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Wednesday, March 31

Cricket-Australia second test win over New Zealand

The fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has claimed a ten wicket match haul to guide Australia to a 176 run win over New Zealand, in the second cricket test in Hamilton. Needing 479 to win, New Zealand was bowled out for 302, just before lunch on the fifth and final day. Johnson who was named player of the match, picked up 6 for 73 in New Zealand's second innings, to go with his four first innings wickets. New Zealand started the day at 185 for five, but when Brendon McCullum went for 51 and Martin Guptill 58, any remote hope the Black Caps had of reaching the target or playing out for a draw disappeared. The result gives Australia a two nil series win.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Pay rise for health workers

A two percent pay rise is on its way for thousands of health sector workers. The landmark agreement was reached between the country's 21 District Health Boards and several key unions, including the PSA, Service and Food Workers Union and the Nurses Organisation. The unions represent 75 percent of of the 43,000 people including nurses, midwives, orderlies, kitchen staff and cleaners, who are employed by DHBs. Nurses Organisation spokeswoman Glenda Alexander says the innovative joint bargaining strategy has worked well and DHBs believe energy that would have been spent on individual bargaining, can now be put into improving the health system.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Navy ships fly the flag for NZ

Two Navy ships are sailing in the coming week on a four month deployment to Asia, Canada and North America. Fleet Tanker HMNZS Endeavour and Frigate HMNZS Te Kaha will be visiting civilian ports and promoting New Zealand, which Commander Phil Bradshaw says, is a routine part of the Navy's role when deployed overseas. Commander Bradshaw adds that the ships will not be involved in military exercises with US forces while in that country's waters. Endeavour leaves Auckland today and Te Kaha sets off on April 6.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Step toward shops hiding cigarettes

Consultation is beginning on a proposal to force all shops to keep their cigarettes out of the sight of customers. Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia has announced the move, saying it is vital that we do more to help people quit smoking and stop young people being tempted to start the habit. She says evidence shows most smokers want to quit, but it is harder to stop when they are confronted in shops with the instant temptation of tobacco on display.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Expert speaks on Foetal Alcohol Disorder

People who suffer from Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder have a high risk of becoming involved in criminal behaviour, according to a visiting expert in the field. Dr Natalie Novick-Brown from Washington University, is speaking in Auckland today on the link between drinking during pregnancy and criminal activity. The international forensic psychology expert says pre-natal alcohol exposure can damage the central nervous system and 60 percent of those with FASD will be arrested at least once, by the time they are a young adult. Sufferers have problems with cognition and learning, memory and language skills and particularly with social skills, judgement, decision-making and impulse control.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Niwa-tagged shark sets deep dive record

A great white shark tagged by Niwa has set a world record for the deepest known dive at 1200m. Niwa principal scientist Malcolm Francis said the shark, named Shack, was the biggest they had tagged at 4.8m. He said the deepest dives previously seen were about 1000m, "so it's quite a substantial extension". New Zealand scientists have tagged 25 great whites around Stewart and Chatham Islands over the past five years. The tags are designed to stay on for six to nine months before popping off, floating to the surface and setting off a tracking signal. Once picked up they offer data on the sharks' movements, having recorded location depth and temperature.
NZPA



No executions in the Pacific for a decade

The Pacific was the world's only region not to carry out a death sentence in the last decade, human rights group Amnesty International says. In a report released, Amnesty said at least 714 people were executed last year in 18 countries and at least 2001 were sentenced to death in 56 countries. The report said countries that still carried out executions were the exception rather than the rule, with more than two-thirds of countries having abolished the death penalty in law or practice. "We are currently witnessing a global trend towards abolishing the death penalty, and we applaud the Pacific region paving the way to a death penalty free world," Amnesty's Pacific researcher Apolosi Bose said.
NZPA



Manawatu tops national smarts chart

The Manawatu Standard
Fresh evidence from the Neurological Foundation indicates Manawatu is the brainiest region in the country. Manawatu is closely followed by the other two university-influenced provinces, Waikato and Otago, which came in second and third. Politician town Wellington was fifth, Auckland trailed at 11th, and the West Coast brought up the rear. The foundation's research is based on the results of an online challenge during brain awareness week in which participants took part in brain exercises designed to help them grow more braincells. About 40,000 people took part. It also showed people in their 60s growing the most brains, followed by those in their 50s, and women out-performing men by almost three to one.



Tuesday, March 30

Otters die in Nelson zoo

Nelson's Natureland Zoo is mourning the sudden death of its two elderly male otters. Post mortem results indicate that both suffered heart attacks, but staff members are awaiting pathology reports to provide conclusive information as to what caused the attacks. Daz was 19 years-old and Chip,16 and both had been at the zoo for 15 years. Operations Manager, Gail Sutton says the otters had been unwell for the past two weeks and died on the same night.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Fiji loses millions in EU aid with extension of sanctions against Suva

Fiji has lost access to tens of millions of dollars in aid from the European Union after it decided to extend sanctions by six months. The EU move is to put pressure on the military regime in Suva to return to democracy and respect human rights. The EU says the decision follows the delay in implementing commitments the Fiji authorities made to the EU, notably concerning the abrogation of the constitution, human rights violations and the postponement of parliamentary elections. There will also be no funding to help Fiji’s sugar industry at this stage, although between 2006 and this year 86 million US dollars would have been available.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Measles outbreak in Northland

An outbreak of measles in Northland has the district health board advising residents to check their family members are immunised. Medical officer of health Doctor Jonathan Jarman says there have been about 30 cases in the Hokianga region over the last several weeks, and five cases have been confirmed by lab tests. Jarman says measles has the potential to make children very sick for up to two weeks, with symptoms including a high fever and a rash.
Source: Newstalk ZB



Asthma inhaler recalled

A batch of the asthma inhaler Respigen has been recalled as it might not have exactly the required quantity of active ingredient salbutamol. The problem batch of the 100mcg inhalation aerosol, number 9F282A, has an expiry date of May 2012. Distributor Mylan New Zealand says a small number of the blue, reliever-type inhalers, might have quantities of salbutamol that are "out of specification". Patients are asked to return their inhaler to a pharmacy where they will be given a free replacement.
Copyright © 2010, Television New Zealand Limited



Rugby World Cup 2011 ticket details released

The public will be able to start purchasing tickets for next year's Rugby World Cup at the end of next month. Tournament organisers have unveiled that match tickets will be sold in three phases, the first of which will go on sale on April 27. To get hold of one of the first 750,000 tickets on sale, fans will have to purchase groups of tickets, covering either one venue or one team during pool play. Individual match tickets, covering all matches except the semi-final and the final, will go on sale in the second phase in either August or September. The third phase will then follow in November with a ballot system to allocate tickets to the semi-finals and final.
© 2010 NZCity, NewsTalkZB



DoC on track of Norwegian kereru killers

Wildlife enforcement officials have identified the Norwegians suspected of having been involved in slaughtering protected native kereru (birds) in New Zealand."We have the full names and return travel details of all five persons related to the video clips," said Department of Conservation senior communications adviser Reuben Williams. DoC is pursuing the five through an international treaty, but has not said what action it might try to take against them. The five, who are understood to all have lived or worked at some point in the Arctic Norwegian town of Tromso, posted a clip on YouTube last week of them shooting New Zealand wildlife over five weeks during summer. But their clip of a rifleman shooting at a kereru, the bird falling from a tree, and film of one of the tourists holding two dead, bloody birds took only three days to attract more than 400 scathing comments. The kereru is an absolutely protected species under the Wildlife Act and Mr Williams said yesterday that the department was "outraged at the content of the video".
NZPA



Judge wants harsher smuggler penalties

A District Court judge would like to see harsher penalties for people who try to smuggle endangered wildlife out of New Zealand. Swiss stockbroker Thomas Price and Mexican chef Gustavo Toledo-Albarran have been sentenced to 18 weeks in jail for their part in the theft of 16 rare jewelled gecko lizards. Judge Raoul Neave told the pair to consider themselves lucky, as he would have imposed a higher penalty if he had the power to do so. The maximum term for those crimes is currently six months.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Deutsche Bank buys big stake in NZ sharebroker

Global investment bank Deutsche Bank has bought a 49.9% stake in New Zealand sharebroker Craigs Investment Partners for an undisclosed amount. Both companies say it is a win-win situation, with Craigs' clients getting access to Deutsche's global research and investment opportunities. In return, Deutsche will get access to one of New Zealand's largest retail client bases. The New Zealand Herald had reported the deal was worth about $35 million to $40 million and comes just over a year after Craigs Investment Partners bought out its 50% partner ABN Amro.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Grumpy old man idea a myth

By laura heathcote - NewstalkZB
Another birthday may not be on everyone's wish list, but new research is posing the idea that older people are, in fact, happier and the idea of the grumpy old man is a myth. The researchers from Auckland University found that older people's brains are more likely than young people's to remember positive images. The study presented a set of pictures to a group of people aged from 61 to 80 and another group two generations younger aged 19 to 31. Brain scans were carried out as the participants looked at pictures of happy images and sad ones such as wounded soldiers. They found strong connections in the older brains with emotions and memory but those brain areas were weaker among the younger participants. The results suggest the elderly are more likely to recall happy memories.



Monday, March 29

London chef named New Zealander of the Year in Britain

Former Nelson woman Anna Hansen has been named the 2010 New Zealander of the Year in Britain. Ms Hansen, 40, who founded her Modern Pantry restaurant in London in 2008, said in a statement she was "thrilled and honoured" to win the award, given each year to an individual who promotes a positive image of New Zealand in Britain. Other finalists were cheese champion Juliet Harbutt, and opera singer Geoff Sewell. Her Modern Pantry restaurant in the London suburb of Clerkenwell has become a well-known destination on the London restaurant scene. Her cuisine includes a signature dish of sugar-cured shrimp omelette with chili, scallions and cilantro, which won her a place in a book, Coco, published by London-based Phaidon Press, listing "the 100 best chefs of tomorrow".
NZPA



Fiji’s Taveuni risks food shortages because of cyclone damage

A resident on Fiji’s Taveuni Island says they will run out of food in about two weeks if government help does not reach them fast. The island was one of many badly hit by Cyclone Tomas earlier this month. Melania Regu says the cyclone blew away or damaged houses, uprooted trees and destroyed crops, affecting about 3,000 people in some way. Ms Regu says while the Red Cross has distributed tents, they need other necessities urgently.
© Radio New Zealand International



CRIs in 'significant shift'

By JOHN HARTEVELT
The Government has announced "a huge change" to the funding of its research institutes. Science and Technology Minister Wayne Mapp this afternoon said Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) would be asked to work more for the benefit of the country than for themselves. "These changes are the most significant in the sector in 20 years," Mr Mapp said. The Government was eyeing CRIs as "potential powerful engines of economic growth". Mr Mapp said CRIs would have more clarity about their roles and purpose; more targeted funding; more accountability and would be subject to a new set of performance indicators. The changes mean each CRI will have to work with the Government to develop a "statement of core purpose" defining their exact role. Funding will be targeted at that core purpose. CRIs will now also have to have open annual meetings and a percentage of funding will be put "at risk" and subject to performance.



Shops warned about Easter trading

Shops are being warned to obey Easter trading laws and not open this year, after at least 17 retailers were caught with their doors open during last year's holiday period. Good Friday and Easter Sunday are off limits to traders, with a few exceptions: shops whose main purpose is to provide essential supplies which people in the area or travelling through may need; shops providing food ready to eat; souvenir and duty free shops; pharmacies; and shops in premises where there are bona fide shows or exhibitions. Garden shops are also allowed to open following an amendment to the law in 2001. In past years dozens of shops have flouted the law, many opting to pay the $1000 fine in exchange for keeping their doors open.
NZPA



Welfare reforms to go before Parliament

Legislation enabling the Government's welfare reforms are set to go before Parliament tomorrow. MPs will debate the first reading of Social Development Minister Paula Bennett's Social Assistance Bill tomorrow afternoon. The legislation will introduce work tests for DPB recipients once their eldest child turns six, as well as tests for sickness beneficiaries. It will also require long term-dole recipients to reapply for their benefit every 12 months and undergo work assessment. The bill will also increase abatement levels, allowing beneficiaries to earn more from part-time employment.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Mayor's son wins scholarship

By KIRSTY JOHNSTON - Taranaki Daily News
Rising Taranaki star William Tennent has won a prestigious $300,000 scholarship to Cambridge University. The former head boy and dux of New Plymouth Boys' High has been awarded the Douglas Myers Scholarship to study economics at Gonville and Caius College for the next three years. Sir Douglas, the former Lion Breweries chairman, also studied at Cambridge and set up the scholarship 10 years ago for academically distinguished students with leadership potential. William, 18, the son of New Plymouth Mayor Peter Tennent and wife Rosemary, said he was so excited when he heard the good news he couldn't talk.



New cancer treatment centre

Waiting times for cancer patients in the South Island are expected to reduce as a new private $17 million cancer treatment centre opens in Christchurch. St George's Hospital is the first private hospital in New Zealand to offer chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. Chief Executive Tony Hunter says two $3.5 million linear accelerators, which deliver radiotherapy, will help to reduce the waiting list for people when they are first diagnosed. He says currently some people wait up to eight weeks for treatment. "I'd expect that would drop away to literally only a matter of days or weeks once we're up and running within the next month or two."
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Shell passes into NZ hands

By KAYE ALBYT - NewstalkZB
Infratil and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund have finalised the purchase of Shell New Zealand's (SNZ) fuel distribution business. The joint venture involves a 17.1 percent interest in the New Zealand Refining Company (which operates the Marsden Point oil refinery) for $696.5 million, 229 retail service stations, 95 truck stop sites and distribution, storage and processing facilities. The petrol stations will continue to operate under the Shell brand. Shell is retaining its ownership of substantial oil and gas assets in New Zealand, including gas interests off Taranaki. Infratil says local ownership of the SNZ fuels distribution business has considerable potential to be good for New Zealand and result in a better-managed, more successful company.



Dog found, but no sign of missing yachtie

Searchers have found no sign of yachtsman Paul van Rensburg on his vessel on Monday. The experienced South African sailor left Tauranga with his dog Juanita on 12 March to sail to Gisborne, where he was due to start a new job, and was reported missing two weeks ago. The 11-metre yacht Tafadzwa was found drifting about 110km west of the Chatham Islands by an Air Force Orion out on a training flight on Sunday. Initial reports indicate that Mr van Rensburg had fallen overboard. His life raft, dinghy, emergency beacon, kayak and dog were still on the yacht. Mr Lunt says there is nothing more the centre can do and the yacht is being towed to the Chatham Islands.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



NZ world leader in producing top universities - report

New Zealand is the world leader in producing top-ranked universities, given the size of its economy, a Ministry of Education report shows. The report says getting that information across should help with the recruitment of international students. International rankings have become increasingly important to universities around the world. The rankings cover staff-student ratios, research quality and the number of foreign students. The Education Ministry report shows that, given the size of its economy, New Zealand has more universities in the two main international rankings than any other country. The report shows in both rankings, New Zealand's performance is much higher than than of Australia and only Israel comes close.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Sunday, March 28

Missing yacht Tafadzwa sighted

By Tim DOWER - NewstalkZB
The missing yacht Tafadzwa has been found drifting 60 nautical miles west of the Chatham Islands by a NZ Air force P3 Orion aircraft. Those on board the Orion have not been able to determine if the skipper, Paul van Rensburg, is on board. The Rescue Coordination Centre has arranged for a fishing vessel in the vicinity to divert to the Tafadzwa's position to find out if Mr van Rensburg is on board. The fishing vessel is expected to reach the yacht tonight. The yacht's main sail and jib are up, although they were extensively damaged.



Protesters try to block New South Wales coal port

Environmental protesters in Australia have been trying to block entry to the world's largest coal port in protest at the expansion of mining across the country. The New South Wales Port of Newcastle ships coal 24 hours a day, mainly to Japan and Taiwan. The ABC reports that about 50 boats, rafts and kayaks have taken to the water in Newcastle Harbour in protest over the expansion of the coal industry. The environmental group Rising Tide Newcastle is aiming to shut down shipping movements in and out of the port on Sunday.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Shot putter Valerie Vili splits with coach

After 11 years of success together, New Zealand's world and Olympic champion shot putter Valerie Vili has split with her long-time coach Kirsten Hellier. Vili made the announcement at an emotional press conference in Auckland on Sunday afternoon. Wiping away tears, Vili said it was "like a divorce", but it was a mutual decision she and Hellier made last week and they'll remain friends. Vili said it's amazing what they've achieved together but she has more to achieve and that's why they've reached this decision together.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Indycar-Dixon qualifies third fastest

Kiwi driver Scott Dixon has qualified third fastest for tomorrow morning's IndyCar Grand Prix of St Petersburg. He will start behind Will Power and Tony Kanaan. Dixon says he had mixed success in qualifying. He says they opted for the wrong tyres but he is still confident of catching Power who looks in good form. Dixon is expecting an exciting race, with rain likely to be a factor.
© 2010 NZCity, NewsTalkZB



Cookbook recalled over worry for pregnant women

A cookbook sold in New Zealand is being recalled because some of its recipes may contain ingredients that are harmful to pregnant women. The Happy Baby Cookbook is published by ACP Magazines, which is organising a voluntary recall. It says the Food for Pregnant Women chapter lists ingredients that the New South Wales Food Authority advises may be harmful to mothers-to-be. Customers who have bought a copy are being told to return their book to the distributor, Southern Publishing in Auckland.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Farms open gates to public for the day

Federated Farmers says its annual Farm Day will help urban dwellers realise farmers are not the environmental vandals some green groups make them out to be. More than 20 working farms throughout New Zealand open their gates to townies on Sunday. They will showcase farm practices in the hope it will teach people, particularly children, their food does not originate in the supermarket. Federated Farmers president Don Nicholson says the event is also important to show what is being done to ensure farming is green. The 22 properties are open to the public between 10am and 3pm, Sunday 28 March.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Surge in NZ trade to China

China has become New Zealand's second biggest export market, overtaking the United States. New Zealand's exports to China were worth $3.8 billion in the year to February, a rise of 36% on the previous year. Exports to the US fell by 22.4% in the same period. The surge in trade with China is being attributed to economic growth and the introduction of a free trade agreement in 2008.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Refurbished Carter Observatory opened

Thousands of people waited for hours in Wellington on Saturday to visit the refurbished Carter Observatory. The observatory, which has been closed for two years, opened to the public free of charge and queues to get in were more than two hours long at their peak. The revamp cost $4.5 million and involved gutting the interior, earthquake strengthening the exterior, insulating the entire building and upgrading the electrics. The Carter Observatory first opened in 1941, and became a national observatory in 1977.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Saturday, March 27

Cricket-NZ bowls Aussies out

Andy Spear at Seddon Park
New Zealand put in its best performance in recent times on the first day of its Test against Australia to bowl the visiting side out for a mere 231 runs at Seddon Park in Hamilton. New Zealand seamer Tim Southee and captain Daniel Vettori, in his 100th Test, bowled brilliantly to give their side the best possible opportunity of a huge upset win over Australia. Both claimed four wickets before New Zealand was able to start its batting innings and get through to 19-1 at stumps after Tim McIntosh was bowled by Doug Bollinger for four runs in his first over. Australia looked out of sorts for much of the day and effectively handed New Zealand a big chance in the second of two Tests through giving away soft dismissals.
Copyright © 1999-2010 Sportal.



Norwegian hunters may face charges back home

By Lachlan Forsyth
Five Norwegian men who were shown online shooting protected wildlife may have escaped punishment in New Zealand, but they have possibly walked into an even harsher penalty at home. Norwegian authorities are investigating whether charges can be laid against the men, who are now trying desperately to cover their tracks. New Zealanders were horrified by a clip of a Norwegian hunter shooting a totally protected (bird) Kereru – now it seems Norwegian authorities are just as upset. “On things like this it is taken very seriously and there have been talks they might be put in front of a court here in Norway,” says Nikolai Kleivan, a Norwegian journalist. If convicted in New Zealand the men face a $100,000 fine, or one year's jail. But Norway's environmental prosecutor can also lay charges there for hunting protected wildlife – charges that carry up to six years in prison.



Author CK Stead wins new literary award

New Zealand novelist and poet CK Stead has won a British prize for a short story set in Croatia. Last Season's Man is about a writer who criticises an elder, bruising his ego and damaging his reputation won Stg 25,000 in the inaugural Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award. The 77-year-old's story was chosen from a shortlist of works by six authors, whittled down from just over 1100 entries.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Friday, March 26

Kereru shooting video sparks outrage

By Kim Savage - NewstalkZB
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is horrified at a group of European tourists seen shooting a protected native pigeon in a video. The YouTube clip shows a man firing at a Kereru, which then falls from a tree. The next shot shows a tourist holding two dead, bloody birds. DOC has launched an investigation. Spokesman Reuben Williams says the Kereru is our only native wood pigeon, and an absolutely protected species under the Wildlife Act. "And apart from the impacts that the introduced predators have on these birds, we really don't need people hunting them or taking them - obviously it makes it difficult for the birds to survive." Mr Williams says the maximum penalty for killing such protected wildlife is a $100,000 fine and a year in jail.



Ned Kelly painting sells for almost $7m

A painting of Australian outlaw Ned Kelly has sold at auction for $NZ6.95 million. The 1946 Sidney Nolan painting, First Class Marksman, depicts the 19th-century outlaw walking through the bush with rifle raised. He is wearing his trademark body armour with iron helmet and narrow eye slit. Nolan is one of Australia's most celebrated and internationally recognised artists. This is believed to be the only one of his 27 paintings of Ned Kelly that is not on display at the National Gallery in Canberra.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Manslaughter charges laid in Tonga over Ashika sinking

The New Zealand businessman who formerly headed Tonga’s Shipping Corporation of Polynesia, John Jonesse, is one of a number of people charged with manslaughter by negligence over the sinking of the Princess Ashika. The inter island ferry sank last August with the loss of 74 lives. Court officials say three others are facing the charge of manslaughter, including the former skipper of the Princess Ashika, Maka Tuputupu, and the acting director of Tonga’s marine division, Viliami Tuipulotu.
© Radio New Zealand International



Smart Gate a hit at airport

By Kim Savage - NewstalkZB
New technology is proving popular at Auckland International Airport, with the Smart Gate automated passenger facility processing 100,000 people since December. Customs Minister Maurice Williamson says New Zealanders have rapidly taken to the new technology, with as many as 50 percent of eligible passport holders now using Smart Gate. Mr Williamson says Australia has taken three years to achieve a similar number of users for the technology.



Grain grower warns of risk of overseas control

A grain grower representative is advising dairy farming counterparts to be wary of overseas investors establishing large scale dairy farming and processing operations here. Their warning follows the unveiling of plans by the Chinese-owned Natural Dairy NZ Holdings, which is proposing to spend up to $1.5 billion dollars buying New Zealand farms and milk processing facilities. The company's aim is to produce long-life milk and baby formula products for the Chinese market, by having control over the complete process from the farm to the consumer. Mid-Canterbury grain growers' representative David Clark says dairy farmers need to be aware of the risk of losing ownership and control of their industry to foreign interests. He says the dairy industry, which is enjoying modest profitability, has retained ownership of its marketing and processing capacities. However the arable industry is in crisis, having surrendered that largely overseas-owned corporate interests and its producing a commodity that is valued by outside forces which buy it as cheaply as they can. Mr Clark says the same issue of lack of farmer control applies to the wool and meat industries.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Super Heros to the aid of Plunket

'Be a Super Hero for Under-Fives' is the theme behind this year's Plunket appeal and collectors will be out in force on the streets today. National list MP Nicky Wagner supports the not-for-profit organisation and is encouraging others to get behind Plunket. "Even my mother and father were Plunket babies, I was a Plunket baby and my boys were Plunket babies. I suppose you could say they hold your hand as you go through that really traumatic stage of getting a new baby." Ms Wagner encourages people to dress up as super heroes today and raise money for Plunket. An auction is also being held on the Trade Me website.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Capadex and Paradex to be banned

Medsafe has decided the date it will ban two painkillers. Capadex and Paradex, which both contain dextropropoxyphene, will no longer be distributed in New Zealand from August 1. Medsafe last month announced a review of the safety and efficacy of the medicines found the risks of their use outweighed the benefits. It has consulted with clinicians on when consent to distribute the medicines should be withdrawn and has decided August allows enough time to transfer patients to alternative treatments.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Tuvalu to be blacked out for Earth Hour

The Government of Tuvalu will switch off power to the entire nation tomorrow night to kick off earth hour. The tiny low-lying nation, said to be in danger of being swamped by rising sea levels, will be one of the first countries to take part in a 24-hour worldwide wave of action on climate change. New Zealanders are being asked to turn off lights at 8.30pm on Saturday. Organisers says people in 121 countries and territories across all seven continents are participating.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



NZ to help pay for Tongan ferry replacement

New Zealand will help pay for a ferry to connect Tonga's islands, replacing the Princess Ashika which sank last year. The Princess Ashika sank last August, claiming 74 lives. The New Zealand Government says the replacement ship has been independently checked by marine surveyors. Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says surveyors London Offshore Consultants found it seaworthy and fit for purpose. New Zealand and Australia will each pay $2.5 million towards a year-long charter of the Malaysian ferry Ajang Subuh.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Thursday, March 25

Govt makes first move in referendum on voting system

The Government has taken the first legislative step towards holding a referendum on the electoral system at the next general election. Justice Minister Simon Power on Thursday introduced a Bill to Parliament setting out how the referendum will be conducted, including advertising rules. The referendum will first ask voters whether they wish to retain the current Mixed Member Proportional system, or MMP. The second question will ask voters which alternative system they prefer out of First-Past-The-Post, Preferential Vote, Single Transferable Vote and Supplementary Member. Mr Power says if the majority of voters opts for a change, there will be a binding referendum in 2014 to pick between MMP and the most preferred alternative.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Artist Ralph Hotere works go under the hammer

By Liz Puranam
It is being called the sale of the art century, with a splash of intrigue. In an unprecedented auction, 23 works by New Zealand artist Ralph Hotere are going under the hammer in Auckland tonight. They were done between 1957 and 1968 and were gifted to Hotere’s friend, Annette Fergusson. Hundreds of people have turned out at the auction in the hopes of getting their hands on the world of Hoteres – the man many regard as New Zealand’s most important living artist.
3 News



Dairy co's directors scrutinised

It could be months before a decision is made on whether a Chinese company can buy $1.5 billion worth of New Zealand dairying, including what was New Zealand's biggest privately-owned dairy farming businesses Crafar farms. Yet questions are already being raised about two of its directors. The Overseas Investment Office (OIO) is considering an offer from Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings, formerly known as Jin Hui Mining Corporation. The company has told the Hong Kong stock exchange that it has agreed to buy the Crafar family farms and other assets including milk powder production plants, farmland and cattle. It could take up to 50 days for the OIO to reach a decision. The business history of two of the Chinese company's directors are under scrutiny. Farmers Weekly says May Wang, who fronts the investment bid, has liquidated two businesses and owes hundreds of thousands to creditors and business partners through the failed property and hotel company, Dynasty Group. She left New Zealand in October 2008, but returned last year to lead Chinese-backed efforts to buy dairy farms from the CraFarm Group and dairy units owned by NuGen Farms.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Russia, New Zealand join up for education programme

Dargaville News
New Zealand and Russia are about to be joined in the first national educational programme that will see Russian students coming to a New Zealand school. The senior students are set to partipate in agricultural education programmes at Northland's Dargaville High School. The idea mooted by DHS staff member Robena Needham, is strongly supported by the Kaipara District Council and the matter was discussed at the council's monthly meeting yesterday. The plan to get the students here started by Ms Needham having visited Russia and Mayor Neil Tiller talking to the governor of St Petersburg. The talks have led to the first steps of the initiative seeing around 10 businessmen arriving from the Republic in May, where they will be introduced to economic, agricultural, educational, social and cultural opportunities in Kaipara. The first students are due to come to New Zealand in September.



National Library and Archives NZ to merge

By VERNON SMALL
The Government will announce the merger of Archives NZ, the National Library and Internal Affairs into a single department. The new department, which will retain the name Department of Internal Affairs, will be announced at 3.30pm, Government sources said. It is the first step in what are expected to be a series of mergers of Government departments, first flagged by Fairfax Media. Other changes expected to be announced are the merger of the foundation of research science and technology with the ministry and the merger of the Food Safety Authority with the Health Ministry.



Defence Force contingent returns

A group of New Zealand Defence Force personnel are arriving home in Christchurch today after a four month deployment in the Solomon Islands. The contingent of 44, made up mostly of 4th Otago Southland and 2nd Canterbury Nelson Marlborough West Coast Territorial Force Battalions, is the eleventh rotation to support RAMSI maintain security and stability in the region. A smaller contingent of eight personnel remains in place with an Australian platoon. The next New Zealand contingent will take over in November.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Wellington Zoo gets award for new hospital

By MICHAEL FOX - Stuff.co.nz
Wellington Zoo's recently opened animal hospital has been recognised as one of the best new wildlife exhibits in Australasia. The Nest, the state of the art facility which puts veterinary procedures on display to the public has won the Best New Exhibit Award at the 2010 Regional Zoo and Aquarium Association Awards. The Nest, which has attracted over 1700 people a day since it opened in December, was recognised by the Association of over 70 members across New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific for its significant advances in improved animal welfare, visitor experience and innovation. The Nest recently gained nationwide publicity last week when it nursed a Royal Albatross back to health after it was blown into a Wainuiomata backyard during a freak storm.



Minimum wage set to increase

Employers are being reminded the new minimum wage of $12.75 comes into effect next week and the Department of Labour says employees who have issues over their pay following that should contact the department. New legislation means the general minimum wage will on April 1 increase from $12.50 per hour, while the new entrants minimum wage and training minimum wage will increase to $10.20 an hour from $10.
NZPA



Australia signs $A60bn natural gas deal with China

Australia has announced a $60 billion deal to export liquefied natural gas from Queensland to China. British company BG Group will supply 72 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas over 20 years from its coal seam gas plant in central Queensland, under the deal signed on Wednesday with China National Offshore Oil Corporation. Gas will be piped from the Surat Basin to Curtis Island near Gladstone. Australia's Resources and Energy Minister, Martin Ferguson, says the 20-year contract is the biggest in Australian history and will have huge benefits.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, March 24

Bainimarama cancels Hong Kong Rugby Sevens trip

Fiji's interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has cancelled his trip to the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, where he was expected to meet New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully. The Fiji Sun reports that Commodore Bainimarama has called off the trip to concentrate on relief efforts following Cyclone Tomas. The newspaper says President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau will go in his place but it could not confirm whether he would meet Mr McCully. It says Commodore Bainimarama has been assessing the cyclone damage before the government decides on a national relief programme.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Attorney General finds DPB work test discriminatory

Attorney General Chris Finlayson has found that parts of the Government's welfare reforms are discriminatory. In a report, Mr Finlayson says the legislation enabling the reforms breaches the Bill of Rights on the grounds of sex, marital status and family status. The Attorney General says the bill is discriminatory because it introduces a work test to the Domestic Purposes Benefit but not the Widow's Benefit or the Women Alone Benefit. The Labour Party's social development spokesperson, Annette King, says it is the most scathing report she has ever seen from an Attorney General. She says the findings show just how ill-thought out the reforms are.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



TopShop to open in NZ

Fashion retailer TopShop is to open its first New Zealand store. With over 300 stores already in the UK and 100 more around the world, New Zealand's TopShop will now open in April in Auckland's The Department Store. It is only the second TopShop in Australasia. The Auckland store will cherry pick the best of TopShop's 300 new styles that fill its shops each week. Collaboration collections such as Kate Moss for TopShop and the "Unique" line (launched at London Fashion Week in 2005) will hit New Zealand's shores at the same time they are available in London.
Source: ONE News



Farmers keen for US senators to visit NZ

Federated Farmers has invited 30 United States senators who have criticised New Zealand's dairy industry to come and take a look for themselves. Negotiations over the Trans Pacific Trade Partnership, which could secure better access for New Zealand's exporters to the multibillion-dollar American market, started in Melbourne last week. The talks have encountered strong opposition from farming lobby groups in the United States, with some saying that improving access for New Zealand's dairy products could cost its industry $US20 billion. The senators, who all represent areas with strong dairy interests, have written to US trade representative Ron Kirk, criticising New Zealand's dairy industry for what they claim are anti-competitive practices.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Agricultural technology mission off to China

A New Zealand trade mission is heading to China this week, aimed at continuing the growth that has seen China emerge as this country's second biggest trading partner. Agriculture Minister David Carter is leading a delegation of more than 30 agricultural technology representatives, with the main focus on dairying. As well as meeting senior Chinese ministers and business leaders, he will sign a dairy co-operation arrangement with the Chinese Government. The mission will visit dairy producing areas in northern China and inner Mongolia, and Fonterra's operations outside Beijing.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, March 23

Kiwi cavers break caving depth record

The caving world is buzzing after a caving expedition in the South Island ventured deeper into the earth than cavers anywhere in the world, ever. The three week expedition in the Mt Arthur area near Murchison, cracked the 1000 metre mark and catapulted New Zealand's deepest cave into the Top 10 in the world. Cracking that mark means the New Zealand cave system is not only much deeper than first thought, but also connected. Caver Kieran McKay, who was part of the team that broke the new record, says the find has taken a long time. "We've been looking for this for over 60 years and it's involved hundreds and hundreds of people and thousands and thousands of man-hours and people traipsing all over Mt Arthur," he says. The latest expedition linked separate caves in the Ellis Basin system to form what will be in the Top 10 deepest caves in the world.
Source: ONE News



Government unveils welfare reforms

The Government has unveiled a number of changes to the welfare system. Prime Minister John Key and Social Development Minister Paula Bennett announced the reforms at Parliament on Tuesday afternoon. The changes include requiring those who have been on the unemployment benefit for longer than a year to reapply for it and undergo a comprehensive work assessment. Of the 64,000 people currently on the unemployment benefit, 12,000 have received it for more than a year. Those who fail their first work test will have their unemployment benefit halved, and continued non-compliance will result in a total suspension of the benefit. In another key change, two groups of beneficiaries will have to be available for part-time work of at least 15 hours a week. They are parents on the domestic purposes benefit whose youngest child is six, and people on the sickness benefit who have been assessed as being able to work. Sickness beneficiaries will be reassessed after a year on the benefit.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Cricket-Australia win first test by 10 wickets

The Australian cricketers completed a 10 wicket win over New Zealand with two sessions to spare on day five of the first test in Wellington. They needed only 106 runs and Phil Hughes wasted no time getting them, making an unbeaten 86 from 75 balls to set up the win before lunch, The Black Caps resumed on 369 for six but lost their last four second innings wickets for only 38 more runs.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Kiwi artist gifts collection to Te Papa

Prominent Kiwi photographer Marti Friedlander has gifted a priceless art collection to Te Papa - New Zealand’s national museum. The collection, called The Moko Suite, consists of 47 portrait photographs of Maori kuia (female elders) with chin moko or traditional tattoos. Te Papa’s acting chief executive, Michelle Hippolite said the museum was overwhelmed by Friedlander’s generous gift. "The portrait capture the genealogy and art of moko and the lives of kuia in the 1970s. These truly are national taonga (treasure) and Te Papa is exploring how they can be made available to as many New Zealanders as possible," said Hippolite.
Copyright 1999-2010 Tourism New Zealand



World War I wreck found off Northland

Searchers believe they have found the wreck of an Australian passenger ship which sank north of New Zealand in 1918 after hitting a German mine. The Wimmera sank on June 26 when a mine laid by the German raider Wolf blew off its stern north of Cape Reinga and near the Three Kings. Twenty-six people, including two children, out of 151 passengers and crew lost their lives. Mines laid by the Wolf were also thought to have sunk another Australian ship, the 2990-ton steamer Port Kembla, off Cape Farewell on the northern tip of the South Island. It sank on September 18, 1917, 11 nautical miles off Cape Farewell.
NZPA



Trampers to be evacuated from Milford Track

About 120 Trampers stranded in huts on the Milford Track should be evacuated on Tuesday. A southerly blast tore through Fiordland on Monday, prompting the Department of Conservation to tell the groups to remain in their huts until further notice. The storm brought gale force winds, widespread lightning strikes, and a major washout closed the Milford road until further notice, causing further problems for the next groups of trampers.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Monday, March 22

Typhoid feared in cyclone-hit Fiji

First aid supplies are due to arrive on Monday for residents on the remote Lau Group islands in Fiji affected by Cyclone Tomas. Northern parts of the Lau and Lomaiviti island groups were the worst hit last week as Tomas pounded coastlines, bringing swells of up to eight metres high. An estimated 30,000 people are now thought to be at risk of developing the deadly disease typhoid. The Unicef deputy representative for the Pacific, Tim Sutton, says a ship set sail from New Zealand on Sunday with emergency health kits, basic medical supplies, tents and water purification tools on board.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Rare flyer in the skies

A replica of a Southland monoplane that might have lifted off the ground 100 years ago is expected to fly again in July to mark the centenary of the "flight". The replica of the 1910 Pither Monoplane was built in 2004 by Colin Smith of the Croydon Aircraft Company in Mandeville, near Gore, and friend Bill Sutherland, and has been airborne several times since then. Its owners say that to mark the century, it will fly in a straight line for about 100 metres, just as aviation enthusiast Bert Pither is said to have done 100 years ago. Smith and Sutherland plan to get it airborne on July 3 or July 4, just short of the 100th anniversary of Pither's flight on July 5, 1910. Pither took the plane to the western end of Oreti Beach, where he claimed to have flown it.
Copyright 2010, APN Holdings NZ Limited



Cancer claims fearless camerawoman's life

Fearless New Zealand camerawoman Margaret Moth has died today of cancer. Margaret Moth was born in Gisborne and became a TV camerawoman in the 1970s when it was still mainly a male preserve. She gained international prominence in 1992, when she was shot in the face while covering the Balkans war for CNN. Colleagues say she was fearless, asking for the most dangerous assignments and to be in the middle of all the action.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Kiwis lured by $74,000 Afghanistan jobs

By MIKE WATSON - The Dominion Post
It's hot, back-breaking work in spartan surroundings, thousands of kilometres from the family and home comforts. But the thrill of adventure and lure of a no-expenses $74,000 (US$53,000) salary to help load and unload military cargo planes in Afghanistan is attracting Kiwi applicants. Simone Tozer, recruitment manager of Queensland-based First International, said the company had been inundated with more than 100 inquiries from people around the world wanting to work in Kandahar, Afghanistan's second largest city, after advertising vacancies last week. Six New Zealanders have contacted her company so far. A Christchurch builder has been employed as a labourer and will leave in three weeks, subject to a medical.



Native Americans seek to reclaim salmon from NZ

A group of Native Americans is on a spiritual pilgrimage to New Zealand to reclaim a breed of salmon their tribe believes is linked to its own fate. Twenty-eight representatives of the Winnemem Wintu people from California plan to apologise to the Chinook salmon, known in New Zealand as quinnat, which they believe is descended from eggs taken from their local rivers. The Winnemem believe their tribe's problems began in the 1940s when a dam blocked the Sacramento and McCloud rivers, cutting off the seasonal salmon run. As salmon numbers have dwindled, so too have those of the tribe. A spokesperson for Ngai Tahu says the Winnemem have been in discussions with local Maori over their plans to reintroduce the salmon to their native waterways. The fish was brought to New Zealand more than a century ago and thrives in Canterbury rivers.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Sunday, March 21

Australian cricketers on brink of victory in Wellington

Inspired by Doug Bollinger, the Australian cricketers have claimed 11 wickets to have New Zealand in a miserable position after the third day of the first Test in Wellington. Bollinger's first-innings haul of 5 for 28 off 13 overs helped the visitors dismiss New Zealand for 157. The Black Caps, forced to follow-on, slumped to 187 for 5 at stumps, needing another 115 runs to make Australia bat again. Bollinger has taken 2 for 30 in the second innings.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



NZ visa campaign attracts thousands from Singapore

Thousands of Singaporeans are answering calls to work and study in New Zealand, following an internet-based campaign launched there in January. In just six weeks, the Immigration New Zealand pilot project has attracted about 6,400 registrations of interest, using social networking site Facebook and internet search engine Google to market the working holiday and student visas to young people. The government website tells would-be migrants of a laidback lifestyle and better working hours.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Avondale College takes 9th Polyfest title

By Jenny Suo
One of the biggest school rivalries in Polyfest history continued in Auckland today. The four-day Maori and Pacific Island festival saw Otahuhu College take on Avondale College, after coming second to them for the last eight years. Otahuhu College say they’ve been pipped for the title of best co-ed school on the Samoan stage too many times. “We’ve just put a bit more effort than previous years and been giving our all in practices,” says James Tomas of Otahuhu College. The largest Maori and Pacific Island cultural festival in the world, Polyfest is five stages, representing Tonga, the Cook Islands, Maori, Niue and Samoa. The event attracts around 90,000 people and over 60 competing schools each year.



International Race Relations Day

By Yvette McCullough - NewstalkZB
New Zealanders are being reminded to be accepting of immigrants, as we mark International Race Relations Day today. The focus this year is unity, and not an "us verses them" attitude. Author and immigrant Dr Edwina Pio says although many immigrants love New Zealand, it is not always a bed of roses for them settling here. She says there are still rays of colonialism in the minds of employers, and this stops them employing people they think are different or not a good fit. Dr Pio hopes New Zealanders can truly embrace the diversity and opportunities immigrants bring to their country.



Rugby host cities decided for Georgia, Russia

Smaller centres throughout New Zealand can begin dusting off the welcome mats after finding out which teams they will be hosting during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Georgia beat Russia in Moscow on Saturday to secure the top European ranking, with the Russians claiming the runners-up spot. The result means Georgia will play one match in Dunedin, Christchurch and two at Palmerston North. Russia will play in New Plymouth, Rotorua, Nelson and Christchurch. It is the first time Russia has made it to the Rugby World Cup finals where they are set to face the United States in pool play. The Russian and Georgian teams will also holiday in non-match centres, including Masterton, Blenheim and Tauranga.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Power generators rushed to cyclone-hit Whitsundays

Updated at 10:06am on 21 March 2010
Power generators are being rushed to the Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Queensland following a cyclone to ensure emergency and other services can keep working. About 60,000 homes in Mackay, Proserpine, Cannonvale, Sarina and surrounding areas are without power. Cyclone Ului crossed the coast as a Category 3 storm near Airlie Beach at the Whitsundays at 1.30am on Sunday local time with winds of up to 200km/h. Ului has since been downgraded to a Category 2 system and is expected to deteriorate into a rain depression later on Sunday.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Saturday, March 20

Aust man knocked out by kangaroo

A 25-year-old man from Canberra has been treated in hospital after being king-hit by a kangaroo. David Streigl was jogging up Mount Ainslie when he was suddenly confronted by a boxing kangaroo which lived up to its name by giving him a black eye and leaving him unconscious on the side of the road. Luckily only a few minutes later a passing motorist stopped and picked the man up, waiting until he regained consciousness before taking him to hospital.(crikey mate, that must have hurt)
Source: Newstalk ZB



Swine flu blamed for rise in pregnant women's deaths

Swine flu is being blamed for a jump in the number of deaths amongst pregnant women. The conclusion comes from researchers who have been going over records from intensive care units both here in New Zealand and in Australia. The researchers found 11 per cent of pregnant women who ended up in intensive care, died as a result of swine flu. Twelve per cent of their babies also died. Researcher Dr Ian Seppelt says that is out of the ordinary, because pregnancy is usually thought of as safe. He says none of the women who died had been inoculated against the regular seasonal flu. As one result of the study, pregnant women are being encouraged to get immunised against swine flu.
NEWSTALK ZB



Cyclone set to hit Qld coast

By Bruce Russell - NewstalkZB
Tropical Cyclone Ului, weakening yesterday but intensifying again today, is expected to hit the Queensland coast between Ayr and Mackay in the morning with very destructive winds of up to 170 kilometres an hour. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology says it has sped up its movement toward the coast and is expected to hit about four o'clock. The category two storm could become a three before landfall. Philip Duncan of WeatherWatch says Ului could bring major destruction to areas near the storm centre. He says crops, plantations, coral reefs, beach communities and holiday resorts could be damaged. The cyclone is expected to weaken inland later tomorrow.



Boost for Brown Teal ducks

Fiordland National Park has proven such a successful new home for New Zealand's native Brown Teal, or Pateke, that a second much bigger release of ducks has just been taken in. Last year 20 Brown Teal were released in the area as a trial run and 14 are believed to have survived. Another 39 of New Zealand's rarest mainland waterfowl have joined them. The birds have been trained to feed from hoppers, which will keep them going until they get used to finding their own food. Their only major threat in Fiordland is stoats, so extra traps have been laid on top of the Department of Conservation's usual predator control. More releases of the ducks are planned, with another 200 set to go to Fiordland over the next five years.
Source: ONE News



Shoes hit US consulate

The balcony of the US Consulate in Auckland is littered with old shoes. Anti-war demonstrators, marking seven years since the invasion of Iraq, threw them at the consulate building in downtown Auckland early this afternoon. Mike Treen, spokesman for protest group Global Peace and Justice, says the shoes are a symbol of opposition to US policies in Iraq. He says that was demonstrated when a journalist threw his shoe at then US President George W Bush. The group Mr Treen represents is demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of international troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, including the New Zealand SAS.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Spelling 'dissonant' wins ticket to Washington

A 13-year-old from Christchurch has won a ticket to represent New Zealand at the Olympics of Spelling in Washington in June by successfully spelling the word "dissonant". Tom Winter from Burnside High School beat 11 other contestants to win the New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee and the right to represent the country at the 83rd Scripps National Spelling Bee. The manager of the contest, Janet Lucas, says it took 17 gruelling rounds to find the winner. Tom Winter will spend the next two months studying the Scripps contest word list and reading Webster's Third New International Dictionary.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Boat intercepted in Aussie waters

Source: AAP
Another asylum seeker boat with more than 90 passengers on board has been intercepted in Australian waters, stirring concerns the Christmas Island immigration detention centre could soon be full. The suspected illegal entry vessel was found northwest of Christmas Island. Initial estimates suggest 92 passengers were on board, Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said in a statement on Saturday. The interception takes to 25 the tally of unauthorised asylum seeker vessels that have entered Australian waters in 2010. The asylum seekers will be transferred to Christmas Island for security, identity and health checks, and their reasons for travel will be established.



Front to bring gales, heavy rain to south

A frontal system is expected to bring heavy rain to Fiordland and Westland and northwest gales to parts of Otago and Canterbury on Monday morning. Metservice forecaster Chris Noble says the heavy rain is likely to create a "spillover" effect at many South Island lakes and rivers and people need to keep up to date with forecasts. Eastern Otago, north of Dunedin, and inland parts of Canterbury are expected to be hardest hit by the winds.
NZPA



'Close knit society' helps youth schemes

By JONATHON HOWE - Manawatu Standard
Youth justice in Manawatu has been praised as world renowned by a pair of visiting Scots during their month-long fact-finding mission throughout the lower North Island. Glasgow residents Neil MacDougall, a community constable, and Marie Gannon, a youth justice worker for Glasgow City Council, are part of a five-member team on a Rotary-funded group study exchange to New Zealand. Accompanied by senior constables Scott Mackenzie and John Samuela, the pair visited youth services and organisations with youth-orientated schemes in Feilding on Thursday. Ms Gannon said she was impressed with how the relationships between police, youth workers and young people had a positive effect on offending rates. "What we've noticed is probably what New Zealand's internationally renowned for – the restorative work." Multi-agency youth schemes, such as Rock On Initiative, appeared to be helped by the close knit nature of New Zealand society, she said. "The sense of community in New Zealand is very strong, not just in Feilding, but in the whole of New Zealand."



Baby giraffe on public view

Auckland Zoo's baby giraffe has been getting his first look at the public. Jelani was born at the zoo just over two weeks ago and since then has been getting to know some of the other animals. He was in the public enclosure for the first time on Saturday morning, but staff then took him back inside to have some quiet time with his mother. Zoo staff say he will be spending longer periods outside as the days go on and should be fully accustomed to his world in time for the school holidays.
Source: Newstalk ZB



Labor faces challenges in Australian state polls

The governing Labor Party in Australia is facing tests in state elections in South Australia and Tasmania on Saturday. Opinion polls point to a close result and a minority government in Tasmania, suggesting the Greens could hold the balance of power. In South Australia, the nation's longest-serving Premier, Mike Rann, is facing a test from relatively new Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond. The Liberals need to win an extra 10 seats to govern outright, but Labor would lose its majority with the net loss of only five seats. If a hung parliament results, independent candidates could play a pivotal role.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Greenpeace criticises NZ bluefin tuna vote

Greenpeace is accusing New Zealand Government of playing a part in pushing the world's bluefin tuna to extinction. The environmental campaign group says New Zealand Government representatives were among those who voted against measures to protect the Atlantic bluefin tuna at a United Nations meeting this week. Other countries which voted against the ban on trading in bluefin tuna included Japan, Canada and many poor nations, who claimed such a move would devastate fishing economies. Greenpeace oceans campaigner Karli Thomas says the decision by the governments to reject the protection measures will be disastrous for the species, which she says has already been mismanaged for years.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Friday, March 19

Geckos released after smugglers nabbed

Sixteen jewelled geckos (lizards) that a German visitor tried to smuggle out of the country have been returned to where they were caught in Dunedin. Manfred Bachman is serving a 15-week prison term after being caught at Christchurch Airport with the geckos in his backpack. Two other men, from Spain and Switzerland, will be sentenced in the Christchurch District Court later this month. The Department of Conservation released the 16 jewelled geckos in native scrub on Friday but asked that media not to reveal the location, because of the threat of poaching. Each gecko is estimated to be worth $2000 on the black market.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Defence team delivers last of its cyclone aid

New Zealand Defence Force personnel have carried out the last of their relief supply duties in the wake of Fiji's Cyclone Tomas and were due to fly home late Friday afternoon. Squadron Leader Kavae Tamariki says the team delivered the last supplies on Friday morning to the Labasa airport in Vanua Levu. He says the distribution system is under control for the northern island group and Fiji's interim government has requested no further tasks of the team. The Fiji National Disaster Management Office says food rations will continue to be delivered to the northern and eastern islands until destroyed crops such as copra and breadfruit are replenished.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Skinks being relocated

Action is being taken to protect critically endangered lizards whose numbers have been declining since the 1970s. The Department of Conservation and Otago Skink Recovery Program are moving small number of skinks from the high country near Wanaka. Three Otago and five grand skinks are being shifted to the Peacock Springs captive breeding program in Christchurch. Programme manager Andy Hutcheon says unless large-scale predator management is undertaken, the skinks will soon become extinct in the wild.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Call for netball brainstorming

One of Australia's leading netballers wants to see greater consultation between the governing bodies on both sides of the Tasman. The ANZ Championship season is yet to get underway but nearly all of the10 franchises have injury problems to contend with. Vixens and Australian defender Bianca Chatfield says they are finding it difficult to get the balance right. Chatfield says it would be good if Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand could brainstorm, to see if its necessary to have so many international games on top of the trans-Tasman competition. The ANZ Championship season begins tomorrow, with the Mystics hosting the Thunderbirds in Auckland.
© 2010 NZCity, NewsTalkZB



Natural health products deal

The Government and the Greens have cut a deal on regulating natural health products. A discussion paper has been released today, which proposes having a new stand alone system that would ensure natural health products are safe and true to label. The move effectively kills attempts to have the joint trans-Tasman regulatory regime attempted under the last Labour Government. Green MP Sue Kedgley believes it is important that New Zealand retains control over the regulation of natural health products.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Swine flu 13 times more dangerous when pregnant

Pregnant women in New Zealand and Australia who had pandemic H1N1 flu were 13 times more likely to become critically ill and be admitted to hospital, researchers said on Friday. The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), analysed data from the middle of the southern hemisphere's 2009 winter and found that 11 percent of mothers and 12 percent of babies died after admission to intensive care with swine flu. The findings confirmed earlier research that pregnant women were at higher risk of serious complications if they got the flu. Ian Seppelt from the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Influenza Investigators, who led the BMJ study, noted that none of the women studied had been immunised against regular seasonal flu, despite recommendations that they should be. During the study period from June 1 to August 31, 2009, a total of 209 women of child-bearing age (15 to 44) were admitted to intensive care units with confirmed swine flu. Sixty-four of those were either pregnant or had recently given birth. Women who were more than 20 weeks pregnant were 13 times more likely to be admitted to intensive care than non-pregnant women who had swine flu, the study found.
NZPA



Shark study off Stewart Island

White pointer sharks are being studied by a team of researchers in the waters off Stewart Island. The researchers from the Department of Conservation , NIWA and Auckland University will be working around the Titi Islands from tomorrow until the start of April. DOC shark expert Clinton Duffy says the team will be using a mixture of minced fish and fish oil called burley to attract the sharks and warns divers and kayakers to keep well clear of the areas while the research is being carried out.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Cricket-Aust loses Watson for first test against Black Caps

Australia has suffered a blow ahead of the first cricket test against the Black Caps with Shane Watson set to be ruled out through injury. Philip Hughes looks likely to play at the Basin Reserve. Watson is understood to be struggling after being struck on the hip by fast bowler Mitchell Johnson in the green-topped Wellington nets. Australia will also have to wait until this morning to see if fast bowler Ryan Harris has recovered enough from a side strain to make his debut.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Reality TV turning kids off junk food

Reality TV shows featuring overweight people are turning Kiwi kids off junk food, a recent study has found. Marketing researcher at Massey University's Auckland campus Jacinta Hawkins looked at the influence of television content on the health of children aged between seven and 13. She found TV shows like The Biggest Loser can trigger a "fear factor" in children. "When I asked them about how health was promoted and where they learnt about nutrition and physical activity patterns of behaviour and stuff, they commented on reality TV programmes," Ms Hawkinssaid today. "They talked about the fact that the people that they saw were really big and that they didn't want to end up like that.
© Fairfax New Zealand Limited 2009



First reports using national standards being issued

Parents with children at Hamilton East School have for the first time received school reports using the new national standards in reading, writing and maths. Some schools are boycotting the standards, which set levels of minimum achievement for students at each year level. Hamilton East School reported on children's progress against the national standards at parent meetings last week and plans to send home written reports next week. The deputy principal Linda Woolhouse says the school wanted to tell parents early in the year how their children were performing compared to the standards.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Thursday, March 18

Fiji Red Cross delivers cyclone aid

A relief effort to supply aid to the victims of Cyclone Tomas is in full swing in Fiji as patrol boats are slowly arriving in some of the affected areas. Officials say it’ll be days until the full extent of the damage will be clear. Red Cross personnel are among the staff that have left the capital for the worst hit areas and its coordinator, Vuli Gauna, says teams are trying to reach the thousands of people to deliver supplies. “This includes packs containing enough clothing and hygiene materials, towels, blankets and a first aid kit for familes of six, it has water containers, tarpaulins.” Vuli Gauna says the focus is now on getting access to the northern eastern parts of Vanua Levu.
© Radio New Zealand International



Rugby-Maori to play Ireland and England

Having not played a game last year, the centenary of New Zealand Maori rugby will be celebrated with two blockbuster matches. New Zealand Maori will play Ireland in Rotorua on June 18 and England in Napier on June 23. The team will also play a match on June 12 in Whangarei against a yet to be named opponent. The first New Zealand Maori team was officially selected in 1910.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Kupe Gas Project officially opened

The Prime Minister has officially opened the $1.3 billion Kupe Gas Project in Taranaki. Gas produced from the field will meet approximately 15 percent of New Zealand's annual gas demand and an estimated 50 percent of the LPG demand for the next 15 to 20 years. Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee says the commissioning of the Kupe Gas Project is an important milestone in the development of the petroleum sector.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Nestle NZ makes palm oil pledge

Nestle New Zealand will continue to use palm oil in products, despite suspending contracts overnight with its main supplier in Indonesia. Last night Greenpeace released a report revealing the food company is using Indonesian palm oil in products like Kit Kats. Nestle spokesman Maurice Gunnell says the company has today committed to use only sustainable and certified palm oil by 2015. At the moment though there is not enough supply. Mr Gunnell says in the interim they will source green palm certificates for the oil they purchase, which gives incentive to producers to become sustainable.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Banned for blowing a raspberry

A trespass notice has been issued to a 74-year-old woman who blew a raspberry at North Shore mayor Andrew Williams - banning her for two years from the shopping centre where the incident happened. Shirley Squire blew a raspberry at Mr Williams after calling him a "cowardly careerist" following his singing performance during Chinese New Year celebrations at the Northcote Shopping Centre. Police issued Ms Squire a trespass notice a few days later, which banned her from entering the shopping centre and its surrounding area for two years. Ms Squire, who wanted the trespass notice lifted, has said she waited until Mr Williams was off the stage before blowing the raspberry. Mr Williams was unavailable for comment.
NZPA



Aussie, NZ beer behind Pacific's alcohol problem - study

Alcohol abuse is on the rise in the Pacific and New Zealand and Australian beer is a big part of the problem, a study suggests. The study by the Australian National Council on Drugs found links between alcohol abuse and peaks in domestic violence in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu. The council's executive officer, Gino Vumbaca, says alcohol businesses in New Zealand and Australia have significant commercial interest in the region. He says these businesses and their respective governments have an obligation to tackle the Pacific's alcohol problems.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Aid worker a 'true Florence Nightingale'

By KAY BLUNDELL - The Dominion Post
A New Zealand Red Cross aid worker is receiving the highest international honour in her profession today for her work in war-torn parts of the globe. Joyce Hood, 67, is being presented with the Florence Nightingale Medal awarded by the International Committee of the Red Cross. The award is given to people who distinguish themselves in times of peace or war by showing exceptional courage and devotion to the wounded, sick or disabled as well as to victims of conflict or disaster. The award commemorates 11 years of service to others that Ms Hood has given on 11 missions, over 80 months in highly volatile Afghanistan, East Timor and Iraq. Ms Hood has previously received the New Zealand Operational Service Medal and the New Zealand General Service Medal for her work in Afghanistan.



Mammogram rate favourable

By REBECCA TODD - The Press
Canterbury primary health organisations (PHOs) are leading the country in the provision of breast-cancer screening and flu vaccinations. However, the refusal of the region's largest PHO, Partnership Health, to report on diabetes performance indicators puts Canterbury at the bottom of the table for management of the disease. A PHO performance report released by the Ministry of Health shows South Island PHOs have the highest breast-cancer screening rates in New Zealand. Eighty per cent of women at the rural Canterbury PHO are being screened, compared with as low as 40 per cent in Bay of Plenty. Partnership Health was top in the country for flu vaccinations, with 75 per cent coverage, and the Hurunui-Kaikoura PHO was one of the top-five performers for cervical screening rates on 80 per cent. PHOs covering parts of Auckland were achieving just 48 per cent.



Wednesday, March 17

McKellen lets Hobbit cat out of bag

By LAWRENCE HAKIWAI - NewstalkZB
Sir Ian McKellen has revealed he is returning to Middle Earth. The actor has confirmed on his website that he will again play Gandalf in the upcoming two Hobbit films. Sir Ian says shooting will start in New Zealand in June and filming will take more than a year. Casting is underway in Los Angeles, New York and London. The script is still being finished and Guillermo del Toro will direct.



Queensland prepares for cyclone's arrival

Updated at 4:12pm on 17 March 2010
Authorities are preparing to evacuate two islands off the central Queensland coast as a category 4 cyclone approaches the region. The Australian weather bureau says Cyclone Ului is expected to make landfall at the weekend between Bowen and Gladstone. The cyclone is 1200 kilometres northeast of Mackay in north Queensland and 1400 kilometres east of Cooktown in the state's far north. Acting Police Inspector Julia Cook says ferries will move 260 residents and visitors from Heron Island and 70 people from Lady Elliott Island to the mainland over the next two days before Cyclone Ului's arrival.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Aid on its way to cyclone-hit Fiji

Updated at 2:46pm on 17 March 2010
The Red Cross and the New Zealand and Australian governments are sending aid to areas of Fiji severely damaged by Cylcone Tomas. UNICEF in the Pacific says at least 150,000 people could have been directly affected by the cyclone. More than 17,000 people sought cover in 260 shelters during the weekend storm, which has now been downgraded to a category 3 cyclone as it heads out to open seas. The Red Cross says people in Lau and Lomaiviti island groups have endured a horrific ordeal, and it plans to send aid with the help of Fiji's navy. A naval ship is heading to the island of Cikobia, with about 400 residents, where it's thought aid is needed desperately. Two Red Cross teams are also making their way by land to the northern and eastern parts of Vanua Levu to assess damage.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Reined in but still a favourite

By DIANE JOYCE - The Dominion Post
The star event in the southern hemisphere's biggest horse show has taken a $550,000 drop in prize money but at least it is still on, organisers say. The 2600 horses entered in the $2.4 million Kelt Capital Horse of the Year have been flooding into Hastings since Saturday, in preparation for the six-day competition. Organising the 2010 show during a recession had not been easy, Mr Hansen said. His 12th had been a "belt-tightening" exercise, with the most obvious cut being to the Olympic Cup showjumping prize purse, down from $750,000 last year to $200,000 this year. The event runs until Sunday.



New ways to quit smoking unveiled

Smokers have given the thumbs up to two nicotine replacement products which may become more commonly available, following research from the University of Otago. The products come in small sachets which smokers keep in their mouth, allowing nicotine - the addictive ingredient in tobacco - to be rapidly released. The researchers are also launching a second more ambitious study which will aim to test an innovative new mouth spray to be used every time a smoker has the desire to light up. The new study was looking for 1600 volunteers in Wellington and Christchurch to take part in a trial to test the effectiveness of Zonnic mouth spray, to be used in addition to the normally available nicotine patches. Participants will be given regular counselling to help them quit smoking.
NZPA



Futuna crops destroyed by Cyclone Tomas

A damage assessment after cyclone Tomas hit Wallis and Futuna shows that 80 percent of the crops on Futuna have been destroyed. On Wallis half the crops have been destroyed when weekend winds of 200 kilometres an hour swept across the territory. Many homes have been damaged or flooded and half the schools have been damaged. The road on the northern side of Futuna has been washed away. On Wallis, the main roads have been cleared and power has been restored along the south coast.
© Radio New Zealand International



Space scientist Sir Ian Axford dies

New Zealander Sir Ian Axford, honoured for his work on space exploration, has died at the age of 77. A New Zealander honoured for his work on space exploration has died at the age of 77. Sir Ian Axford worked on many American and European space probes, such as Voyager and Giotto, designing robot craft and calculating orbits. He was an expert on comets and cosmic rays, and was convinced that life exists elsewhere in the universe - which he said was the normal view in astrophysics.A physicist and a mathematician, Sir Ian received numerous honours from the United States and the Soviet Union for his work. He was named New Zealander of the Year in 1995.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, March 16

Deaths reported from Fiji cyclone

Updated at 7:26pm (NZ Time) on 16 March 2010
Officials in Fiji say they have received reports of "a few" deaths, as Cyclone Tomas continues to pound part of the nation. National Disaster Management Office director Pajiliai Dobui says police cannot confirm numbers until communications are restored with affected islands in the Lau group, to the east of the main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. He says reports from the islands suggest the Category 4 cyclone, now in its fourth day over Fiji, is the worst in living memory. Wind gusts are peaking at about 230km/h over the Lau group. A state of natural disaster has been declared in the Northern and Eastern divisions. The interim government has also extended a nationwide curfew until Wednesday morning.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



No Commonwealth Games for Auckland in 2018

Hopes that Auckland might host the Commonwealth Games in eight years have been dashed with the Government saying it would cost too much. A feasibility study on Auckland hosting the 2018 Games put the running costs at about $550 million, including longer spending on facilities. The region's leaders had hoped the Commonwealth Games would be one of the major events to boost tourism in the wake of next year's Rugby World Cup. Prime Minister John Key agrees there are arguments in favour of the event but says the economic loss is so great it cannot be justified.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Snow expected in Catlins

The year's first sprinkling of snow is expected to dust mountaintops in the Catlins tonight, an "unseasonable" phenomenon part of an early cold snap chilling the South Island. Metservice forecaster Andy Downs said people in the Catlins, on the South Island's southeastern coast, could wake up to see white tops on their mountains. "It's an unseasonable cold snap and fairly unusual. Talking about it this early is a bit of a worry." The Metservice forecasts an overnight low of about 7C in the Catlins. Temperatures are expected to drop to 2C at Wanaka and 3C in Queenstown. It would be the first snow of the year, he said.
NZHERALD STAFF



Wayne's world: It's school on Saturday

By RACHEL YOUNG - The Marlborough Express
Misbehaviour now carries a far heavier penalty at Marlborough Boys' College, with the introduction of Saturday classes for students who fall foul of school rules. The scheme to deter bad behaviour was instigated at the start of the term by new principal Wayne Hegarty. The idea has been adopted from Rangiora High School, where Mr Hegarty was deputy principal before landing the top job at the boys' college. He said the move had proved so popular with parents that some even wanted to enrol their sons in the Saturday classes. Students, however, did not like having three hours of their weekend taken away from them or having to walk around in school uniform on a Saturday. "It's a message that there will be a consequence," he said. Mr Hegarty said the school was focusing on respect, as students and staff had identified it as a key value.



Growers aim to change perceptions of industry

Horticulturalists and viticulturalists want to improve the image of their industry in order to make harvesting fruit and cultivating vines more attractive as a career. The issue will be discussed in Wellington on Tuesday as industry and government representatives meet to talk about labour problems. Growers have spent the past three years bringing in Pacific Island workers to fill seasonal labour shortages. They are now turning their attention to attracting more highly-skilled New Zealanders into long-term career positions and hope to achieve this through better recruitment and retention schemes.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Both perspectives in new exhibition on Taranaki wars

It is 150 years since the first shots were fired in the Taranaki land wars, but Puke Ariki Museum in New Plymouth is expecting heated debate about what happened and why. Its exhibition Our Legacy - Our Challenge, which opens on Wednesday, tries to present both Maori and Pakeha accounts of the war using historic photographs and heritage objects. Chief executive Bill McNaught says it includes the first display of a rare New Zealand Cross awarded to Frank Mace, an officer of the Taranaki Mounted Volunteers. "Pakeha celebrated victories that they had with monuments and medals being awarded ... that will upset some people I suppose to see those treasures being shown off with some pride on the Pakeha side of things." The exhibition runs until August.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



10,000 seek refuge in Fiji as cyclone heads south

Updated at 9:39am on 16 March 2010
About 10,000 people are sheltering in evacuation centres after powerful Cyclone Tomas continues to batter Fiji. Disaster management officials are preparing for the worst as the Category 4 storm heads for the southern Lau Group of islands on Tuesday, with average wind speeds of 175km/h. At 9am, the eye of the cyclone was about 240km from the capital Suva, but is not expected to directly hit the main island of Viti Levu. Tomas, considered to be one of the worst to hit the region in seven years, lashed northern parts of the Pacific nation on Monday, producing winds of up to 270km/h and is said to have generated waves up to seven metres high off Vanua Levu. The director of Fiji's disaster management centre, Pajiliai Dobui, said communication has been lost on islands including Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Lau, and officials will not know the extent of the damage until Wednesday.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Monday, March 15

Latest-Fiji cyclone brings winds of 270km/h at centre

Updated at 8:44pm on 15 March 2010 (NZ Time)
Cyclone Tomas, the biggest cyclone to hit Fiji for decades, is now over the northern island of Vanua Levu, with winds of up to 270km/h at its centre. The cyclone is classified as Category 4, the second-most destructive on a five-point scale. People in the eastern islands braced for destructive hurricane force winds with gusts as strong as 230km/h. The rest of Fiji was told to expect damaging gale force gusts of up to 110km/h. Heavy rain and flooding is also expected with very high seas and damaging heavy swells. A group holed up in a government building says boats have been blown up on to roads. Radio New Zealand has spoken to one of 16 people sheltering in a building on Taveuni Island, 6.5 kilometres east of Vanua Levu, who says boats have ended up on the main road. The cyclone, which is moving south, is expected to lie 255 kilometres east-north-east of Suva by early Monday morning.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Storm blows albatross into suburban yard

By GREER MCDONALD - Stuff.co.nz
A massive albatross that was injured in Friday's stormy weather is now recovering at Wellington Zoo. The female northern royal albatross - with a massive wingspan of more than 3m - was found injured in a back yard of a home in Wainuiomata. "It must have given them quite a shock," said spokesperson Matt Kennard. The bird, one of only 30,000 in the wild, is currently being treated at Wellington Zoo's hospital, The Nest. It is having its blood checked and x-rays to look for further injuries. Mr Kennard said the bird "seemed ok" but was a "little underweight". He said she will be safely released as soon as possible, at a beach location with "a good long run up"



Talks on free trade deal set to begin

Negotiations for a free trade deal that includes the United States and New Zealand will begin in Australia on Monday. The eight-country Trans Pacific Partnership could free up access to crucial export markets in the world's largest economy. Efforts to start the talks stalled after the election of Barack Obama as US president last year, but he has now committed to the negotiations. Other countries involved in the talks are Australia, Chile, Brunei, Singapore, Vietnam and Peru. New Zealand negotiators are expected to push for improved access for farm exports at the discussions in Melbourne.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Latest-Fiji checking reports of cyclone deaths

Monday, 15, Mar, 2010 3:29PM (NZ Time)
There are unconfirmed reports of deaths in Fiji, as Cyclone Tomas moves through the northern part of the island group. At least 5,000 people are sheltering in evacuation centres ahead of the main force of the cyclone, which is expected to pass close to the capital Suva tomorrow morning. Disaster Management official Anthony Blake says trees are down, power is out in some areas and there are reports of damage to houses and a kindergarten on one of the islands in the far north of the country. Officials are trying to verify the reports of injuries and fatalities. Weather analyst Philip Duncan from WeatherWatch.co.nz, says Tomas is an aggressive storm with its strongest winds gusting up to 250km/h. He says it will start to move across the two main Fijian islands starting in the east this afternoon and spread west during the night. Cyclone Tomas has already hit Wallis and Futuna to the north of Fiji on Monday, causing damage to houses and crops. Wind gusts of up to 200km/h were recorded in the French territory. Another tropical cyclone which is also menacing the Pacific region is now heading into the open waters of the Coral Sea. Cyclone Ului is predicted to become an intense category five cyclone by midnight tonight with winds gusting up to 350km/h. Computer models show it will brush the Queensland coast causing what Mr Duncan describes as phenomenal seas. Its current estimated time of arrival in Australia is this weekend. WeatherWatch.co.nz predicts that northern New Zealand will potentially be in the firing line around Wednesday next week but adds it is still too early to know what impact it could have.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Ministry releases doctors' league tables

The Ministry of Health has released for the first time league table details showing which groups of doctors' practices in New Zealand are doing best and worst at meeting community health needs. The information was released to Radio New Zealand under the Official Information Act, ranking the performance and effectiveness of the country's 80 Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) on a range of health goals. The sensitive information compares PHOs in the areas such as immunising children, detecting diabetes, assessing the risk of heart disease and cervical cancer screening. PHOs channel government funding to doctors' practices primarily, receiving extra as an incentive if they meet targets across key health indicators. The information released ranks the top five and the bottom five PHOs in those issues. Some GPs say the information is not reliable, but Health Minister Tony Ryall says the tables are robust should be publicly available within months.
Copyright © 2010 Radio New Zealand



Cricket tour to Zimbabwe cancelled

The Black Caps' tour to Zimbabwe in June has been cancelled. New Zealand Cricket says Zimbabwe is an unsuitable place to send the national team, citing the collapse of its health system and the general unstable environment. The tour may be rescheduled at a neutral venue, possibly in June next year. Prime Minister John Key says the government did not interfere in the decision.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Sunday, March 14

Rennell and Bellona in Solomon Islands braces for hurricane force winds tonight (Sunday NZ time)

Posted at 06:50 on 14 March, 2010 UTC
Cyclone Ului, which has winds at its centre of up to 300 kilometres an hour, is expected to hit the Solomon Islands group of Rennell and Bellona about midnight tonight. The islanders have been told to expect hurricane force winds and coastal flooding. The spokesperson for the Solomon Islands National Disaster Centre, Julian Maka, says this is the strongest cyclone that has approached Rennell and Bellona.
Julian Maka.
© Radio New Zealand International



Boat builders needed

By Sam Thompson - NewstalkZB
Young people are being urged to take up boat building as a career. Unitec lecturer and yacht designer Rob Shaw says employers are snapping up all the students who graduate with boat building skills, and not enough young people are coming into the industry to meet local demand for work. Mr Shaw says New Zealanders are world leaders in boat building technology. But he says the industry does not have a very high profile locally because most of the work is for the export market. That has an impact on the number of young people who consider it among their career options. Mr Shaw says even during the recession employers were snapping up all the qualified students they could find, because the marine industry has proved to be quite resilient.



Chance for young writers

By Natasha Burling - NewstalkZB
New Zealand Post has launched a writing competition for children. The top 50 pieces will appear in a professionally illustrated book to be published later this year. The competition is being run in conjunction with the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards and is open to children aged between five and 14. Entries close at the end of April.
Copyright 2002 - 2010, TelstraClear Ltd



Rio Tinto returns mining land to community

At a time when the government is considering opening up more conservation land to mineral exploration, Rio Tinto is giving some back. The international mining giant is backing a conservation project aimed at helping the westland petrel. Volunteers from 23 countries have been working on the land near Punakaiki on the West Coast over the last year in a bid to ensure the survival of one of New Zealand's rare birds. The 80 hectares of land was once a mining site but now the company is giving it back to the community. It is an important location because when the birds come in from the sea they fly up to their burrows in the valley and the land creates an important buffer. The extra land provides a bush corridor and safeguards their colony - the only breeding site for the westland petrel in the world.
Source: ONE News



Food glorious food at Hokitika Festival

This year's Hokitika Wildfoods Festival is expected to generate up to $3 million for the West Coast economy. The 21st festival was one of the best yet, organiser Mike Keenan said. Keenan says the event has matured over the years and is listed as one of the world's top 300 Unmissable Festivals this year by UK travel giant Frommer. A free sampling of pukeko, which was made available from a limited local cull of the bird which is not protected, proved popular while many queued for whitebait patties, westcargots, duck giblets, mountain oysters, exotic sausages, huhu bugs, worm sushi, pickled and raw punga and wasp larvae ice cream.
Source: ONE News


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