, with falls in the Tararua Ranges easing during the afternoon.
NEWSTALK ZB



Tokelau island ferry 'safe'

By MICHAEL FIELD - Stuff.co.nz
A small New Zealand-owned ferry serving a remote territory across open Pacific Ocean is seaworthy and safe, Foreign Minister Murray McCully says. The 18-year-old 30-metre MV Tokelau is the only transport link to the three atolls of the New Zealand territory of Tokelau, 540 kilometres north of Samoa. In some conditions passengers are swamped with waves and winds as the vessel takes nearly two days to make the trip. Most people have to sleep on the deck along with cargo. Tokelau, which has a resident population of around 1200, is administered through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Another 8000 Tokelauans live in New Zealand, many in the Wellington area. In the wake of the Princess Ashika ferry disaster in Tonga earlier this year, which cost 74 lives, Fairfax Media sought Official Information Act access to any questions within the ministry over the safety of MV Tokelau. The ship had a survey in August 2009 and met Lloyds Classification Society requirements. Tokelau has no airports and no harbours, so ships need to stand off the reef to load.



Between a wok and a hard place

By MATT CALMAN - The Dominion Post
Three women had to lower themselves from a second-storey window to escape a kitchen fire in the Malaysian high commission compound. The fire started on a stove in one of the compound's accommodation blocks in Brooklyn, Wellington. The ground floor of the building was well alight and the women staff members were lowering themselves from the upstairs window when fire engines arrived about 5.15pm yesterday. Passing motorists saw smoke and drove to nearby Brooklyn Fire Station and "just sat on the doorbell", station officer Greg McFarlane said. The women suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to hospital as a precaution. The fire started from an oil-filled wok on the stove and was a classic case of leaving cooking unattended.



Alien lights not out of this world

By RYAN EVANS - Taranaki Daily News
Police phone lines around the country, and especially the Coromandel Peninsula, are running hot with calls from people reporting distress flares at night. The calls are bugging the police because the flares are not flares at all; they're small lantern-type fliers powered by small candles and apparently being sold on Coromandel beaches and elsewhere. But released at night they can resemble flares. Northern police communications Inspector Cornell Kluessien said the novelty items were bag-like and made of flimsy paper. When the candle is lit its heat fills the bag, just like a balloon, and it lifts off to float away, higher and higher. Mr Kluessien said police had taken six calls from the Coromandel last night, three the day before and one from Auckland on Boxing Day. "I'm sure the lanterns are pretty but they're causing us big problems, Mr Kluessien said.



Alfa Romeo takes Sydney-Hobart line honours

New Zealand supermaxi Alfa Romeo has taken line honours in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Monday night. The yacht arrived in Hobart just after 10pm local time, completing the 628 nautical mile trip in two days, nine hours, two minutes and 10 seconds. The race was slow due to fickle weather and slow winds, but skipper Neville Neville Crichton says it didn't matter in the end.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Monday, December 28

Former PM Helen Clark back in NZ for holiday

Former prime minister Helen Clark is spending her holiday back home in New Zealand. She says she is enjoying time out from her busy job as head of the United Nations Development Programme. Miss Clark will spend time at the beach and in the countryside, and hopes to do some hiking as well before returning to New York City in the new year.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



First marlin of the season hooked in Bay of Islands

The first marlin of the summer has been hooked in the Bay of Islands. The game fish, estimated to weigh about 80 kilograms, has been tagged and released near Cape Brett. Geoff Stone, a local fishing columnist, says skipjack and albacore tuna have just started arriving in the bay. He says the striped marlin, which was caught off a charter boat, is a sign the big fish are on their way. Marlin usually arrive about Christmas time along with warmer water temperatures.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Omarama gets holiday liquor ban

Residents of tiny Omarama in Otago have successfully pushed for a liquor ban covering the entire township from Boxing Day until 3 January. Waitaki community safety officer Alison Banks says the normal population grows from roughly 3,000 to about 10,000 over the holiday period, peaking with the annual rodeo on 28 December. She says in the past, the aftermath of the rodeo has been marked by drunkeness, broken bottles and other rubbish in the streets. Ms Banks says the residents decided they'd had enough, and pushed for the Waitaki council to do something.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Flooding hits New South Wales

Severe thunderstorms have caused flooding in New South Wales, trapping an elderly man in a car that was washed into a river. Rescue workers in the north of the state battled rising floodwaters on Saturday to rescue the 80-year-old from his vehicle, which was swept into the Hastings River near the town of Pipeclay. More than 270mm of rain had fallen in the district over the previous 24 hours. The ABC reports that warnings of flash flooding have been issued for the Port Macquarie, Taree and Tweed areas.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Gaddafi's son granted visa for NZ

The son of Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is understood to be flying into New Zealand today. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) confirmed a member of Gaddafi's family had been granted a visitor's visa. "We know that a member of the family was planning to come to New Zealand, but the arrival date is yet to be confirmed," a ministry spokesman told The Press. Aviation sources said it was Gaddafi's London-based son and heir apparent, Saif al Islam al Gaddafi, who was on board his father's jet which would land in Christchurch some time today. He is expected to fly straight on to Queenstown on a smaller aircraft for a private holiday.
NZPA



Alarming rate of diabetes in Fiji

The early results from a study by a New Zealand organisation in Fiji reveal an alarming rate of diabetes. The survey by the Fred Hollows Foundation shows 40 percent of people over the age of 40 have the disease but were unaware of their condition. Fijian Indians were shown to be most at risk with half of those screened having the disease. In New Zealand, the rate amongst the same age group is nine percent. The survey is the first of its kind carried out in Fiji. It was launched after increasing numbers of people complained of eye problems, which were linked to diabetes. The disease can cause blindness if it is not detected and treated early. From February, doctors and technicians from Fiji, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Tonga will start training at Hollows NZs Pacific Eye Institute.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



100 pilot whales strand and die at Farewell Spit

By SAM McKNIGHT - The Southland Times.
More than 100 pilot whales died at Farewell Spit, near Nelson, just one day before Department of Conservation staff worked feverishly to save stranded pilot whales on the Coromandel Peninsula. DOC Golden Bay biodiversity programme manager Hans Stoffregen yesterday told The Southland Times a pod of 105 long-finned pilot whales, calves and adults were found beached at the eastern tip of the spit on Boxing Day. None of them survived. The whales were discovered by a tourist plane pilot and reported to Nelson air traffic control, which contacted DOC. Only 30 were alive and all of the adults were dead, he said. "They were in bad shape. By the time we got there two-thirds of them had already died. We had to euthanise the rest." The stranding site was at Bush End Point, near the lighthouse. Meanwhile frantic rescuers sent about 40 whales beached north of Coromandel back out to sea yesterday afternoon, but another 20 from the stranded pod have died. Hundreds of locals, holidaymakers and Conservation Department staff worked for hours to keep the pilot whales hydrated after 63 beached at Colville Beach about 5am yesterday.



Wellington hosts unicycle champs

The 15th International Unicycle World Championships begin on Monday in Wellington, the first time New Zealand has hosted the competition. More than 600 competitors from 21 countries, including many from New Zealand, have registered to compete in nine days of events. New Zealand's most accomplished unicyclist, Ken Looi, says New Zealand will hold its own in the street-riding, road event and mountain unicycling. Japan leads the world in freestyle, he says.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



New tramping tracks at Molesworth Station

The public will be given access to three new South Island tramping tracks on Monday when the road through Molesworth Station in Marlborough reopens for the summer. The Department of Conservation says the 180,787 hectare station - New Zealand's largest farm - offers some of the country's most spectacular high country views. The route through the station between Blenheim and Hanmer Springs will remain open until Easter Monday.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



NZ yacht extends Sydney to Hobart race lead

New Zealand yacht Alfa Romeo has widened its lead in the annual Sydney to Hobart race. Neville Crichton's 100 foot Maxi is leading Britain's ICAP Leopard by about 20 nautical miles, while four time defending winner Wild Oats XI is in third, at about 22 nautical miles off the pace. Alfa Romeo finished second to Wild Oats in 2005, the yacht's only other Sydney to Hobart race. Five yachts have withdrawn, leaving 95 in the fleet. This year is the 65th time the 628 nautical mile race has been sailed.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Zimbabwe cricket tour decision in March

A decision will be made in March on whether the Black Caps' tour to Zimbabwe will go ahead in June, the head of New Zealand Cricket says. This year's tour was postponed until June 2010 because of political instability in Zimbabwe. Advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is that New Zealanders should avoid non-essential travel to Zimbabwe, which is classed as a high-risk destination. Under ICC rules, a team can only withdraw from a sanctioned tour for health and safety reasons, and is immune from penalty only if it's been forced to withdraw by government order.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



NZ travellers face extra checks after bomb attempt

Tough new airport security measures are in force in New Zealand for travellers flying to the United States, after an attempt to blow up a passenger jet bound for Detroit. Airports across the world have tightened security at the request of the United States. In New Zealand, passengers bound for the US will be separated from other international passengers. They'll undergo more intensive scrutiny including baggage checks and body searches, says New Zealand's aviation security service general manager, Mark Everitt. The move is in response to an alleged attempt by a Nigerian man to blow up a Delta-Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to the US city of Detroit on Christmas Day.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Catastrophic fire warning for parts of West Australia

Temperatures are expected to hit 40 degrees in parts of West Australia, lifting the fire danger rating to catastrophic. The extreme conditions could last several days, meaning the most severe bush fire conditions of the year. Fire chief Craig Hynes says people whose homes are near the bush should really think about moving now, before the fires start.
source:NewstalkZB



Sunday, December 27

Fiji diabetes rate among highest in world

Shocking new figures show four out of every 10 people in Fiji have diabetes, putting it amongst the highest in the world. The Fred Hollows Foundation has just completed the first survey of its kind in the island nation showing its diabetic rate is four times more than in New Zealand. The survey across 34 communities in Fiji has found 40% of the people have diabetes. "We found out they were 40% the scope and the depth of the problem just hit us. The impacts in terms of costs family aspects, economic issues its just going to be staggering," says Doctor Tom Schaefer from the Fred Hollows Foundation New Zealand.
Source: ONE News



NZers give more than $2.5b to charity in 2009

The Charities Commission says New Zealanders have given about $2.5 billion to charity in the last year. Formal registration of charities seeking an exemption from paying tax on donations began about 18 months ago, allowing the Commission to learn more about the sector. The Commission says the registration process means people can now learn more about the charity they wish to contribute to. It says donors can find out from its website how much a charity spends in administration, what the organisation is actually doing and how effective it is.
Ed note:not easy to find the link to this info on their website.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Gridlock strands travellers

Thousands of motorists today were stranded in their cars, as traffic on main highways around New Zealand came to a standstill. Cars were backed up for kilometres at the Kopu Bridge near the Coromandel Peninsular. Further north, traffic was bumper-to-bumper on State Highway One stretching from Puhoi to Warkworth, including the Northern Gateway Toll Road. Police in Levin are urging motorists to take care on the roads in the Horowhenua area this evening. They say weather conditions in the area are making visibility poor, and suggest driving with headlines on.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Anglican church will never reverse its decision to ordain women

The co-leader of the Anglican Church in New Zealand says the church will never reverse its policy on ordaining women. The Pope made an offer to conservative Anglicans this year, for them to convert to the Catholic faith. He was appealing to Anglicans disenchanted with the ordination of women and gay men. Archbishop David Moxon says if conservative Anglicans are distressed by women being ordained and want to leave because of it, they should do. He says the Anglican church will never back down from the ordination of women, because it is of huge value and makes a magnificent contribution across the board.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Update-Beached whales successfully re-floated

A pod of beached whales has been successfully refloated in the Coromandel. The Department of Conservation says 63 pilot whales stranded themselves at around 5:30am Sunday morning in Colville Bay. DOC Community Relations programme manager Katrina Knill says 20 of the whales died shortly after being stranded. She says the rest of the whales are now back in the water and they are continuing to monitor them. All efforts awere made to save those of them still alive, with about eight to 10 people on each whale. There is concern that the whales will re-beach themselves on Sunday night.
Source: ONE News/Newstalk ZB



Over 60 whales stranded on beach

Over 60 pilot whales have stranded on a beach north of Coromandel township on the Coromandel Peninsular. Twenty whales on Colville Beach have died and 43 are currently in the process of being taken out to sea by Department of Conservation workers, and hundreds of volunteers. Residents found the beached whales at 5am Sunday morning. All efforts are being made to save those of them still alive, with about eight to ten people on each Whale. There is concern that the whales will re-beach themselves tonight.
Source: ONE News/Newstalk ZB



Moby has landed

Music legend Moby has touched down and is hanging out in Auckland ahead of his New Year's gig. Moby is in the City of Sails until the 29th when he and his crew will fly to Gisborne to help ring in 2010 at the annual Rhythm and Vines festival. The three-day event is into its seventh year, and boasting a bushel of talent including Empire of the Sun, White Rabbits and Major Lazer.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Australians in record debt

Australian households are in record levels of debt and for the first time have surpassed the indebtedness level seen in the United States. Australian Reserve Bank figures show household debt - the combination of personal and mortgage debt - is equivalent to the country's gross domestic product, the ABC reports. This means every adult owes an average of $74,000. Analysts warn the financial crisis that rocked America could hit Australian families in 2010. Steve Keen, professor of economics at the University of Western Sydney, told the ABC an enormous proportion of income has has to be devoted to paying interest. In 1990 it would have taken families a few months to pay off their debt, Professor Keen says, but now it would take a full year.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Climate change is major issue, says church leader

The co-leader of the Anglican Church in New Zealand says climate change will be the biggest issue for the church in 2010. During the Copenhagen climate change summit earlier this month, churches throughout the world rang their bells 350 times to match the 350 parts per million some nations say is the maximum safe concentration for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Archbishop David Moxon says church bells rang all over New Zealand and Anglican friars and nuns attended Copenhagen lobbying hard for what he calls the sanctity of the Earth.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Damp holiday weather misses the spot

The cold front that has been affecting some of the country's popular holiday spots has missed many of the areas most in need of rain. MetService said on Sunday that up to 100 millimetres of rain had fallen over the previous 24 hours in some areas of the country, particularly to the west and north of the South Island, and the bottom of the North Island. Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson, says the heaviest rain has missed the areas that need it most - Central Otago, Hawke's Bay and Northland. Mr Nicholson says the Clutha Valley in Central Otago is the driest it has been since 1933, and farms there need at least a day of reasonably heavy rain to encourage grass growth. The rural fire authority is urging holiday makers in dry areas to be aware of the risk of fire.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



NZ yacht holds lead in Sydney to Hobart race

New Zealand yacht Alfa Romeo fought to hold its lead in the annual Sydney to Hobart race on Sunday. Just one few nautical mile separated it from second placed British maxi ICAP Leopard, while and four time defending winner, Australia's Wild Oats XI, was a further four miles behind. Wild Oats co-navigator Ian Burns applauded the performance of the two leaders, but warned the battle would not start in earnest until later on Sunday. Alfa Romeo won the sprint to Sydney Heads when the race began on Boxing Day. It was the first time in Wild Oats' five year history in the race that the yacht had been beaten through the heads. The leading boats were getting little help from overhead conditions as darkness developed, with southerly winds of about 8-10 knots.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Camping holidays popular as ever

The traditional New Zealand camping ground is becoming more popular, both as a way to use annual leave, and as a business to own. Research carried out for the Holiday Parks Association suggests one in five holidaymakers and tourists spend nights at a camping ground. The sector is worth $623 million a year, only slightly less than the wine industry. Just 18% of the money generated by camping grounds is spent on accommodation, and the rest is spent in the surrounding community.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Saturday, December 26

Fashion in the family at Ellerslie

By Andrew Scott - NewstalkZB
The supreme winner at the Fashion in the Field event at Ellerslie Racecourse is the sister of last year's winner. Auckland Racing Club marketing director Rachel Holland says there have been an amazing number of people on course and some impressive outfits. She says the event featured included a lot of colour, different styles and a large number of competitors vying for the top award. Olivia Moore won the under-25 category and then went on to win in the overall award, as her sister had last year. Ms Moore wore a pink floral dress with white and pink fascinator coordinated with pink shoes and white clutch bag. She wins a year's lease on a new Mercedes, new clothes, jewellery and dinner at Mollies Boutique Hotel in Ponsonby. The event is now the largest outdoor fashion event in the country and is part of the Christmas Carnival racing season.



Yacht Race fleet underway to Hobart

Alfa Romeo won the sprint to Sydney Heads when the Sydney to Hobart yacht race began on Boxing Day. Wild Oats XI made the running in the first five minutes, after Alfa experienced a problem with her spinnaker. However, Wild Oats lost ground just before the first mark at the Sydney Heads and Alfa hit the front as the fleet turned south for Hobart. They were followed by British maxi ICAP Leopard and another UK yacht RAN. This year is the 65th edition of the event. The spectator fleet was much reduced, with wet weather prevailing.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Malls cut prices to entice Boxing Day shoppers

After just a day's rest from their biggest spend-up of the year, shoppers are expected to be out in force for the Boxing Day Sales starting today. There are price cuts of between 20 and 50 per cent at malls around New Zealand as retailers work to keep the cash flowing. Cameron Brewer from the Newmarket Business Association says until the doors open, it's hard to predict how well things will go. He says many people opted for a more low-key Christmas this year, and he hopes the sales will tease out their last few dollars. On Christmas Eve, Paymark noted EFTPOS transactions surged to 131 per second.
NEWSTALK ZB



NZ teen will sail

The New Zealand-born Dutch girl who wants to sail solo around the world is now being allowed to go, after all. Laura Dekker, aged 14, was ordered into foster care by a court, after her parents approved her plans. But the decision has now been reversed by another court, which tossed aside pleas from social workers who think she is too young. Dekker is expected to set off in September, before she turns 15.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Warning for investors

Investors are being urged to be cautious if their savings institution has opted out of the Government's Retail Deposit Guarantee Scheme. Six companies have rejected a revised deed, which means they have to stop offering guaranteed deposits by the end of the year. They are:
Aotearoa Credit Union
Asset Finances
Christchurch Emergency Services Credit Union
Farmers Mutual Finance
Mutual Credit Finance and Rockforte Finance
Together they hold around $84 million of investors' money. Any new deposits or accounts which roll over after the first of January will not be guaranteed by the Government. Editor of www.interest.co.nz Bernard Hickey says it could have an impact on existing customers. Another 63 financial institutions decided to stay in the scheme.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Dunedin hottest on Christmas Day

Dunedin was the hottest location in New Zealand on Christmas Day. MetService says a high of 32C degrees (90F) was recorded there on Friday as a high pressure front brought warm temperatures to most of the country. But the weather is likely to cool on Saturday, with a cold front moving across the Tasman, which is due to reach the South Island in the morning.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Friday, December 25

Her Majesty, The Queens Christmas message

The Queen is urging the Commonwealth, of which she is head, to keep on talking about the important things that matter to the 54 member countries. In her Christmas message, Her Majesty has called especially upon the youth to keep discussing issues of concern. She also talks about the environment, urging Commonwealth leaders to take a lead in the challenge of climate change. The Queen is praising the dedication and work of UK troops serving overseas. In her message, the Queen, who is head of the Armed Forces, talks of the courage of the men and women who serve in Afghanistan and other trouble spots around the world, particularly the troops in Afghanistan facing a deadly fight against the Taliban. UK troop losses there have topped 100 this year. The Queen delivered her annual address to the Commonwealth from the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.
NewstalkZB



Seasons Greetings from New Zealand News




There will be no New Zealand News on Christmas Day. NZ News will resume on the 26th December.



Thursday, December 24

Cooks Deputy Prime Minister replaced, prompting a walkout

Sir Terepai Maoate has been dumped as Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. The move marks a split in the Democratic Party, which is headed by Sir Terepai with his place as Deputy Prime Minister being taken by another party member, Robert Wigmore. But other Democratic members of Cabinet, including Internal Affairs Minister Ngamau Munakoa, are expected to resign this afternoon. The Democratic Party says the Prime Minister Jim Marurai has put the country in a state of disarray by sacking Sir Terepai, a move it claims in a media release had little support in Parliament.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Australian girl saved from box jellyfish sting

The family of an Australian girl who nearly died from a box jellyfish sting say that her life was saved by campers who poured vinegar over her. Rachel Shardlow was stung while swimming in the Calliope River in central Queensland. She collapsed unconscious on the riverbank. The ABC reports a group of quick thinking people camping nearby doused her in vinegar to stop more venom entering her system. A box jellyfish can kill an adult in less than four minutes but the 10 year old has recovered so well she hopes to be out of hospital for Christmas
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Flood warning for NSW as fires threaten Victoria

In Australia, a severe flash flood warning is about to be issued for parts of New South Wales. Emergency services have warned that a deep low over the centre of Australia is moving towards New South Wales, bringing heavy rain and flooding for north western and central parts of the state on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. New South Wales will be on flood and fire watch for Christmas.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Swimmers scurry as sharks are sighted

By laura heathcote - NewstalkZB
Sharks have been sighted close to shore this afternoon at several popular beaches on the coast, north of Auckland. The first sightings were around 1.30pm and schools have been hanging around ever since at Omaha, Waipu and Ruakaka beaches. Lifeguards dropped their flags and got swimmers out of the water on several occasions. The sharks range in size from a metre up to two-and-a-half metres in length. It is thought they might be bronze whalers. Sharks have also been sighted at Whangamata and elsewhere on the Coromandel Peninsula.



A fair dinkum Santa

Source: Reuters
An Australian man has embraced the spirit of the season, taking on the role of a real-life Santa and giving away his possessions as gifts for the second Christmas in a row. Last Christmas, Dennis Stevenson opened his home and gave away all his belongings. This year, he opened a makeshift shop in the Gold Coast in Queensland to again distribute seasonal cheer and invited others to donate as well. "It's a lovely thing to do to continue the spirit of Christmas" Stevenson says. Stevenson opened The Spirit of Christmas shop on December 22 and says 90% of his goods have been been taken.



Fiji leader welcomes NZ rapprochement move

The leader of Fiji's interim government has told an ethnic radio station in Auckland it's good news that New Zealand Prime Minister John Key wants renewed engagement. Mr Key this week told Radio Tarana he's in the process of writing to Commodore Frank Bainimarama to try to engage him in dialogue. Commodore Bainimarama told the station he's encouraged by the change of stance. "We would like to continue dialogue with the New Zealand and Australian governments, and the commitment that is now being made by the prime minister of New Zealand John Key is an excellent one." Last month Fiji expelled New Zealand's top diplomat in Suva. He was the third head of mission to be made to leave Fiji in three years.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Record spend by Christmas shoppers

Source: Newstalk ZB
Last minute Christmas shoppers have set a seasonal record. Eftpos provider Paymark says at the peak between midday and 1pm on Thursday shoppers were ringing up 131 transactions every second. Paymark CEO Simon Tong says the resulting 438,000 transactions for the hour is a record. But he says New Zealanders are continuing to spend at an amazing rate, with more than 100 transactions a second every hour since 10am on Thursday. Tong expects in excess of $225 million to be spent through eftpos alone on Christmas Eve, which will also be a new record.



Swoop finds illegal catch

A routine swoop by fisheries officers has seen vehicles impounded and shell fish gatherers facing possible fines of up to $100,000. Last night's operation took place at Maketu, on the East Coast. The region's Operations Manager, Brendon Mikkelsen, says in the worst incident, five adults were found with 253 undersized paua (abalone) and 222 kina. Fisheries officers confiscated the illegal shellfish and seized two vehicles and Mr Mikkelsen says, if the fishers are convicted, those vehicles will likely be forfeited to the Crown.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Kaikoura 'best place' for Christmas

Kaikoura has been named in a global travel magazine as one of the top spots in the world to spend Christmas. The town was the only New Zealand place to feature in a Travel and Leisure list of locations for the festive season. Kaikoura was chosen because of its picturesque setting, the attraction of sunbathing on Christmas Day, and for the opportunities to see a plethora of sealife along the rugged east coast of the South Island, the New Zealand Herald reported. ''The Kaikoura peninsula may not have reindeer, but it is teeming with sperm whales, fur seals, dusky dolphins, pilot whales, and albatross in Kaikoura Bay," the article said. The magazine also praised the region's eco-tourism accommodation options.



At last - the right weather for a real Kiwi Christmas

By Isaac Davison
This Christmas is predicted to be the fairest of the decade, and hot, dry conditions are expected to last almost until the New Year. Forecasters say the North Island will have blue skies and temperatures in the low to mid-20s tomorrow, with little or no wind anywhere - except Wellington. Weatherwatch analyst Richard Green said it had been at least 10 years since such dry and settled conditions were forecast for all main centres on Christmas Day. "Temperatures across inland Canterbury and inland Hawkes Bay may well be nudging the 30C mark if the nor'wester kicks into gear," he said. MetService is predicting only one blip in the weather for the Christmas period, and that is in the most remote part of the country. There is a slight possibility of heavy rain in Fiordland and southern Westland on Boxing Day.



Harawira off duty as Maori Affairs Minister

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says he will never ask Hone Harawira to act on his behalf again as Minister of Maori Affairs. In July, six Te Puni Kokiri staff received an email from racist MP Mr Harawira who was upset about the way they were handling the Maori flag consultation process. His language included the phrase that he was "particularly f***** pissed off" and claimed he had been shafted and would "expose this as a sham." Dr Sharples says the email was immediately seen to be unacceptable and unwarranted and apologies were promptly made by Mr Harawira and by Dr Sharples' staff. Dr Sharples says he is not prepared to put officials in such a position again and he will not be asking them to work in the same way with Mr Harawira in the future.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Busy day for Santa Line

Children from around the country are keeping Santa and his elves busy with more than 700,000 calls so far to Telecom's Santa Line. Auckland is the top calling region with 140,000 calls coming from New Zealand's largest city, however, the lines to Santa are running hottest from cell phones, with more than 280,000 calls originating from mobiles. Santa expects a surge of calls today, as records show last minute requests usually flood in on Christmas Eve. (see sidebar)
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Cruise ship visit to triple Stewart Island population

Stewart Island could be busier than Queen St next Tuesday when the 61,214-tonne cruise ship Volendam, with 1450 passengers visits. The island has a population of 400. Cruise New Zealand chief executive Craig Harris said he was confident the island would cope with the large influx of visitors, as the Holland America Line had "done their research". Passengers would be off-loaded by "ship tender" or lifeboat. Bird-watching and island-cruise tours had been promoted to them. Stewart Island Promotion chairman Jon Spraggon said the visit would be a huge boost for the economy.
NZPA



NZ cranberry industry endorsed

Efforts to establish a cranberry industry in New Zealand have been endorsed by a representative of a large cranberry co-operative in the United States. A representative from the Ocean Spray company has visited small cranberry plots on the West Coast and in Hawke's Bay. Cranberry New Zealand says it wanted to tap into Ocean Spray's technical expertise to help establish a nursery on the West Coast. Chairman Bill Lee says a viable industry would need to produce 2000 - 3000 tonnes of berries per year, from more than 200 hectares. Currently about 8.5 hectares are in production.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



NZ book drive helps Bougainville schools

More than five tonnes of books are on their way from New Zealand to Papua New Guinea for three secondary schools in Bougainville. Otago schools donated books they no longer required and Wellington Rotary clubs helped label, pack and transport nearly 20,000 books. Hutt City Rotary Club president Murray Brockelsby says they include text books, reading books and class sets of journals. He says this is the second such shipment. A smaller load was sent last year. They will be distributed by New Zealand police stationed in Bougainville.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Cellphone driving ban to be enforced from now - police

Police say they will now actively enforce a ban on using hand-held cellphones while driving. Officers will now actively enforce the ban, which came into law on 1 November, rather than warning drivers who are caught flouting it. The Automobile Association supports the stance, saying a seven week introductory period is more than long enough.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, December 23

Dole may be cancelled after a year

People on the unemployment benefit for more than a year could have their payments cancelled, if they refuse to meet Work & Income and make a plan to return to work. Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says the Cabinet will consider moves to strengthen work-test requirements in the New Year. She says the unemployment benefit is meant to be a temporary support for people who are able to work, but can't find a job. Ms Bennett says the bulk of people on benefits are receiving them because of necessity, but there are some that see it as a way of life. Greens' welfare spokesperson Catherine Delahunty says the Government's approach is wrong, particularly at a time when unemployment is high. Other moves being considered by the Government include the introduction of a staged work-test requirement for those on the Domestic Purposes Benefit (single parent) once their youngest child turns six.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Move to ban alcohol for young drivers

A Government-appointed committee of child health experts says there should be zero tolerance for drinking and driving by young people. The Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee tabled its fifth report in Parliament on Wednesday. Among its recommendations is that the allowable breath alcohol limit for young and novice drivers be lowered to zero. The current limit for those under the age of 20 is 30 milligrams of alcohol for every 100 millilitres of blood. Committee chairman Nick Baker is a Nelson paediatrician. He says both learning to drink and learning to drive are challenging, and it can be fatal to combine the two. "People who are not used to the effects of alcohol - they do not know how much they can take, they do not know how impaired they are.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



NZ signs ban on cluster bombs

New Zealand has signed up to an international treaty banning cluster bombs. Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Georgina te Heuheu says New Zealand has ratified the Cluster Munitions Disarmament Convention, which bans the use, development, production and stockpiling of the weapon. Mrs te Heuheu says she is immensely proud of the move and given New Zealand's history of pushing for the convention it is fitting it is among the states that bring it into force. She says New Zealand will be an active advocate for the Convention and she is urging other countries, that have not signed up to it, to do so as soon as possible.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Riding naked okay, but not without helmet

Cycling starkers might be okay in New Zealand - but just make sure the cops don't catch you without a helmet. Two Kiwi men wearing nothing but their birthday suits have been issued with a warning for riding without protective head gear on a jaunt around the Coromandel seaside resort of Whangamata. Local bobby Senior Constable Cathy Duder was patrolling the resort when she came across the two nude men, both in their early 20s. She said the men appeared decidedly sober. "They didn't seem drunk at all. That's what worried me," she joked. Ms Duder issued them with a stern warning for not wearing helmets and then sent them directly home.
NZPA



Too many kangaroos for Australian farmers

Graziers in Australia say they are overrun with kangaroos. Recent heavy rainfall in parts of Queensland has prompted large numbers of marsupials to flock to the newly green countryside. Further south, however, a long-standing drought has forced a suspension in culling of kangaroos in parts of New South Wales. A temporary ban on hunting has been imposed in a 100,000 sq km area near the town of Griffith. The BBC reports the decision means fewer animals are being hunted under licence. Animal rights campaigners claim kangaroos are on the brink of extinction. They dispute government estimates there are about 25 million of the creatures across the continent.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Australia-Bad fire risk day ahead

Australia is bracing for its worst day of fire risk since the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria on 7 February. Eight of the 15 fire districts South Australia have been declared as being at catastrophic risk. The ABC reports they stretch from the West Australian border to Victoria. Severe or extreme fire danger ratings will apply in seven other districts, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius and strong winds around much of the state. The eight catastrophic districts are: mid-north, Flinders, Yorke Peninsula, upper south-east, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Murraylands, West Coast. There is an extreme fire danger in: Riverland, north-west Pastoral, Mount Lofty Ranges, Kangaroo Island, lower south-east. Adelaide is expected to have a top temperature of 42 degrees, with fresh and gusty northerly winds.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Santa Hotline open

Only two more big sleeps before Santa arrives, but Telecom's hotline to the North Pole is still open. Last year Santa received more than 650,000 messages from excited children and some adults. Telecom is advising well-behaved children to get their wishes in quickly this year, before Santa is overwhelmed by the numbers calling. The phone number is 0800 222 222 (toll free, NZ only). Santa can also be emailed from the Telecom (NZ) website. (See sidebar)
Copyright 2002 - 2008, TelstraClear Ltd



Students look for work in rural sector

The Student Job Search organisation sees summer job opportunities for students in the rural community. The agency says more than 250,000 tertiary students are looking for summer work. Chief executive Paul Kennedy says there are specific opportunities for students in rural areas and many students come from farming areas and have experience. The agency says finding work for students is much harder this year than in previous years. It has received additional funding from the Government to find jobs.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Storms in south-east Queensland

Southern Queensland has been hit by high winds, rain and hail. At least 32,000 houses were left without power in the south-east of the state on Tuesday, after a number of severe thunderstorms passed over Logan, Ipswich, Brisbane's northern suburbs and the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The ABC reports powerlines were brought down and traffic lights and train services were disrupted. More than 3500 lightning strikes were recorded across the region - one of which cut services on some of Brisbane's northern rail lines. Train services affected included the line to Brisbane international airport.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Learner driver licence pass rate falls

The introduction of a computer theory test for the learner driver's licence has led to a dramatic fall in the pass rate. Of the 20,000 tests taken under the new system in the past three months, only 42% were passed. Under the former scratch test method, the pass rate was 77%. Both systems ask multichoice questions based on the road code. The Transport Agency says the drop was expected, as the question selection is now truly random.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, December 22

Call for more protection for dolphin

Three recent sightings of rare Maui's dolphins off the coast of Taranaki are causing a stir amongst conservationists. There are only around 110 of the endangered species left in the world. Maui's dolphins are only found in New Zealand waters, but it was thought there were none at all in the Taranaki area. Auckland Regional Councillor, Christine Rose, is now calling on the Fisheries Minister to protect the dolphins by redrawing the commercial fishing net ban. The ban currently ends at the Three Sisters off Tongaporutu, but Ms Rose wants it extended south as far as Mt Taranaki.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Nats, John Key popular throughout year - poll

Support for the National Party averaged 52 percent during 2009 and peaked at 54 percent, the highest rating since tracking began in 1991, UMR Research said today in its annual Mood of the Nation report. However, National ended the year with a slight drop, going down to 48 percent which was its lowest since the immediate post-election period. National won last year's election with 44.9 percent of the party vote. The Labour Party hovered in the low 30s for most of the year, with ratings between 30 percent and 32 percent. In contrast to National, it ended the year on 35 percent which was its highest since before the last election. Labour's election night figure was 33.9 percent of the party vote. The Green Party regularly received more than 7 percent support – it won 6.7 percent of the party vote in the election – and nearly reached double figures in February with 9.8 percent.
NZPA



Twice as many smokers trying to quit

The organisation charged with helping New Zealanders quit smoking says about 54,000 people have registered to try to give up their addiction this year. That's double the number who did so in 2005. The chief executive of the Quit Group, Paula Snowden, says its combination of advice, support and nicotine replacement therapy makes New Zealand's smoking cessation programme the most successful in the world. She says about 10,000 people a year successfully give up smoking through the programme.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Air NZ flies direct from Sydney to Cook Islands

Air New Zealand is trialling a new direct service between Sydney and Rarotonga in the high season next year, while its latest operating update shows it is generally increasing the number of people on flights by reducing capacity. The direct service from Sydney to Rarotonga will operate between July and October next year. "The introduction of direct services will provide a valuable boost to the Cook Islands community and with the support of the Cooks Islands government and Cook Islands Tourism we will be working hard to make this trial a success." The airline said the lead-in one-way economy fares from Sydney start at $A487 ($NZ608) and from Rarotonga from $NZ588.
NZPA



Old Maori canoe remains excavated

The remains of an old Maori canoe discovered by a passer-by were lifted from a beach today and taken to an Auckland Regional Council depot for assessing. The canoe, described as a waka tiwai, a type of craft used normally for fishing and river travel, was found on Friday at the southern end of Muriwai Beach. Head ranger Scott Da Silva said a local person noticed something sticking out of the sand on the west coast beach and, on closer inspection, saw it was more than just a piece of driftwood. ARC historic heritage specialist Robert Brassey said the canoe, which was made from a single piece of kauri, had appeared to have been washed up in a damaged condition and then buried in about 1.5m of sand, which had helped to preserve it.
NZPA



Lonely hearts call Santa Line

The thought of a lonely Christmas has driven adults to call Telecom's Santa Line to ask for girlfriends under the tree. Among the usual messages from kids asking for dolls and bikes, a number of adults have also asked for engagement rings, new cars, lingerie and plane tickets to visit loved ones. Telecom spokeswoman Rebecca Earl said there had also been "a heart-warming rise" in the number of requests for peace and happiness. "It's been a tough year, and it seems that many New Zealanders are wishing for a joyful 2010 to come out of Santa's sack this Christmas," says Ms Earl. The top five requests from children this year were gaming consoles and games, mobile phones, computers, dolls and trampolines. The Santa Line, 0800 222 222 (NZ only), had been operating since 1993. Santa also had a website, www.santaline.co.nz, where he could be contacted until 24 December (see sidebar).
NZPA



NZer gets top job at General Motors

New Zealander Chris Liddell, formerly a high flier at Microsoft, has been named as General Motors' new chief financial officer. It's the struggling carmaker's highest-profile appointment since it entered bankruptcy protection this year, after being hit by slumping sales. Until recently, Mr Liddell was the chief financial officer at Microsoft, a position he held for more than four years, after joining from paper and packaging maker International Paper. The 51-year-old previously headed Carter Holt Harvey, and has worked as an investment banker.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



First balance-of-payments surplus in 20 years

The country has recorded its first quarterly balance of payments surplus in more than 20 years. The balance - the difference between payments by New Zealanders and those from overseas - was last in surplus in 1988. Falling export income outweighed lower import income during the quarter, producing a slightly higher goods trade deficit. Overall the seasonally adjusted September balance-of-payments surplus of $340 million cut the annual deficit to $5.7 billion, which compares with $15.4 billion in the previous year.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Mobiles benefit Starship Childrens Hospital

In one of this year's fundraising success stories, the Starship children's hospital has raised half a million dollars by recycling cast-off mobile phones. The donated phones are sent to a recycling firm in Ireland which in turn sends them on to countries such as Hong Kong, China and Eastern Europe where they are checked, reprogrammed, repackaged and sold again. Starship Foundation CEO, Andrew Young, says they have received 60 percent of the proceeds from thousands of unwanted phones, and he wants people to keep sending them in and hopes they can make one million dollars.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Critically endangered bird's eggs stolen

By MICHAEL FIELD - Stuff.co.nz
Eggs from nests of one of the world's most critically endangered birds have been stolen from nests north of Auckland. The Department of Conservation has told Stuff that "human footprints" were found leading to the nest of a New Zealand fairy tern at Mangawhai while eggs have also disappeared from nests at Waipu, to the north.



Cyclone hits Western Australia's far north

Cyclone Laurence has hit Western Australia's north-west coast, causing significant damage to buildings in the Pilbara region. Wind gusts of up to 285 km/h have been recorded near the centre of the cyclone, which has the most severe rating of category five. No injuries have been reported but emergency services say they haven't been able to contact everybody because of disruption to telephone lines.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Christmas spending looks like it'll be up 4-5%

The Retailers' Association is predicting that this year's Christmas sales figures will be well above last year's. The prediction's in line with the views of retailers, who say this Christmas season is a turning away from the worst of the economic downturn. The chief executive of the Retailers' Association, John Albertson, says sales in the run-up to Christmas appear to be about 4-5% up on last year's. That's particularly pleasing, he says, as inflation levels are low, which indicates that the growth is in volumes rather than prices.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Monday, December 21

SPCA offer cut price kittens for Christmas

The festive season is usually not a very merry time for the hundreds of pets abandoned by their owners and in a rare move the Auckland SPCA is offering cut price cats and kittens in a bid to find homes for a record number of unwanted felines. Jenna Fowler from the SPCA feline team says this time of year is very difficult. "It's very distressing for all us here they come in and they are just so lovely each and every one of them," Fowler says. The Auckland SPCA is full to overflowing with unwanted kittens and cats despite dozens of family's like the upsizing this Christmas. There seems to be no shortage of feline friendly browsers but with a record 600 kittens currently in foster homes Bob Kerridge from the Auckland SPCA says the outlook for some unwanted cats is bleak. "We have to put some to sleep which is very sad because they're very young and they've had no life," Kerridge says. So in a bid to keep more cats alive the SPCA is reducing the cost of its kittens and cats by 25 to 50%. The SPCA is now counting on its offer of cut price pre-Christmas cats to ensure its unwanted felines live to enjoy a happy new year.
Source: ONE News



Less people flying the coup

More New Zealanders are staying at home, with 17,000 fewer people quitting the country permanently in the past 12 months than in the previous year and 1500 fewer packed up for Australia last month alone. Those numbers have helped boost the country's migration statistics, giving a net gain of 20,000 for the year from November 2008. That is 3,600 more than in the 2007 year, and is the highest gain since 2004.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Cost of running Parliament revealed

By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI - NewstalkZB
Some of the mystery around the costs of running Parliament have been revealed. Labour Party Deputy Leader Annette King has ferreted out the details while seeking information on the impact of urgency on the houses running costs. Information provided by Speaker Lockwood Smith covering the period between August and September reveals the cost of running the Parliamentary complex ranged from $700,000 a week to over $1.1 million. According to the figures provided, Parliament's sitting under urgency brought extra wage costs of around $5000 a day.



No advantage in learning to read from five

Children who learn to read at age five are unlikely to be better readers than children who learn to read at seven, according to new research. Research by Sebastian Suggate for his doctorate in psychology at Otago University found no difference between the reading ability of early (from age five) and late (from age seven) readers by the time those children reached their last year at primary school. Dr Suggate conducted one international and two New Zealand studies, each one backing up the conclusions of the other. Comparing children from Rudolf Steiner schools, who usually started learning to read from age seven, and children in state-run schools, who started at five, he found that the later learners caught up and matched the reading abilities of their earlier-reading counterparts by the time they were 11, or by Year 7. The previously unscientifically tested and widely held view that children in New Zealand should learn to read from age five, now appeared contestable, Dr Suggate said.
NZPA



Most closely followed news story of 2009: the tsunami

The Pacific tsunami that swept over Samoa and Tonga in August was the most closely followed news story of 2009, according to a survey by UMR Research. The next two most closely followed stories were the Victorian bushfires in February and the search for Auckland toddler Aisling Symes in October. Next in order were the swine flu outbreak and the Napier siege in May. UMR Research says that political stories don't normally feature in the top 10 but some did this year - namely, the child discipline referendum, the inauguration of Barack Obama and controversy over the ACC.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Catherine bumped from popular names list

The name Catherine has disappeared from New Zealand's top 10 most popular names list for the first time in 20 years. The lists are compiled by Eleanor Burkin from birth notices in the Herald. The most widely chosen names for girls were Amelia, Emily, Olivia, Ruby, Lily, Sophie, Charlotte, Kate, Isabella and Isobelle. For boys it was Jack, Benjamin, William, Oliver, James, Max, Alexander, Joshua, Jacob and Liam.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Dog killer lurks in Christmas pudding

As families sit down to Christmas dinner on Friday, vets are sending a warning not to kill pets with kindness. Australian vet Danielle Hark says grapes, raisins and dogs are a lethal combination so Christmas pudding should not be given to the family pooch. Raisins can be toxic to dogs causing thirst, acute kidney failure and potentially death. Dogs are unable to pass urine so their systems cannot filter toxins from the body. Dr Hark says dogs should not share humans' festive feast. "You want to make sure that if you're having a Christmas pudding for yourself, don't give any to your dog."
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Closed Niue fish plant may reopen

The New Zealand company behind a mothballed fish plant in Niue is hoping it will re-open next year. Niue Fishing invested several million dollars in the plant but it has not been operational in the past two years. The company remains hopeful the New Zealand Government will help offset some of the establishment costs, but in the meantime it is planning a different type of operation. John Gresson, the CEO of Reef Group, says they want to ship frozen fish to Europe and possibly Asia, after the earlier unsuccessful attempt to airfreight out fresh fish.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Sunday, December 20

Team finds Australian hospital ship sunk in WW2

Source: Reuters
An Australian hospital ship torpedoed by the Japanese during World War Two with the loss of 268 lives has been located in waters off the coast of the northern state of Queensland, the government said on Sunday. The loss of the Centaur in 1943 while sailing to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea was one of Australia's great wartime disasters. The wreck's location had been confirmed by a team led by US marine search expert David Mearns, whose other finds include HMAS Sydney, another Australian wartime wreck. The sinking of the Centaur was considered a war crime, though no one was ever tried for it. The converted merchant vessel was clearly marked as a hospital ship and had no naval escort, as required by international conventions. The Centaur was sunk near Brisbane by a torpedo fired from a submarine commanded by Japanese war criminal Hajime Nakagawa, subsequently convicted of other war crimes.



Protesters stop trains to main Australian coal port

Source: Reuters
An environmental group said it blocked rail lines to Australia's main coal export port for six hours on Sunday, calling it a protest against the failure of the Copenhagen summit on climate change. Rising Tide said its members chained themselves to tracks, hung from a bridge and climbed on trains to stop them reaching the Kooragang coal terminal in Newcastle, north of Sydney. Australia is the world's largest exporter of coal and relies heavily on coal for its electricity. Much is mined in the Hunter Valley, inland from Newcastle, and mostly shipped from the port. Spokesman Steve Phillips said the protest ended after 23 of the group's members were arrested by police.



Better sunsmarts needed

Parents need to do more to ensure their children are protected from the sun to minimise the risk of deadly melanoma. A leading oncologist has issued a plea for adults to protect their children from sunburn this summer, to reduce the risk of melanoma when they get older. Skin cancer is estimated to cost our health system more than $57 million a year, and is responsible for the loss of 1,000 lives. Melanoma Network Associate Professor Graham Stevens says many of his patients are shocked to discover they have a melanoma, because they do not think they spent a lot of time in the sun. But he says when asked about their childhood years, they either had a lot of sun exposure or suffered from sunburn.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Shania Twain's ex buys more South Island land

Canadian singer Shania Twain's estranged husband is reported to have spent millions buying more prime South Island high country land. Twain and husband, music producer Mutt Lange, paid $21.4 million to buy Motatapu and Mt Soho Stations near Wanaka five years ago but the marriage has since collapsed The Herald on Sunday reported Lange has bought 8500ha of adjoining Glencoe Station – it has a capital value of $5.4 million. The seller, Queenstown developer John Darby, told Mountain Scene newspaper the sale had gone unconditional after Overseas Investment Commission approval.
NZPA



Australia to get first saint

Australia will have its first Roman Catholic saint after Pope Benedict approved a decree recognising a miracle attributed to the intercession of Mother Mary MacKillop, a 19th century nun. The approval means MacKillop, who was briefly excommunicated, is likely to be formally declared a saint at a canonisation ceremony next year. MacKillop, who lived from 1842 to 1909, is famous in Australia for having founded the Sisters of St. Joseph, an order dedicated to helping the poor. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995. The miracle approved on Saturday involved the healing of a person who had cancer and was cured after praying to MacKillop.
Source: Reuters



Hillary Clinton to visit NZ

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected in New Zealand next month. Her visit has been an open secret in Washington political circles since being flagged by a senior official from the Obama administration at the United States-New Zealand Partnership Forum in October. The Herald on Sunday understands Clinton's trip is pencilled in for the week starting January 11 and will involve two days of official engagements and meetings. She is also expected to visit Australia.
HERALD ON SUNDAY
By Matt Nippert



Service honours lives lost at sea

A ceremony for people who have lost relatives or friends on Navy service is being held this morning in Christchurch. Veterans will gather at the Bridge of Remembrance at 10.30, to honour lives lost at sea in service of the country. It is held every year on the Sunday nearest to December 19, the night in 1941 when HMS Neptune hit mines and sank off the coast of Libya. It was the Navy's worst ever loss. All 150 New Zealanders on board were killed.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Workers get option to cash in holidays

By GRAHAME ARMSTRONG - Sunday Star Times
Workers be allowed to swap one week of their holidays for cash from next year. The government will introduce legislation early in 2010, despite opposition from unions who see it as a move to rewind the Labour government's law change two years ago, which increased the minimum annual leave entitlement for fulltime workers from three to four weeks. The government will also legislate to standardise the rate at which leave is calculated. There will be a single rate of pay for all leave whether annual, sick, bereavement or public.



Saturday, December 19

Santa Hotline open

Telecom's hotline to the North Pole is open. Last year Santa received more than 650,000 messages from excited children and some adults. Telecom is advising well-behaved children to get their wishes in quickly this year, before Santa is overwhelmed by the numbers calling. The phone number is 0800 222 222 (toll free, NZ only). Santa can also be emailed from the Telecom (NZ) website. (See sidebar)
Copyright 2002 - 2008, TelstraClear Ltd



Greens call climate talks "failure"

The Greens are furious at the outcome of the climate summit in Copenhagen, calling it a disgrace and a tragedy for humanity. Energy spokeswoman Jeanette Fitzsimons says the summit agreement is a failure, which has been papered over with fine sounding words. She says the point of the meeting was to agree on a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol, but it has not happened. "There's basically no substance at all in the agreement. Barack Obama came out with a lot of fine words, which sounded quite inspirational until you realised that they were completely hollow."
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Govt strategy will tackle causes of crime

The Cabinet has agreed to a new strategy to tackle crime by ensuring Government departments work together to address the factors that contribute to it. A ministerial meeting in April found that the causes of crime are social and inter-generational, and require early intervention. Justice Minister Simon Power says four main policy areas will be targeted. No new money is being committed to crime prevention measures, but Mr Power says government agencies will work together to tackle the drivers of crime. They include more support for new parents, addressing behavioural problems in young children, reduction of harm caused by alcohol and early intervention with low-level offenders. Mr Power says addressing the causes of crime for Maori will be a priority in all aspects of the work.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



'Hawera Pub Crawl' participants on the loose

Motorists travelling to the Fleetwood Mac concert in New Plymouth tonight are being asked to watch out for hundreds of potentially drunk cyclists. Around 2000 people have been taking part in the infamous Hawera pub crawl today. They been drinking since, 9.30am and this afternoon they take on State Highway Three. Inspector Dave White says a traffic management plan is in place. He says with around 25,000 people expected in New Plymouth for the concert, people going through Hawera may need some extra time for the trip. He says there will probably be cyclists on the main highway until around half past four. Mr White says the pub crawlers have been fairly well behaved so far, ahead of police moving mainly into a liquor enforcement role this afternoon.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Weather forces West Coast hippies to relocate

More than 1000 hippies were expected to gather for the World Rainbow Gathering at the mouth of the Ohinemaka River, near Bruce Bay, in South Westland. However, heavy rain had forced those setting up the camp to move last week. Christchurch author Lynette Whale said she would travel to the new site, near Burnbrae, north of Springs Junction, today. "The rivers had swollen so much that people just couldn't get in and so they had to leave. Everything was soaking wet," Whale, 50, said. The Merivale woman believed the advance party had managed to salvage their teepees, although other equipment had been washed away. The new site is at Cave Stream, off State Highway 65. The gathering will run from the new moon in December to the new moon in January, with camp members living communally.
The Press



Blind eye to child abuse to be an offence

By Claire Trevett
Making it a crime for adults to turn a blind eye to child abuse or neglect by others in their homes will help to prevent cases such as that of the Kahui twins, a child welfare advocate says. Justice Minister Simon Power announced yesterday that the Government will make a raft of changes to child abuse laws, including a new offence of "failing to protect". It will make adults criminally liable if they do not intervene or tell the authorities that someone else in the house is abusing or neglecting a child or other "vulnerable" person, such as the elderly. Mr Power said it was unacceptable that, under the present law, other adults in a home could not be prosecuted unless they were involved in the abuse themselves.



No open fires in Gisborne

A restricted fire season will be in force for the Gisborne region from 8am today. Under the restrictions introduced by the rural fire authorities, a permit is needed to light a fire in the open, including a hangi or any other cooking fire. Principal Rural Fire Officer Rene Londeman says although there has been rain in the region recently, it has not been enough to reduce the fire risk and restrictions cannot be delayed any longer.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



SPCA bursting with cats and kittens

Auckland's SPCA is overrun with unwanted cats and kittens. Operations Manager Tracy Dunn says the village at Mangere is facing serious overcrowding because a lot of people dump their cats once the holidays arrive. Summer is also the height of the breeding season. "At the moment, we're just trying to squeeze as many into a cage as we possibly can, but that can create some problems for the cats themselves in regard to being overcrowded." Ms Dunn says the problem will get worse because more than 400 cats are currently being housed at foster homes and a lot of those will be brought back in the coming weeks. She hopes people who have been thinking about adopting a cat will move their plans forward and take one in for Christmas.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Friday, December 18

Legal aid agency canned

The Government is getting rid of the body previously responsible for administering legal aid. Canning the Legal Services Agency is one of the recommendations in Dame Margaret Bazley's report, which suggested some lawyers were ripping off the system. Responsibility for legal aid will now fall under the Ministry of Justice and there will be a number of other administration changes. Justice Minister Simon Power says Dame Margaret unearthed some very worrying problems and it is important to move quickly on them.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



NZ considers accepting Tamil boatpeople - report

New Zealand is looking to help Australia out of a sticky situation with refugees by considering taking some of the 78 Tamil boatpeople rescued by the Oceanic Viking. "New Zealand is now all but certain to take some of the Tamils," The Australian newspaper reported. A spokeswoman for New Zealand Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman yesterday confirmed the issue was being dealt with at the highest level, the newspaper said. Mr Coleman's office said there had been "ongoing discussions" between Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, his New Zealand counterpart, John Key, as well as several New Zealand ministers.
NZPA



Hey there, it's Yogi Bear!

Picnickers beware, the Yogi Bear film crew has started shooting in Auckland. The movie adaptation of the classic TV cartoon is a mix of computer generated images and live action. Singer Justin Timberlake and Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd will be voicing Yogi and Booboo, but neither is expected to be in New Zealand during the filming. Film spokesman Ernie Malik says filming has been taking place in the Central Plateau over the past few weeks and will be based in the Auckland for the next three months. Several locations will be used, including downtown Auckland and a state forest in west Auckland.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Separated twins now "normal children"

Formerly conjoined twins Trishna and Krishna are doing well. The Bangladeshi sisters were separated at Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital last month during 32 hours of surgery. New Zealand plastic surgeon Andrew Greensmith, who took part in the operation, says it is the pinnacle of his career. He says Trishna is now sitting up by herself and may crawl any day now. Krishna is sitting up in a highchair. "From what we can see, from a neurological function point of view they seem to be normal children which is only just sinking in. That's never happened." Mr Greensmith says because the girls' development has been held back, they are unlikely to remember being joined together
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



NZ signs up to help stop illegal fishing

New Zealand has signed up to an international agreement aimed at stopping illegally caught fish being landed at ports. Measures under the United Nations agreement, signed by 12 countries so far, apply to vessels from the time they request entry to a port until they leave it. The vessels can be denied entry or they can be inspected once they are here. Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley says illegal fishing undermines efforts to conserve and manage fish stocks. The global value of illegal fishing is thought to be as much as $13 billion a year.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Greens against farm deals of Maori trust backed by Dubai funding

The Green Party is concerned by reports of large-scale purchases of Southland farms by a Maori trust with the backing of money from Dubai. The trust is reportedly negotiating with Dubai World - a subsidiary of the Dubai Government - to buy New Zealand farms on its behalf to boost its own food supply. The Otago Daily Times reports it has contracted to buy 28 farms in Southland, with plans to purchase others throughout the country. Greens co-leader Russel Norman says large areas of New Zealand land would effectively be controlled by a foreign government if the deal goes ahead. He says the benefits from selling the food would not kept within the New Zealand economy, but would instead be passed on to overseas interests.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Rain, winds in run-up to Christmas

Santa Claus should bring a red raincoat when he lands his presents in the South Island. Weather analyst Philip Duncan at WeatherWatch said his computer models showed a deep low forming in the Tasman Sea around Sunday and affecting New Zealand on Wednesday and Thursday. "It's too early to know its exact path, as the low hasn't even formed yet, however we do expect it to cross over New Zealand before Christmas Day, bringing a period of heavy rain and strong winds," he said. "Rain warnings may be in place for some regions." In the wake of that low, conditions looked unsettled with a west or southwest flow affecting much of the country for Christmas weekend.
NZPA



Discount taxi vouchers over Xmas

The Auckland City Council has launched an initiative offering people discount taxi vouchers, in a bid to prevent drink driving this holiday season. The vouchers, offering 10 percent discount, will be available from pubs and restaurants and for downloading on phones. The council's Transport Committee spokesman John Lister says taxi companies have come on board to offer the discount, so there is no expense to ratepayers. The council has started an advertising campaign to promote the initiative.
Copyright 2002 - 2009, TelstraClear Ltd



Visit by Kennedy

A member of the Kennedy family from the United States is sampling some tikanga Maori on Friday. Robert Kennedy junior, the nephew of the late president, is in New Zealand to speak on environmental issues at a charity dinner. Waatea News reports he will be welcomed at Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau, the largest kaupapa Maori provider for Maori with intellectual disabilities.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



McCaw wins top New Zealand rugby award

The All Blacks Captain Richie McCaw has become the first person to be named the Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Player of the Year for a third time after taking the top award at last night's New Zealand Rugby Awards in Auckland. McCaw has previously won the award in 2003 and 2006.... this year he was also named IRB player of the year. Mils Muliaina, who deputised for McCaw in his early season absence and also led the Chiefs, won the Super 14 Player of the Year. Victoria Heighway, the Black Ferns captain, was named the Women's Player of the Year.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand



Thursday, December 17

Wind farm to power Scott Base in Antarctica

New Zealand's southern-most wind farm is up and running with turbines on Antarctica. Three turbines have been built on the hill behind Scott Base to order to cut back on the amount of diesel used in the Antarctic. Everything has been specially designed for freezing cold temperatures and the project has taken several years, says Scott Bennett from Meridian Energy. It is a joint venture with the Americans, so while Antarctica's McMurdo Station will use most of the electricity, there will also be enough to completely power Scott Base. "We're looking to save approximately 450,000 litres of diesel every year which equates to about 1,200 tonnes of co2 emissions between the two stations," says Iain Miller from Antarctic New Zealand.
Source: ONE News



New Pompeii exhibition at The National Museum

A new exhibition of artefacts from the ancient Roman town of Pompeii is expected to be a major drawcard for Te Papa this summer. But there is also a warning that some may find the exhibits from the town that was famously destroyed in a volcanic eruption disturbing. The volcanic ash that buried the town also preserved a lot of it with gold and precious jewellery, colourful frescoes and garden ornaments all in the Wellington exhibition. Among the priceless items is a bronze helmet and armour worn by ancient gladiators which apparently provided inspiration for the Hollywood film Gladiator. As the bodies of Pompeii's over 2,000 victims decayed they left cavities in the hardened ash which were later filled with plaster by excavators to make casts. Lucinda Blackley, the Exhibition Interpreter from Te Papa, says the casts reveal a lot of detail about people in their final moments.
Source: ONE News



Cyclone prompts Fiji food price hikes

A Chamber of Commerce official in Fiji says consumers will face high prices because of the damage to crops caused by Cyclone Mick. He says there’s been extensive damage to staples like cassava, while banana and sugar cane plantations were battered. “There will be a shortage of cassava and the prices will rise dramatically. The same thing happens with like cabbages and eggplant - a lot of eggplant is grown here by the Indian community especially. Those crops have been very severely hit and there’ll be shortage and high prices at the market for sure.”
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Wind and rain to blast South Island tomorrow

Strong winds and heavy rain are forecast to blast the much of the South Island tomorrow. Winds were expected to reach 130kph in Canterbury, Otago, Southland and Fiordland. Rainfall of 120mm to 160mm was forecast for mountains in Westland and Fiordland and would be significant in Canterbury and Otago. Driving conditions were likely to be hazardous. The front was expected to weaken gradually as it moved on to central New Zealand over the weekend, he said.
NZPA



Fires burn homes and cars in southern NSW

Firefighters are trying to control a fire that has burned properties, homes and cars in southern New South Wales. The blaze has burned through grazing land between Glenellen and Gerogery, near Albury, in southern New South Wales, the ABC reports. Marg Wehner from the Rural Fire Service (RFS) says it's probably too late for residents to leave the area and they should seek safety. RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says an emergency alert has been issued for Gerogery, West Gerogery and surrounding areas, where the fire is moving and burning very aggressively. The RFS says properties near Table Top North, Bowna, Wymah, Mullengandra and Mountain Creek are also affected.
Copyright © 2009 Radio New Zealand


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