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Wednesday, November 30

Scientists predict more torrential rain in Pacific

Scientists say climate change is likely to bring more torrential rain, flooding and landslides to Pacific Island countries. The findings are detailed in a report by the Australian government’s Pacific Climate Change Science Programme. Principal research scientist Kevin Hennessy says the study is the most comprehensive so far for the region and gives 15 Pacific Island countries individually tailored information to help with future planning. Kevin Hennessy says by 2050 coral reefs and their ecosystems are likely to be suffering heavily from the combined effects of higher acid levels, storm damage from more intense cyclones and bleaching.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



NZ condemns attack on British Embassy in Iran

Source: ONE News/Reuters
Foreign Minister Murray McCully says the invasion of the British Embassy in Iran was "totally unacceptable" and has called for action to be taken against those responsible. Protesters stormed two diplomatic compounds yesterday in Iran's capital, Tehran, smashing windows, hurling petrol bombs and briefly taking six British Embassy staff hostage. McCully is now urging the Iranian Government to protect diplomatic properties and staff to keep in line with commitments under the Vienna Convention. "We expect the Iranian Government to ensure there is no repeat of yesterday's violence against diplomats and their families." New Zealanders in Iran have been advised to keep a low profile and to avoid all public demonstrations, rallies and large public gatherings.



Forecast shows a long, hot summer

Three cheers for summer, NIWA forecasts indicate it's going to be long and hot. It says the La Nina pattern across New Zealand means seasonal temperatures are likely to be above average on the West Coast of the South Island, and near average, or above average across the rest of the country. Rainfall is likely to be below normal across the South Island, but normal for the North Island.
By Nicola Grigg



London buses using NZ radio system

Buses in London are now using a radio system designed in Christchurch, New Zealand. Tait Radio Communications has finished the installation of a new network radio communications system, on 7500 buses. The $19 million contract is one of the company's largest deals yet. London's buses carry six million passengers per day. Chief marketing officer James Kidd says regular communication between dispatchers and bus drivers on traffic jams road closures or emergencies are critical for efficient running.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Rare albino snail found in national park

A rare white-bodied giant Powelliphanta snail is reported to have been found by trampers in Kahurangi National Park. Members of a party from the Waimea Tramping Club spotted the albino Powelliphanta hochstetteri hochstetteri snail in the Flora Stream area during a recent trip. The snail has a characteristic golden brown-spiralled shell, but its body is a glowing white, like milky bar chocolate, rather than the usual deep black colour. Department of Conservation snail expert Kath Walker says it's only the second instance of an albino Powelliphanta snail she has come across in more than 30 years.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Hospital marks milestone with book of rare images

By Andrew Koubaridis
Staggering new images have been released that show conjoined twins being separated by surgeons at Waikato Hospital. Sarah and Abbey Hose were separated during the historic operation in 2004, but pictures of the surgery have never been seen in public - until now. They have been released in a book The Village on the Hill: Celebrating 125 Years of Waikato Hospital that celebrates the history and people behind Waikato Hospital with 48 pages of photography from 1889 to the present day. Other photos provide a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of life at the hospital that includes kitchen workers preparing meals, laundry staff, carpenters and laboratory technicians peering into their microscopes. There is a hint at the social side of things too: nurses dressed for a night on the town, sipping tea with the matron, or taking patients on a boat outing on Lake Rotoroa.
The book will be launched tomorrow.



Auckland ranked third best city

Auckland has been ranked third in an international quality of life survey - the only southern hemisphere city to appear in the top ten. The city has jumped one place in the Mercer Quality of Life Survey, improving on its fourth place in 2010. Vienna took the top spot in the survey, while Sydney was placed 11th and Wellington was 13th. While mayor Len Brown is pleased, he wants the top spot. Mr Brown says Auckland is on track to take out the top spot, and has created a scorecard to measure the city's progress. The scorecard focuses on transport, the economy, the building of strong communities and a healthy environment.
By Sophie Lowery



Over half of Kiwi businesses facing skill shortages

Over half of organisations in New Zealand are facing skill shortages. Statistics revealed by recruiting company Hays show almost 60 percent of businesses are experiencing some sort of skill shortage. The managing director of Hays New Zealand, Jason Walker, says labour markets in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are hardest hit. "Employers are really looking to grow their businesses as the local economy picks up, that being the case we are going to experience further skill shortages down the line." A forum will be held in Wellington on Thursday to discuss developing workforces with the right skills, at the right time and in the right place.
By Sophie Lowery



International modern art coming to Auckland

Nearly 80 works of art by some of the world's most influential and celebrated artists will soon be on display at Auckland Art Gallery. The 'Degas to Dali' features international modern artists whose work spans 100 years including Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Ernst, and Warhol. It illustrates the story of modern art beginning with the revolutionary works of the French Impressionist and Post Impressionist periods, through Cubism, Surrealism, German Expression, the British post World War 2 period and American Pop. The exhibition opens in March.
By Juliette Sivertsen



Laureate for soul singer

Maori soul singer Whirimako Black has won an award worth $50,000 at the Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand Arts Awards. The national Arts Awards were held on Tuesday night at the Viaduct Event Centre in Auckland. Black and several others won the Laureate Awards, which honour artists who have established careers. Each recipient received $50,000 in that category. Black is a veteran Te Reo songstress who's produced many albums including jazz in the Maori language.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, November 29

Phil Goff to quit Labour leadership

Phil Goff has confirmed he is stepping down from the Labour leadership. Mr Goff emerged shortly after 3pm on Tuesday from the party's first caucus meeting after the election to announce he will stand down on 13 December. He had earlier said he accepted responsibility for Saturday night's election result but wanted to talk to his caucus before making any public announcement. Deputy leader Annette King also announced she was standing down from the role. Mr Goff named five people as contenders for the leadership positions: David Cunliffe, David Parker, David Shearer, Grant Robertson and Nanaia Mahuta.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Flying to London? Watch out for strikes

New Zealanders flying to London this week could be caught up in a strike by two million British public service workers. Air New Zealand has offered to re-book passengers who are due to arrive at Heathrow on Wednesday, the day of the planned walk-out. British airport authorities are warning it might take 12 hours to clear customs if the strike goes ahead. Airlines say they are cancelling some flights in and out of London's Heathrow Airport ahead of the strike.
3 News / AP



18 per cent of Maori now live overseas

By Simon Collins
A leading demographer says we need to rethink what it means to be Maori after finding that almost a fifth of all Maori in the world now live outside New Zealand. Dr Tahu Kukutai, a Stanford-educated research fellow at Waikato University, told a Population Association conference in Auckland yesterday that 151,000 of the 815,000 Maori people in the world now live overseas - 140,000 of them in Australia. She has used census data from Australia, Britain, the United States and Canada to calculate the numbers of Maori in those countries at the beginning of the last decade, and has estimated population growth since then. The figures are approximate because some countries do not record Maori ethnicity directly so she had to estimate them by matching birthplace data with ethnic categories such as "other race not Chinese".



Renewed calls for country of origin food labelling

There are renewed calls for mandatory country of origin food labelling after the discovery only one brand of frozen vegetables contains 100% New Zealand-grown ingredients. Talley's Frozen Foods is the only brand on the supermarket shelves that contains vegetables that are grown and processed here. National sales manager Bob Darragh says people don't know what's local and what's not because country of origin food labelling is voluntary in New Zealand. Other brands supplement local produce with vegetables from China, Vietnam, South American and the United States.
By Sophie Lowery



Monday, November 28

Total eclipse of the moon due in NZ skies

New Zealanders will be treated to a rare full lunar eclipse in their skies next month. Stardome Astronomy Educator David Britten said that just after 12:30am on December 11, people will be able to see the eclipse from all around the country, where the skies are clear. The period of total eclipse lasts for less than an hour, from just after 3am to just before 4am. In a lunar eclipse the Moon is obscured as it passes through the Earth's shadow.
Source: ONE News



More little blue penguins released

Nearly 40 little blue penguins have been released at Mount Maunganui today. They join the 56 other birds released to return to their normal nesting grounds following the grounding of the Rena. National Oiled Wildlife Response Team Coordinator Kerri Morgan says about 240 penguins are still at the wildlife centre. She says with no more oiled birds found in the past couple of weeks, intake sections of the centre are winding down. All birds released have to have blood taken, pass a six-hour continuous swimming test, as well as having the salt in their swimming pools increased.
By Juliette Sivertsen



Samoa immigration official says growing threat from people traffickers

Samoa’s assistant chief executive of Immigration, Aualiitia Faafouina Milford, has revealed that Samoa deported a group of people from Bangladesh late last year on suspicion that they were engaged in human trafficking. Aualiitia was commenting on a report by the Australian Institute of Criminology which warns of an alarming rise in trafficking in the South Pacific. The report says that during the past six years, Samoa and nine other countries in the region reported their belief that people had been trafficked into their countries.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Japan funds Samoa school improvements

Japan is funding the construction of two schools in Samoa to the tune of around 230-thousand dollars. The two projects are the reconstruction of Fiamalamalama School for children with special needs and the construction of a classroom for the electrical course at Don Bosco Technical Centre. At Fiamalamalama School a new school building with four classroom will be built. The new classroom for the electrical course at Don Bosco Technical School is regarded as expanding the vocational training sector in Samoa.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



NZ singer named best female artist

New Zealand singer Kimbra was named best female artist at the Australian Recording Industry Association Awards in Sydney on Sunday, for her debut album Cameo Lover. The former Hamilton resident also popped up in the single of the year, Somebody That I Used To Know. She co-sings on the song by Belgian-Australian singer-songwriter, Gotye.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Netball - FastNet Ferns fall to England in final

The FastNet Ferns have fallen in the final of the World Netball Series, beaten by England 33-26 in Liverpool. The Ferns fell behind in the third quarter, when England managed to rocket out to a seven goal lead thanks to their power play. Captain Irene van Dyk says that was the difference. She says they scored off the turnovers and converted a lot of two point chances. New Zealand had earlier pipped Jamaica 30-29 in the semis. It's the first time the Ferns haven't won the tournament.
By Guy Heveldt



Ronan Keating coming to NZ

By Alexia Russell - NewstalkZB
Irish singer Ronan Keating is coming to New Zealand. The former Boyzone star is taking a break from his role as a judge on Australian X Factor. He'll be in Wellington in February with Sharon Corr from The Corrs.



Industry bites into obesity

By NICOLA RUSSELL
Food industry groups have the "upper hand" in policymaking around obesity, an Otago University report says. The report by Penny Field and Robin Gauld said that by letting industry groups dominate the process, the government was not acting in the public's best interest in reducing the long-term cost of obesity. It argues the food industry is "tightly co-ordinated in its influence activities", outweighing more fragmented non-government organisations by establishing various industry groups. Field and Gauld argue that evidence is presented differently, with the food industry using academic marketing data, unpublished reports and self-gathered evidence, and the non-government organisations relying on published academic studies. Heart Foundation medical director Norman Sharpe said groups were working on a better advocacy process, but agreed evidence gathering had slowed progress.
Sunday Star Times



Kiwi's space photos stun astronomers

By MICHELLE COOKE
An Auckland man has been hailed as the first amateur photographer to capture an image of another solar system. Rolf Olsen has captured the star Beta Pictoris, and the disk of debris and dust orbiting it, in a stunning image that has amazed astronomers worldwide. The photo shows the protoplanetary disk surrounding the star. The disk represents a developing solar system and it is thought that the disk could also develop into planets and asteroids. "This is a very young system thought to be only around 12 million years old and is essentially similar to how our own solar system must have formed some 4.5 billion years ago," Olsen wrote on his website. The incredible thing is that Olsen took the photo of the star, which is 63.4 light years away, using a 25cm telescope at his Titirangi home, a feat that has been described by those in astro-circles as a "milestone". Astronomer and astro-photographer John Field, from Wellington's Carter Observatory, said Olsen's picture was "absolutely amazing".



Sunday, November 27

Kiwis row bridge to bridge

By Brenton Vannisselroy - NewstalkZB
Four kiwis have started their quest to become the first New Zealand team to row from the Sydney to Auckland harbour bridges. Nigel Cherrie, James Blake, Martin Berka and Andrew McCowan left Sydney this morning and aim to reach Auckland in around a month's time. However team director Rob Hamill says the 1,400 nautical mile journey could take anywhere from three weeks to three months.



Murray-Darling Basin draft plan to be issued

Details of a draft plan for the Murray-Darling Basin will be posted on the Basin Authority's website at midnight on Sunday. Water Minister Tony Burke said on 8 November that the draft plan would return 2,8000 gigalitres to the system. However, he warned, it will not please everyone. The ABC reports a formal 20-week consultation period will start after the plan is released. The ABC reports it drastically cut the amount of water which could be taken from the river system. The Murray-Darling Basin covers 1.05 million square km and contains over 40% of all Australian farms. It serves New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Election gains allow Key to push ahead

John Key believes National's election gains gives him a mandate to push ahead with asset sales - a policy he's carefully referring to as "'mixed ownership model''. The country has delivered National 60 seats in Parliament, compared to Labour's 34. The Greens also boosted their support and will now have 13 MPs in Parliament - but the biggest winner was perhaps Winston Peters who re-enters Parliament and will take another seven New Zealand First MPs in with him. John Banks won Epsom for ACT and Peter Dunne managed to retain Ohariu for United Future - but both MPs enter Parliament alone. The Maori Party, with three electorates, loses one MP and Hone Harawira has won Te Tai Tokerau for his Mana Party. The result means John Key can govern with the support of ACT and United Future's lone votes and last night revealed he spoke to both men before his victorious public appearance. However John Key says he's also again willing to include the Maori Party and will be having discussions with its leaders over the next day or two.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Only half get virus vaccine

LOIS CAIRNS
A Health Ministry campaign to get young women immunised against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer, has reached only half the eligible population despite $44.6 million being spent on it. The ministry pays for girls as young as 12 to be given Gardasil to protect against types of the sexually transmitted infection HPV, which cause 70 per cent of cervical cancer, but so far only 150,000 – or 53 per cent – of those eligible have received it. "We'd like to see uptake reach 70 per cent but that's going to take time," immunisation programme manager David Wansbrough said.



Napier mill inundated by penguin pyjamas

A spinning mill in Napier has been swamped with thousands of pyjamas for penguins from around the world, after issuing a plea to help birds affected by the Rena. Design Spun made international headlines after it issued an online appeal for three dozen knitted penguin pyjamas. General manager Brendan Jackson says about 50 pairs have been coming each day from Europe and the United States. One was from a town in Alaska called North Pole. Mr Jackson says the mill is now dressing stuffed penguins in the pyjamas and selling them to raise money for the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of New Zealand.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Government will have similar look to last term, says Key

National Party leader John Key says the new government he will form will have a very similar look to the last one. National secured 48.06% of votes in the election, which will give the party 60 seats in Parliament. John Key says his party has the support of ACT and United Future, which each won one seat. He wants to work with the Maori Party, which has three of the seven Maori seats, but Mr Key says they have to consult their supporters before signing up to any deal. John Banks will be the sole ACT MP in Parliament and says he is keen for a Cabinet post. Mr Key says he has not had that specific conversation with ACT and will not say at this point whether Mr Banks will be offered a ministerial warrant. He says he does not envisage a formal support deal with the Greens which secured 10.6% of the party vote, but there are some areas of common ground. John Key says the result of the election shows how difficult it is for a political party to govern without any allies.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Saturday, November 26

Election 2011 - NZ First polling well in early results

Winston Peters will return to Parliament if the current voting result carries through to the end of the night. On the basis of the votes counted as of 8.45pm, New Zealand First would have 8 seats in Parliament.
Source: ONE News



Election Latest - National holds clear lead, NZ First makes gains

National has a substantial lead as counting continues in the 2011 general election, while New Zealand First is making a strong early showing and if the trend holds will return to Parliament. With more than a third of results counted, National has gained around 50% of the party vote and Labour about 26%. If the trend continued National would gain 62 seats in Parliament to Labour's 32. The Greens have remained on about 10%. New Zealand First, with almost 7% of the votes, would have eight MPs if the party held that share through to the finish of counting. The Conservative Party was at almost 3% while the Maori Party, ACT and Mana were gaining around 1% of votes.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



RNZ loses FM transmission in South Island

Radio New Zealand has lost its FM transmission throughout the South Island. Radio New Zealand Concert is off the air, while Radio New Zealand National can be heard only on AM in the South Island. The fault was reported at just after 2.30pm on Saturday. Technicians are working to fix the problem.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Not just NZ farms that interest Chinese

It's not just New Zealand farms the Chinese are interested in. Iceland has turned down a request from a Chinese property tycoon to buy a large swathe of land for a tourist resort. The man wants to buy 300 square kilometres of frozen wilderness to build the resort. He offered 10 million US dollars for it, and promised to spend 200 million more on a hotel, golf course and sports facilities. Some Icelanders believe he's really interested in oil and gas reserves which are believed to lie under the ground.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Netball New Zealand to Host World Fastnet Series

The International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) and Netball New Zealand (NNZ) today confirmed New Zealand has been awarded the right to host the World Fastnet Netball Series for a three year term. The first event will be held in November 2012. NNZ Chief Executive Raelene Castle says it's exciting for NNZ to have the opportunity to host another World event. The World Fastnet Series is one of two official IFNA international competitions. It's a 'short-form' netball game and it is played as a round robin, over four days, by the top six nations in the world rankings.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Friday, November 25

Two Kiribati men safe after 33 days at sea

Two Kiribati men survived nearly five weeks in the open ocean before drifting into an isolated atoll in the southern Marshall Islands on Thursday. The men, aged 53 and 26, are in reasonable condition after a medical check by a health aide on Namdrik, an atoll about 500 kilometres north of Tarawa, the capital of Kiribati. The men were reported lost at sea in Kiribati on October the 22nd at which time the United States Coast Guard co-ordinated a three-day air and sea search. Arrangements are in progress to get the men transferred to Majuro and then returned to Kiribati.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Dotterels released in Tauranga following all clear

Seventeen dotterels have been released in the Tauranga area following the Rena grounding. They're among 60 of the rare birds taken off beaches to stop them getting covered in oil. Yesterday wildlife experts released the rare birds at three places along Maramarua Beach, east of Pukehina, as part of a staged wildlife release programme. Wildlife Response Manager Nicola McGrouther says the birds were released to areas where they'd come from that have been declared oil-free.
By Natasha Burling



NZ pilot still in hospital after Indonesia plane crash

A New Zealand pilot injured in a plane crash in Indonesia is being moved to a hospital in the country's capital on Friday. Jesse Baker, 31, was piloting a small Cessna plane when he pulled out of the landing and crashed into a mountainside. It is believed the crash occurred because a person wandered onto the airstrip. The airline, Susi Air, says Mr Baker was left with bruising on his chest and a dislocated arm. A passenger on the plane died. A spokesperson for the airline says Mr Baker will stay in Jakarta under observation for a few days before a decision is made on whether to send him to Singapore.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Voters prepare to go to the polls

More than 2600 polling places will open at 9am on Saturday as voting begins in the 2011 general election and the referendum on New Zealand's voting system. Chief Electoral Officer Robert Peden says it is more important than ever this year for people to have their say. "Not only will we be voting for the politicians who will represent us in Parliament, we'll also be voting for the system we use to elect them in the future," he said. Anyone enrolled by midnight on Friday can vote. People working on Saturday, who haven't had a reasonable opportunity to vote on election day before starting work, must be allowed to leave no later than 3pm to vote. Under electoral law, an employer isn't allowed to deduct the staff members' pay for that time. Electoral law also says all hoardings must have been put away and no advertising of candidates, parties or their policies is allowed. The Electoral Commission says the busiest time is at polling places is usually 9am - 11am. The 2655 polling places stay open until 7pm on Saturday.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Elton John's promoter confident ahead of concert

The promoter of Elton John's one-off Dunedin concert on Friday is confident the sound will be up to scratch. Elton John is playing to a sold-out crowd of more than 35,000 at Dunedin's new stadium. It is his southern-most-ever concert. Fans are nervous the sound will not be up to scratch after problems at a community concert at the venue. Concert promoter Phil Sprey says he is using the best sound system in the country and the rock star's best sound experts.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Pukeko take out bird of year title

The Pukeko has been named Bird of the Year for the first time. Forest and Bird has been holding its own election of sorts for the past month. Some 7851 votes were cast, with 1480 going to the Pukeko. The Kakapo came in second place with just over 1000 votes, while the Hihi, Kaka and Tui round out the top five. Forest and Bird spokesperson Kevin Hackwell says most wetlands where pukekos are found have been drained to make way for developments, so the birds are common sights on motorways. He says it would be nice to think this year's bird of the year could become a poster bird for wetlands.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Schoolies heads to Queenstown

Nearly 300 Australian 'schoolies' are heading to Queenstown this weekend to celebrate the end of the school year. Cutting Edge Adventures Australia and Sure Thing Schoolies are both bringing groups over to mark the annual week-long end of exams party. Schoolies week is notorious in Australia, often involving drunkenness and drug use as tens of thousands traditionally flock to the Gold Coast. More than a hundred charges have been laid against schoolies in Australia in the past few days, with more than 80 on the Australian Gold Coast.
By Dominic George



Volunteers gear up for Santa Parade

By laura heathcote - NewstalkZB
Around 4000 volunteers in Auckland are gearing up for one of the biggest events of the year this weekend - and it's not the election. The 78th annual Farmers Santa Parade will make its way through the city on Sunday. General Manager Pam Glaser says there'll be about 200 items in the parade this year, thanks to the support from hundreds of performers and helpers. Ms Glaser says some floats will have live bands on them, while other entertainment will include including dancers, cheerleaders, clowns, stilt walkers and marching teams. The parade kicks off from Mayoral Drive at 2pm on Sunday.
By Laura Heathcote



WA Bushfire contained but not under control

A bushfire continues to rage through the Margaret River region of Western Australia but changing weather conditions have provided some relief. Strong winds that buffeted the fire and pushed its southern front into two beachside communities have eased slightly. At least 30 homes and chalets have been damaged or destroyed by the fire, which started about 12pm on Wednesday. More than 400 firefighters worked through the night to try to contain the blaze. Firefighters said on Friday morning the fire was contained but not yet under control, the ABC reports.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Chinese spacecraft tracker berthed in harbour

By MICHAEL FOX
A Chinese navy ship used to track spacecraft and missiles has berthed in Auckland following a successful Chinese space mission. A Chinese Embassy official confirmed it had been in the Pacific Ocean as part of China's latest space mission. The Yuanwang-class ships, which visit the Pacific several times a year, are People's Liberation Army Navy ships used to track satellites and ballistic missiles. Specific details are kept secret but the ship is reportedly crewed by up to 470 people, weighs 21,000 tonnes when fully-loaded and stretches to around 200 metres. The ship is not armed but is laden with satellites and scanners, and is crewed by scientists. According to the Sino Defence website, the ship was launched in 2008 and is capable of tracking space launch vehicles, satellites, and spacecraft.



Tender closes for 1860's Maori meeting house

Tenders close on Friday for a privately owned Maori meeting house in Taupo built in the 1860s. Te Tiki a Tamamutu, which has 44 carved figures, panels and posts, was commissioned by chief Hohepa Tamamutu. He sold it for £150 in 1886 to John Joshua, who re-erected it on its present site at the Spa hotel.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Bird watchers start yearly tally

Bird watchers throughout New Zealand are beginning an annual count of threatened species of migratory shore birds. The Ornithological Society expects up to 150 people to take part in the survey at a dozen sites from Northland to Southland. The survey starts on Friday. A spokesperson Rob Schuckard says godwit, red knot and ruddy turnstone birds spend up to six months in New Zealand before flying to breeding grounds from Siberia to Alaska. Mr Schuckard says reclamation means there is less food available for the migrating birds. He says there is concern about the number of red knots, because their halfway staging point in the Yellow Sea is being industrialised.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Pasifika art awards highlight fusion of heritage and modern

A pop singer and an artist who paints with smoke are among the winners of this year's Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards. The annual awards were handed out in Wellington on Thursday night before an audience of 200 Pacific artists, musicians, diplomats and politicians. This year's supreme accolade of the senior arts award went to singer Annie Crummer for her musical achievements over three decades. The emerging Pacific artist award was given to Kulimoe'anga Stone Maka, who paints using the traditional Tongan techniques of smoking mats. Samoan multimedia artist Janet Lilo won the contemporary award, while the heritage award went to Tokelauan weaver Kalameli Ihaia-Alefosio. Young soprano Marlena Devoe received the Iosefa Enari Memorial Award for opera.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Elections 2011 - National keeps big lead as NZ First inches over 5%

National is still well ahead of Labour in the final polls of the election campaign and New Zealand First has made it over the 5% threshold in one of them. Support for New Zealand First has been inching up in the polls and Friday's Herald-DigiPoll puts it on 5.2%. That would get the party led by Winston Peters back into parliament without winning an electorate seat. However, there is little change for the bigger parties. In the Herald-DigiPoll, the National Party has risen slightly to 50.9%, the Labour Party is down slightly to 28% and the Green Party is on 11.8%. ACT is on 1.8% and the Conservatives on 1.3% while the Maori Party, Mana and United Future are all below 1%.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Thursday, November 24

Te Arawa iwi - Ngati Whakaue launches new website

A Te Arawa iwi, Ngati Whakaue, has launched a new website so members of the tribe can stay connected to home, where ever they are in the world. Committee chairperson Anaru Te Amo says the iwi wants to build a digital portal repository of the tribes living culture. He says the website provides a host of useful information, gives whanau the chance to have their say about issues, and has stories and waiata from many marae. He says he'd like feedback to what's on the website, www.whakaue.org, so it can be continually improved.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Hobbit causes rental car shortage

Getting your hand on a rental car is proving a tough task in both Christchurch and Dunedin. Major rental car companies in both cities have had cars in short supply today and it all seems to down to Sir Peter Jackson. Rental company staff say their fleets have been subject to mass bookings by the crews involved in the production of Sir Peter's film, The Hobbit
By Felix Marwick



Recycling of earthquake waste to begin

A plan to sift the rubble from the Christchurch earthquakes will be one of the biggest recycling projects in the Southern Hemisphere. An estimated 4.5 million tonnes of demolition waste has been produced by the earthquakes, with most of it being dumped at the Burwood landfill. Authorities hope to recycle about a million tonnes of aggregate, concrete, timber, metal, plaster board and plastics from the rubble.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Rugby - Five Kiwis in Barbarians side

Five New Zealanders will line up in coach Graham Henry's Barbarians starting 15 against the Wallabies at Twickenham this weekend. Isaia Toeava has been picked at fullback with Robbie Fruean at centre, Adam Thomson at number eight, Jerome Kaino on the flank and Keven Mealamu at hooker. The side will be captained by Springboks lock Victor Matfield in his last game of rugby. Wigan rugby league star Sam Tomkins is on one wing with Springbok Bryan Habana on the other. England's Danny Cipriani is at first five with former Wallaby Stirling Mortlock wearing the number 12 jersey. All Black Richard Kahui is on the bench.
© 2011 NZCity, NewsTalkZB



Sir Elton's Dunedin concert sold out

Tickets for Sir Elton John's Dunedin concert this Friday have sold out. Sir Elton will perfom at the new Forsyth Barr Stadium which will be full to its 35,000-seat capacity. It is the venue's first major international act. Concerts promoter Phil Sprey says the company has been planning the concert with Dunedin Venues for almost two years to make it "a lifetime experience".
Source: ONE News



Ministry strengthens meningococcal advice to teens

Thousands of young people preparing to live in university hostels and flats next year are being urged to get vaccinated against meningococcal disease at their own expense. There have been 14 deaths from the disease so far this year and a coroner has recommended the Ministry of Health update its guidelines and advice about the option of vaccination. Several vaccines are available from family doctors but are not publicly funded.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, November 23

Big slump in remittances in Tonga prompts World Bank grant

A World Bank economist says Tonga is facing an economic crisis due largely to a dramatic fall in its income from remittances. The Bank is giving Tonga nine million US dollars because of a surge in poverty which it says has left one in five unable to pay for basics such as utility bills, education and food. World Bank senior economist, Virginia Horscroft, says Tonga has suffered a series of shocks as a result of the global economic crisis but the worst is the loss of more than a quarter of the value of its remittances from overseas.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Rugby - ABs look for new charity

The All Blacks are looking for a new charity to support. The NZRU has previously been involved with KidsCan and Plunket, as well as Save the Children. Now the Rugby Union's head of public affairs, Nick Brown, says they're asking other prospective organisations to put their two cents in. "The All Blacks is a recognisable brand across New Zealand and so it's going to be a pretty popular option for a number of charities." Mr Brown says the players themselves get a kick out of being involved, particularly with charities which support children.
By Laura Heathcote



Partial solar eclipse due over NZ on Friday

Much of New Zealand is to be treated to a partial solar eclipse late on Friday afternoon. The partial eclipse begins at sunset and will end about 9pm. However, astronomer Alan Gilmore from Canterbury University's Mount John Observatory says Auckland, Hamilton, Northland, East Cape and Bay of Plenty will miss out. He says in all those places the sun has set before the eclipse begins. South of that line, the eclipse will just be starting as the sun goes down. Mr Gilmore told Morning Report the eclipse will be at its maximum at Christchurch, with about a third of the sun covered.
Invercargill wil



Cooks Islands delegate to chair Geneva Red Cross talks

In a first for the Pacific, the secretary general for the Cook Islands Red Cross, Niki Rattle, will chair next week’s 31st International Conference of the Red Cross/Red Crescent in Geneva. The conference includes delegates from nearly 200 countries In recognition of the global event being chaired by a Cook Islander for the first time, the Prime Minister Henry Puna has been invited to attend at the cost of the Swiss government.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Businesses 'wasting time' on Twitter and Facebook

New research shows businesses are wasting time and money trying to reach people online through social media like Twitter and Facebook. More than 72,000 web users in 60 different countries have been surveyed, including a thousand Kiwis. Managing director of market research firm TNS New Zealand Jason Shoebridge says 54 percent of New Zealanders say they don't want to engage with businesses online. "I think New Zealanders are probably a little bit less engaged online than other markets, say in Australia. So it's not that they don't like being hit with those messages, but those messages have got to add some value to them," he says. Mr Shoebridge says there's so much clutter in the online advertising space that brands only risk alienating potential customers by bombarding them with messages.
By Nicola Grigg



West Coast prepares for second weather lashing

Response teams on the West Coast are readying themselves for the second severe weather pattern to hit this week. Heavy rain is expected in parts of Westland and Buller after over 250 millimetres fell on Monday, causing the Grey River to rise to 6.6 metres. Civil Defence Emergency Manager, Alan Wilson, says teams have spent the past few days cleaning up, and now it's a wait and see approach.
By Nicola Grigg



Tuesday, November 22

NZ book on Mau Moko popular overseas

The success in New Zealand of an award winning book on the moko (tattoo) has now been repeated overseas. Mau Moko, The World of Maori Tattoo won a Montana book award in 2008 and a year later was selected as Maori book of the decade for its comprehension presentation of the history of the moko from pre-European times to the present day, how it fits in to other aspects of Maori culture, and its use in contemporary society. Now, a recently published French translation has sold out in Paris in three days. And lead author Ngahuia Te Awekotuku from Waikato University says students at the University of French Polynesia in Tahiti have just voted Mau Moko as their favourite text book.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Lomu becomes UNICEF ambassador

Rugby legend Jonah Lomu is to become an ambassador for children's charity UNICEF New Zealand. Lomu joins other famous Kiwi celebrities who support the charity including Hayley Westenra and Mike McRoberts, as well as global sports stars such as Novak Djokovic and Fernando Alonso. Lomu, who is receiving dialysis after his transplanted kidney failed, said becoming an ambassador was the best way for him to help change kids' lives.
- APNZ



Solar eclipse for election eve

By MICHAEL FIELD
Much of New Zealand will see a partial solar eclipse on Friday, space agency Nasa says. Many traditions have long held solar eclipses represent a bad omen for rulers - and Friday is just a night out from the general election. Nasa charts show the partial eclipse will be visible over the whole of the South Island and the lower half of the North Island in a line from Napier through to New Plymouth. New Zealand will be the only populated landmass to see the eclipse. It will occur about 7.30 pm - just before sunset.
- Stuff



Samoan rugby boss fined 100 pigs

By Lincoln Tan
Manu Samoa manager Tuala Mathew Vaea has been fined 100 pigs by his village over allegations of bad behaviour at the Rugby World Cup. Leauva'a village chief Sala Lose said the fine was imposed because the allegations had tarnished the chiefly title bestowed on Vaea, who is a member of the village. He was ordered at a village council meeting last weekend to provide 100 sows, which are worth about $3300, for the village. In a report to the Samoan Prime Minister last month, captain Mahonri Schwalger criticised Mr Vaea's behaviour during the tournament. The report claimed Mr Vaea "did not want to be there at most times" and "spent most of his time drinking". It also said that he treated the World Cup like a holiday, and was often out playing golf.



Canterbury economy leads the way

Latest figures show the Canterbury economy is the fastest growing in the country. National Bank Regional Trends data show growth of 1.8% for Canterbury in the three months to the end of September. It was the second successive quarter when the region outperformed the rest of the country. The main driver was strong commodity prices for dairy products, wool and grain. Business and consumer confidence was up, which fed into increased house sales. Port Lyttelton chief executive Peter Davie says container volumes were up 14% over the quarter. Mr Davie says the extra business was a real benefit to the port as it attempts to repair extensive earthquake damage.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Monday, November 21

Pine tree extract 'improves memory'

Source: AAP
As festive-coloured pine trees start filling family lounges, scientists have revealed a radically different new use for the common forest tree. Auckland researchers have extracted an antioxidant from the bark of the pine tree they have found can help treat people with a traumatic brain injury. The extract, called Enzogenol, was given 60 people with a brain injury over three months, with results suggesting the drug can boost memory and improve attention span. Auckland University of Technology (AUT) stroke specialist Professor Valery Feigin said patients who took it were less likely to forget people's names or basic directions, common problems for brain injury sufferers. The results were great news as there were few evidence-based treatments for people with mild brain injury problems, she said. "Other than brain exercises, there are limited treatments available to improve damage," said Feigin, who is hoping to launch a large-scale trial on the back of the successful pilot study.



Tokelau signs stamp contract with NZ Post

Tokelau has signed a five-year contract with New Zealand Post for it to produce stamps which highlight Tokelau’s Pacific heritage. A New Zealand Post representative says previously Tokelau had been using another business to get its stamps. Ivor Masters says he hopes the partnership will trigger an interest in Tokelau both in New Zealand and internationally. The stamps became available for purchase last Thursday.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Plan to extend bread shelf life to 10 days

Goodman Fielder is planning to extend the shelf life of its bread to about 10 days, signaling the end of daily deliveries. The Australasian baking group says it is investigating practices in Europe and North America, where bread is not delivered to supermarkets daily. A loaf normally has a shelf life of about three days. Goodman Fielder brands include Quality Bakers, Natures Fresh and Vogels. Spokesperson Ian Greenshields says baking and delivering bread fresh daily is an inefficient system for a low value food item. He says extending the shelf life of bread is not about adding preservatives. Mr Greenshields says natural ingredients and more innovative packaging mean a loaf could stay fresh for 10 days.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Bullied kids should hit back, says US expert

By Nicholas Jones
Bully victims should fight back with their fists - and parents should not be so over-protective, says an overseas expert. And while American human behavioural specialist Dr John Demartini's views have been decried in Australia, a New Zealand parenting guru agrees with him. Ian Grant, the co-founder of Parents Inc, said a generation of Kiwi children were being raised as "Peter Pans" who were easy targets for bullies. Mr Grant said although violence should be treated as an absolute last resort, in a very few cases it could put an end to bullying. "What's happened in our modern world is that we have welded words. So if you say violence, people think it's cruel and evil. "But sometimes you've got to stand up for yourself, and if that means hitting somebody else, I don't have any issue with that."



Another successful Toast Martinborough

Around 10,000 revelers have once again flocked to the Wairarapa for the 20th annual Toast Martinborough festival. Spread across eleven wineries and with musical acts ranging from Rodger Fox to the Warratahs, the sun shone on festival goers throughout yesterday. Toast Martinborough General Manager Rachael Fletcher says the day ran smoothly. She says the festival's success is testament to the enduring elements of fine wine, great food, and some of New Zealand's best live entertainment.
By Rebecca McKeown



Australian PM looking to end uranium ban

Australia is in a distinct dilemma between its political past and its economic future. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is proposing to end a ban by the Labor Party on selling uranium to India. Australia already sells the nuclear fuel to China, Japan and the United States, but has left out Delhi until now because it has not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Radio New Zealand's Sydney correspondent says Australia has the largest uranium reserves in the world, with 23% of the world's total.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Southern Airlines looking to fly more to NZ

China Southern Airlines plans to double its flights to New Zealand in the near future, to meet expectations of a dramatic rise in Chinese visitors. The airline, the fifth largest airline in the world, on Friday began a daily service from Gaungzhou to Auckland, up from three days per week, adding an extra 90,000 seats per year. The airline says it is already planning to double that to a twice-daily service on the Auckland route and adding flights to South America. Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler says the daily service alone is estimated to be worth $100 million to New Zealand.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



NZ Post creating online network in China

Businesses in New Zealand could soon be selling to Chinese consumers through a new online shopping service set up by China's postal service. New Zealand Post will be the first foreign post service to list products on the site which is already drawing 1 million hits per day. Products from selected New Zealand businesses will also be included in a catalogue distributed to 46,00 China Post shops. NZ Post will send the products to warehouses in China from where they are distributed to customers.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Blue penguins to be released

The first group of blue penguins taken into care for oil cleaning after the grounding of the Rena are to be released back into the wild. Maritime New Zealand says 60 penguins will be released on Tuesday from a wildlife facility at Te Maunga. The agency says all the birds must pass several tests including a six-hour swim test to make sure they have a clean bill of health.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Former minister says Niue government circumventing constitution

The former Niue cabinet minister, Togio Sioneholo, says the government is acting unconstitutionally in appointing MPs as assistant ministers. Mr Sioneholo, who is a former secretary of justice, says that under the constitution Niue is only allowed to have four ministers. He says creating two so-called assistant ministers is a devious way to circumvent the constitution. Mr Sioneholo is asking the Niue High Court to declare the government’s actions unconstitutional and have the assistant ministers repay the extra salary they’ve been paid.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Sunday, November 20

Leader hits home assets message

Protecting state assets has been the major theme from Labour Party leader Phil Goff at a campaign rally in Auckland today, Mr Goff's spoken to around 800 party faithful and blocking National's proposed assets sales has been a point he's repeated at length in his speech to supporters. He's told them the clock is ticking and voters just have six days to save the country's state-owned assets. Mr Goff's told supporters when they wake up next Sunday morning it must be to a New Zealand they own, not one that's about to be sold to the highest bidder
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Pine-bark extract helps brain function

SARAH HARVEY
Ronny Franks has spent the past year battling to regain her memory after suffering a traumatic brain injury when she tripped and hit her head on a wooden floor. The Auckland woman, like thousands of others in New Zealand, suffers the daily frustrations of trying to remember what she did yesterday, trying to sleep with issues such as ringing in her ears, and learning to live with the difficulties and fears of a brain injury. Franks, 64, a former Air New Zealand assistant accountant, was one of 60 people who were recently involved in a study to test the effectiveness on brain injury of a supplement containing New Zealand pine bark extract. The study, by a team of AUT University researchers, headed by Professor Valery Feigin, the director of AUT's National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neuroscience, and Dr Alice Theadom, found the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of the extract meant people were three times more likely to recover their everyday memory than those who took a placebo. Enzogenol, the name of the supplement, is a natural extract from the bark of New Zealand-grown pines. Franks said the difference she noticed during the study was amazing. Each time she was interviewed she had to sit a random memory test, where she was asked to recall 20 items. When she started she could remember only the last four, but as the trial wore on she was able to remember all 20 each time.
Sunday Star Times



Majority of NZ's professionals satisfied

Most New Zealand professionals are satisfied with their current job. LinkedIn surveyed more than 900 people and found that 68% are "happy" or "very happy" with their current job. New Zealand ranked fourth out of 16 counties overall in optimism. More than half the respondents in New Zealand believe there is opportunity for advancement in their current company if they work hard and demonstrate results. The survey also listed seven different career ambitions and asked professionals to select which ones applied to them. New Zealanders' top three were to get promoted, work abroad and retire early.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Election 2011 - Surprise poll results no shock for a defiant Winston

Forget Phil Goff, John Key, and the "teapot" tapes, the minor parties could yet decide who governs New Zealand. A Horizon poll of 2874 people is projecting National on 46 seats in a 122-seat parliament, and Labour and the Greens on 50. That leaves 26 seats to decide the government and, according to Horizon, Winston Peters' New Zealand First is on track to take up to 13 of them. The teapot tapes, in which Key and Act's John Banks were secretly recorded during a meeting, has seen the prime minister suffer a 5 per cent drop in credibility, even among his own supporters. National leads Act in Epsom, which would hurt National in terms of a coalition because the Horizon poll shows Act must win the seat to get into parliament, with its current 3.4% party rating below the 5% threshold to earn list seats. If it wins Epsom it will take four seats, if it loses it gets none.
- Sunday Star Times



Failed ministry has highest pay rates

By MARIKA HILL
The future of some government ministries is again in the spotlight after damning reviews of both the ministries of women's and Pacific Island affairs. A State Services Commission report identified poor policy, limited skills, high overheads and a heavy reliance on bigger agencies. Despite the report, those working for Pacific Island Affairs were, on average, paid almost $20,000 more than other public sector workers. The ministries remained safe in a recent shake-up of state services, despite the National Party having indicated in the past it would abolish women's affairs, a ministry labelled a pointless legacy of the past by a panel of business people, unionists and lobbyists in June.



Saturday, November 19

New Polynesian Leaders Group formed in Samoa

A Polynesian Leaders Group has been formed following a meeting in Samoa. Leaders and representatives from Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook islands, Samoa, Niue, American Samoa, French Polynesia and Tokelau signed a memorandum of understanding establishing the PLG. At the meeting, the group agreed to work together to seek a future for their peoples and to maintain and protect the importance of their cultures, traditions and languages.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Extreme weather highlights climate change

By Anna Cross - NewstalkZB
A new report on extreme weather events has highlighted New Zealand's increasing vulnerability to climate change impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concludes that globally there's been a decrease in the number of cold days, while warm days are increasing. NIWA's chief scientist Dr David Wratt says the report used observations since 1950 for evidence. He says while there's variation from place to place, New Zealand has followed the global trend, and has warmed up over the past 50 to 100 years.



First ever Equidays event begins

The first event to bring all equestrian disciplines together in one arena has kicked off near Hamilton. Some 12,000 people and 300 horses are expected through the gates of the Mystery Creek Events Centre for Equidays, which is taking place of the next three days. Event manager Vanessa Richmond says most horse shows across the country only feature one discipline, which limits the number of spectators. She says Equidays is planned to run every two years, but she hopes it will eventually become an annual event.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Last season's kumaras being dumped

Kumara growers in Northland have decided to dump most of the balance of last year's crop before new season kumara come on the market. Country Life reports they really want to re-establish the value of their crop. Prices have been pitiful: about $200 per bin when they were getting $800 previously. Growers are selling them by the truckload to dairy farmers. Apparently kumara are more nutricious for cows than palm kernal, and are cheaper!
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Court Theatre prepares to reopen

Christchurch's Court Theatre is set to reopen next month, nine months after February's earthquake forced it to close. The theatre had been operating out of the gothic-style Arts Centre for 35 years, but the building was badly damaged in the quake. The new purpose-built theatre is in a large shed, formerly a grain store, in the suburb of Addington. It has 100 more seats than the old theatre and a larger stage. Theatre chief executive Philip Aldrige says it has relied on fundraising to build the new theatre and he has been overwhelmed by the number of local and international donations.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



More containers removed from Rena

Eighteen containers have now been removed from the Rena, which has been grounded off the Tauranga coast since mid-October. Maritime New Zealand says the salvors made good progress in unloading the containers on Thursday, but warns there will be some days when it will be impossible to remove them. The salvage efforts to date mean there are now some 400 containers remaining on the Rena's deck and more than 800 others secured in holds below deck.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



French exam so hard it made students cry

Teachers of French are complaining to the Qualifications Authority saying a NCEA French exam brought some students to tears. They say a part of Thursday's exam was extremely difficult and the experience will put some students off continuing the language next year. About 2500 students had to listen to and transcribe four readings in French. Teachers say the readings were too long and too hard, with words and grammar students will not learn for another two years.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Friday, November 18

Elections 2011 - Cup of tea won't save Act - poll

The now infamous cup of tea may not be enough to save the Act Party from political oblivion, with the latest poll of Epsom voters showing Act candidate John Banks still well behind his National Party rival. Prime Minister John Key's meeting with Mr Banks at a cafe last Friday was supposed to signal National's tacit support for Mr Banks as the electorate candidate of choice. But Epsom voters seem to have ignored the message, with a One News Colmar Brunton poll tonight putting National's Paul Goldsmith on 41 per cent compared with Mr Banks on 30 per cent. Labour's David Parker had 17 per cent the Green's David Hay had 11 per cent. If the poll of 500 Epsom voters was repeated on election night, Act's 15 years in Parliament would come to an end.
- APNZ



Major Chinese airline launches daily Guangzhou/Auckland service

China Southern Airlines has launched daily flights from Guangzhou to Auckland in a move that is expected to boost the New Zealand economy by $100 million. It started flights to Auckland on three days a week in April but has now more than doubled the service due to increased demand. Chief executive of Tourism New Zealand Kevin Bowler says the announcement of the daily service is really significant for New Zealand and will will benefit the tourism, trade and education sectors. He says China has been a growing market for New Zealand for a number of years and this will consolidate and increase that growth. The state-owned China Southern Airlines was established in 2002 and is the world's fifth largest airline
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Maori Language Awards in Rotorua

The annual Maori Language Awards have been taking place on Friday evening at the Energy and Events Centre in Rotorua. There are 27 finalists vying for awards in 15 categories, which include contributions in areas such as local government, education and the community. The Maori Language Commission assesses the merits of all the entries. Chief Executive Glenis Philip-Barbara says she continues to be impressed by the range of initiatives, which showcase creativity and innovation in the re-vitalisation and promotion of the Maori language.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Niue MP challenges swearing-in of colleague in Auckland

A member of parliament in Niue has taken legal action over the unorthodox swearing in of a fellow MP. A former cabinet minister and secretary of justice, Togia Sioneholo, says Dion Taufitu, who has been in Auckland for medical treatment, was sworn in as an MP in that city months after the May election. He says he wants the Niue High Court to declare the swearing in unconstitutional and to declare the seat vacant. Mr Sioneholo says there is an assumption in the Westminster parliamentary system that the oath is publicly administered and in Niue’s case this is normally in the island’s parliament.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Positive spin off from debt crisis

By Natasha Burling - NewstalkZB
The European debt crisis means unexpected positive spin-offs for New Zealand. The volatility of government bonds in Europe means overseas investors want to put their money into New Zealand Government bonds. Business correspondent Roger Kerr says they can get four percent for our bonds. "We're seeing some renewed demand from international investors into our new issue and secondary market Government bonds, they see New Zealand has a bit of a safe haven away from all the problems he said.



Rugby - Boks to play All Blacks in Soweto again

The Springboks will return to the FNB Stadium in Soweto for the final home Test of 2012 when they take on newly-crowned world champions New Zealand in the final encounter of the Rugby Championship. The match is on October 6th. The All Blacks beat South Africa 29-22 in Soweto last year. The Springboks also host England in a three-Test series in June for what will be the first three-Test tour to South Africa by a single country since New Zealand visited there in 1996.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Three's fun, but average for women now just 2.1

By Michael Dickison
The birth rate has dropped by more than half since the 1960s - and a mother says economic realities often force the issue. Statistics New Zealand said yesterday that in the year to September 30, the average woman was mother of 2.1 children, compared with 4.3 in 1961, when the birth rate was at its peak. In the early 1960s, the median age for women giving birth was 26 and those aged 20 to 24 had the highest fertility rate at 265 per 1000. For the September year, women aged 20-24 had only 74 babies per 1000 and the median age of those giving birth was 30.
- additional reporting by APNZ



Elections 2011 - Winston could return - poll

A new poll out this morning suggests Winston Peters is within a hair's breadth of getting back into Parliament. The latest Herald DigiPoll has New Zealand First is registering at 4.9 percent - just under the five percent threshold. In the same poll the number of undecided voters is up to 12.7 percent. National and Labour have gone up marginally, with National sitting on 49.9 percent and Labour on 29.1 percent. The new numbers, combined with the prospect of ACT not winning a seat in Epsom, raise the possibility of National not having a majority even with its traditional partners.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Russia's new WTO position good news for NZ - Minister

Russia's acceptance into the World Trade Organisation looks like smoothing the way for the completion of a free trade deal with New Zealand next year. Russia last week was formally accepted into the Geneva-based organisation which runs the world trading system after nearly two decades of trying. Trade Minister Tim Groser says that's good news for New Zealand. New Zealand announced at last year's APEC meeting in Japan that it would be the first country in the world to try to strike a bilateral trade deal with Russia.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Claim two Maori political parties in Parliament unsustainable

A professor of indigenous studies says there isn't room for two Maori political parties in Parliament. Both the Mana and Maori parties have policy they say is based on Maori values and both have been campaigning for the Maori vote. Auckland University of Technology professor Rawiri Taonui says Maoridom doesn't have the resources to support two parties. He says in the 2014 or 2017 election one of the parties will emerge as more dominant than the other and one might cease to exist.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Thursday, November 17

Cook Islands branded tuna available soon

Albacore tuna caught in the Cook Islands exclusive economic zone is to be sold under a new Cook Islands Golden Tuna label. The Cook Islands marine resources minister, Teina Bishop, has just returned from a three-week trip to China and Taiwan, where he met with officials from the Yuh Yow Fisheries Group. He completed an agreement allowing Yuh Yow to process some of its Cook Islands catch at its Taiwan cannery. Mr Bishop says the idea is to return some of the catch to the Cook Islands, but more importantly to look at the development of a niche export market for albacore. About 5000 metric tonnes of albacore is caught annually in Cook Islands waters and processed in Pago Pago for the United States markets.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Rugby - Henry talked about as possible replacement for Johnson

The All Blacks coach Graham Henry's already being suggested as a possible replacement for outgoing England manager Martin Johnson. Johnson's announced he's stepping down after three and a half years in the role, following England's disappointing World Cup campaign which endured problems both on and off the field. Henry announced earlier this month that he was retiring as All Blacks coach following the side's World Cup win and at the time expressed an interest in possibly coaching in England.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Winston Peters says what he thinks is on 'tea tape'

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has given some detail of what he believes was said by National Party leader John Key and ACT candidate John Banks in their cafe conversation. Mr Key and ACT's Epsom candidate met last Friday for a photo opportunity and their subsequent discussion was recorded by a cameraman without their knowledge. In a speech given in Invercargill on Thursday, Mr Peters says the two men discussed the future of the ACT Party. He said Mr Banks described ACT leader Don Brash as a "strange fellow", and that Mr Key said the former ACT president Catherine Isaac should be the leader. Ms Isaac is ranked number two on the ACT party list. Mr Peters says Mr Key also said New Zealand First's constituents were "dying". Mr Peters would not reveal the source of his information, but Radio New Zealand understands he does not have a copy of the recording. The recording of the conversation is the subject of a police investigation after a complaint was laid by the Mr Key.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



US Army general meets with Kiwi counterparts

A high ranking US Army general is in the country meeting with his Kiwi counterparts. The US Embassy confirms Lieutenant General Francis Wiercinski, the commanderl of US Army Forces in the Pacific, is in Wellington on official business. The Embassy says he's meeting with New Zealand officials to explore ways for New Zealand and the United States to deepen regional coordination and co-operation. It says the visit is consistent with the recent Wellington Declaration's goals of practical co-operation in the Pacific and better political and military discussions.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Sport: Niue back with sevens big boys

Niue say despite being up against it they wont be holding back on their return to the Rugby World Sevens Series next week on the Gold Coast. Niue qualified for the season opening tournament by finishing fourth at the Pacific Games in New Caledonia. Coach Ric Tagelagi says the majority of their squad is New Zealand based, which helps to co-ordinate training’s and save on costs. He says facing New Zealand, Fiji and Kenya in their pool is daunting but they’re planning to take it to them. Ric Tagelagi says funding is a constant struggle for Niue and a significant funding boost from the International Rugby Board needs to be looked at to help them close the gap with bigger nations.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Fear not punishment behind inmate increase - Chief Justice

The Chief Justice says a large increase in the prison population during the past decade seems to have been more about fear of offenders than punishment. Dame Sian Elias made the comment to a conference of psychiatrists and psychologists in Wellington on Thursday. She says, especially in relation to violent offending, the increase seems to have been less a result of punitiveness than a strategy of containment born of fear. Dame Sian says societies are more fearful and less willing to risk tolerating those who cannot be trusted to conform to minimum standards of behaviour.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Best of Wellington dished up across the Tasman

Some of Wellington's finest food is being dished up in Melbourne this week. A pop-up restaurant in Australia's culinary capital is proving a knock out success in its first few days, with 500 tickets selling out within 25 minutes. General Manager of Marketing for Positively Wellington Tourism Sarah Meikle says although it'll be hard to beat the success of last year's restaurant in Sydney, the hype's already reached fever pitch in Melbourne. Ms Meikle says chefs and staff from some of Wellington's top restaurants will be taking turns at the temporary establishment over the next fortnight. Last year Positively Wellington saw a massive spike in visitor numbers from Australia following the success of the Sydney restaurant.
By Newstalk ZB staff



Space station dumping rubbish over us

By MICHAEL FIELD
US space agency Nasa has revealed how the International Space Station (ISS) deals with its trash - it throws it out over New Zealand. Happily none of it makes it to the surface of Earth but occasionally the romantic shooting star in the eastern sky may be no more than a plunging rubbish bin. Nasa's Earth Observatory site has published a photo of a the rubbish, packed into a Russian unmanned supply ship, heading to Earth. In the caption they say it happened over "the southern Pacific Ocean". The metadata says the photo was taken just north east of the Chatham Islands - suggesting they tossed out the garbage while floating around 300 kilometres above New Zealand.
- Stuff



Wisdom of Australia-US military deal questioned

China is questioning whether stationing US Marines in Australia is in keeping with the Pacific region's peaceful development. The United States and Australia have agreed on a deal under which up to 2500 marines will be in northern Australia by 2016. It will be the first time that US troops have formal approval to train alone in Australia. The two countries will also be involved in joint training and other military exercises.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Australia warns travellers to Solomon Islands following election of PM

Australian officials have warned travellers to the Solomon Islands of possible unrest and disruptions after the Pacific island nation elected Gordon Darcy Lilo as prime minister. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says there could be more political violence in the wake of Mr Darcy’s election and disruptions to regular services. Australia leads an international peace and security force in the Solomons. Gordon Darcy Lilo was sworn in as new Prime Minister after being elected to replace Danny Philip yesterday in parliament. The vote triggered a riot by hundreds of protestors who went to Government House to demand the immediate removal of Mr Lilo.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Hundreds of overseas visitors expected in Cook Islands for Vaka event

Hundreds of overseas visitors are expected in the Cook Islands for this year’s Vaka Eiva (canoe) paddling tournament - the single largest annual international sporting event on the Cook Islands’ calendar. Vaka Eiva starts this Friday. This year the week long competition includes about 520 international paddlers as well as 100 overseas supporters. Vaka Eiva involves a series of races, culminating in the Round Raro which sees competitors circle the main island. Paddlers are coming to the event from Canada, New Zealand, Tahiti and Australia, while there will be a strong Cook Islands contingent.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



First woman wins top science award

New Zealand's top science and technology honour has been won by a woman for the first time. Christine Winterbourn from Otago University has been awarded the Rutherford Medal by the Royal Society for discoveries in free radical biology. The Royal Society says Professor Winterbourn is internationally recognised as a leading authority on free radical research whose work has opened the door for groundbreaking studies into diseases. It says she's an inspiration to young women contemplating a career in the sciences.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Wednesday, November 16

More young Maori have enrolled this election

With just over week before the country goes to the polls, the Electoral Enrolment Centre says 4000 more young Maori have enrolled for the first time since the last election in 2008. It says 326,000 people between 18 and 24-years-of-age have signed up this time around, while only 322,000 had enrolled three years ago. Meanwhile, the centre says 7564 Maori over the age of 24 will vote for the first time on 26 November.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Quit smoking programme by Maori for Maori launched

A quit smoking coaching programme run by Maori for Maori has been set up in the Waikato region and aims to expand on ways to get tangata whenua off cigarettes. Quit Coach was launched last week. More than 50 people from Maori health providers across the district attended and have been trained as coaches. The programme, funded by the Waikato District Health Board, trains health staff in nicotine replacement therapy to help whanaunga, or relatives, to stop smoking. More than 500 Maori die as a result of smoking each year.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Barack Obama has touched down in Canberra

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama has touched down in Canberra for a 28-hour visit focused on economic and defence ties with Australia. The visit comes amid extensive security measures in the national capital, with key roads closed and US Secret Service agents supplementing a bolstered federal police presence. Mr Obama will meet Julia Gillard at Parliament House before holding a joint media conference and attending an official dinner. Ms Gillard and Mr Obama are also expected to spell out the broad details of a new agreement for US Marines to conduct training and exercises with Australian forces based in Darwin. The president will meet and greet troops in Darwin tomorrow afternoon before heading to the East Asia Summit in Bali.
© Herald and Weekly Times.



Gordon Darcy Lilo becomes Solomon Islands prime minister

The new Solomon Islands prime minister is Gordon Darcy Lilo. Mr Darcy Lilo, who was one of the five candidates to contest today’s vote in Parliament, got the backing of 29 of the 49 MPs. He fills the post vacated by Danny Philip’s sudden resignation last week. Earlier last week Mr Darcy Lilo was sacked from Cabinet by Mr Philip. There has been high security around Honiara in the lead up to the vote but our correspondents report it has been calm so far.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Log exports more than double volume in three years

New Zealand log exports are heading for another record year. During the first eight months of 2011, log shipments were 25% higher than the same period last year and more than 50% higher by value. The forest industry says total timber exports for the year may reach 13 million cubic metres, more than doubling what was shipped three years ago. The increase in the log trade is driven by demand from China, which is taking almost a third of New Zealand's timber harvest.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Peters suggests 'tea tape' insulted older people

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has suggested older people were insulted in the cafe conversation between John Key and John Banks. The National Party leader has laid a complaint with police over the recording of the exchange he had with the ACT Party's Epsom candidate on Friday. A freelance cameraman left a microphone on the table during the meeting and gave the recording to the Herald on Sunday which said it decided not to publish the contents for legal and ethical reasons. In a speech on Tuesday, Mr Peters said the truth will be out shortly about what Mr Key really thinks of older New Zealanders, many of whom went through a great depression and a world war. He indicated in the speech that whatever was said on Friday was uncomplimentary. "Some people think that they're superior to you just because you're going grey. Doesn't show much gratitude, does it?" he said.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



John Key walks out of conference over tea tape questions

National Party leader John Key has refused to answer further questions about the recording of his cafe conversation with the ACT Party candidate John Banks. Mr Key walked out of a news conference on Wednesday when reporters continued to question him. Radio New Zealand's reporter said Mr Key repeated that he wanted to talk about the economy and the issues that matter to New Zealanders.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Hector's dolphin seen in Wellington Harbour

After a journey through unprotected waters, an endangered Hector's dolphin has made a rare visit to Wellington Harbour and sparked a call for further sightings. The dolphins are usually seen only around the South Island, but on Monday one was spotted at Mahanga Bay, near the tip of Miramar peninsula on the Eastbourne side. Conservation Department biodiversity programme area manager Peter Simpson said having one of the world's smallest and rarest dolphins in the harbour was a special occasion. There are fewer than 8000 Hector's dolphins, while the North Island sub-species of Maui's dolphins, found around Taranaki and further north, are thought to number only about 100.
The Dominion Post



NZ funded library on Bougainville progressing well

Progress is being made on a New Zealand funded library being built in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville. The library was inspired by New Zealand writer Lloyd Jones, whose award winning book, Mister Pip, is set in Bouganville. It aims to provide books and education for those denied it during the civil war. A Volunteer Service Abroad member, Barry Binding, has just spent six weeks establishing a building management plan for the library, which is to be built in the grounds of Arawa High School.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Fishing vessel runs aground near Gisborne

An 18 metre fishing trawler has run aground off the coast of Ruatoria near Gisborne. The Rescue Coordination Centre says the Philip V ran aground at about 12.30am on Wednesday 12 nautical miles north of the Waiapu river mouth. It is 20 metres off the beach and listing at 30 degrees. A Rescue Coordination Centre search and rescue officer Chris Wilson told Morning Report the skipper says the trawler's hatches are all closed and sealed so the vessel should remain upright. She says a tug will travel to the area on Wednesday afternoon to free the trawler.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Tuesday, November 15

Otago Daily Times celebrates 150 years

By Dave Goosselink
Dunedin-based newspaper The Otago Daily Times has remained independent for 150 years, and celebrates this significant milestone at a time when the industry is in a state of upheaval. The country’s oldest daily newspaper still serves what was once New Zealand’s biggest city. An exhibition focusing on images from the paper's 150-year history has just opened at Otago museum.
3 News



New Zealand still driving TPP

A free trade deal that New Zealand co-founded with two other countries is on track to become the world's biggest partnership. The Trans-Pacific Partnership grew out of the 2002 P3 deal between New Zealand, Singapore and Chile - which became the P4 when Brunei joined in 2005. Now 11 countries are signed up - including America, Australia and Malaysia - and the proposed agreement just received a big boost with Japan, the world's third-largest economy, signalling its interest in joining. If Japan does join, Reuters calculates that the proposed pact would be about 40% larger than the 27-nation European Union.
Source: ONE News



Mass whale stranding on Farewell Spit

Thirty-one pilot whales have died and 34 more are stranded on Farewell Spit at the top of the South Island. The Department of Conservation believes one pod of whales beached at the end of the spit on Monday afternoon and died. They say a second pod became stranded overnight. The mammals are a mix of adults and young whales. DoC says the whales are in a remote tidal area and it is too dangerous to attempt to try to re-float the mammals.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Nutcracker on Ice coming to NZ

A much loved Christmas tale is set to be transformed into an ice dancing extraordinaire. The internationally-acclaimed Imperial Ice Stars are returning to New Zealand next winter to perform Nutcracker on Ice. They include four-times figure skating world champion and dual Olympic gold medallist Evgeny Platov and dual world champion Maxim Staviski. Artistic director Tony Mercer says the art form of ice dance lends itself beautifully to this well-loved tale.
By Juliette Sivertsen



Monday, November 14

Asset sales company put on notice by Labour

Labour Party leader Phil Goff has written to the company appointed by the Treasury to advise it on asset sales, warning it an incoming Labour government would cancel its contract. Australian investment bank Lazard is assisting the New Zealand Government as financial designers for National's planned partial assets sales programme. If re-elected on 26 November, National will proceed with the partial privatisation of state-owned energy companies Genesis Energy, Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power and Solid Energy and reduce the Crown's shareholding in Air New Zealand. Mr Goff told a meeting of Grey Power members on the Kapiti Coast on Monday afternoon it is a disgrace that $100 million could be spent selling assets that New Zealanders do not want sold. "I want to place Lazard Limited on notice - that an incoming Labour government will terminate Lazard's appointment forthwith." Mr Goff says it makes no sense to sell New Zealand's best-performing assets to try to reduce debt.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Surge in coconut oil exports from Samoa

An improved supply of copra has led to a surge in coconut oil exports by a major producer in Samoa. In the latest trade figures from the Reserve Bank, the Pacific Coconut Oil Company had a 90 percent increase in exports in August. The monthly trade was worth more than 600 thousand US dollars with the bulk going to Malaysia. The company’s Samau Etuale Sefo says the company is now producing 200 tonnes of oil a week, double what it used to do.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International



Mexico latest to seek TPP membership

Mexico has joined Canada and Japan in asking to be included in the membership of the Trans-Pacific Partnership - the grouping of nine Pacific rim countries discussing a free trade deal. The Trans-Pacific Partnership was signed in 2005 by Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. Australia, Malaysia, Peru, the United States and Vietnam are now in talks to join it. Canada and Mexico say they will start talks with the members of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) with a view to joining formal negotiations. The announcement follows a similar expression of interest from Japan on Friday. Canada's inclusion in the talks has been difficult until now because of restrictions it places on food imports including dairy products from New Zealand.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Retail spending boosted by Cup

Retail spending has risen sharply, boosted by the Rugby World Cup. Figures issued by Statistics New Zealand show retail spending volumes rose a seasonally-adjusted 2.2% in the three months to the end of September, the largest quarterly increase since December 2006. Statistics NZ says the 80,000 people who visited for the Rugby World Cup are likely to have boosted spending. Sales rose across almost all retail branches, with supermarkets and accommodation leading the way. The value of spending rose 2.1% in the quarter.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Christchurch seeks skilled workers overseas

Earthquake-ravaged Christchurch is holding recruitment drives in England in a bid to import skilled workers to help in the city's rebuild. Officials from the regional Canterbury Employment and Skills Board (CESB) are in the UK to exhibit at two job expos organised by Opportunities New Zealand. After a successful drive in London over the weekend, they are now targeting the city of Manchester this coming weekend. More than 30,000 skilled workers are needed for construction, engineering and IT roles in Christchurch over the next 10 years. The Canterbury Skill Shortage List, compiled by the Department of Labour, outlines a host of required construction and engineering roles ranging from mechanics, electricians, scaffolders, and upholsterers to infrastructure project managers, quantity surveyors, and urban and regional planners.
- APNZ



Martinborough gears up for Toast festival

The portaloos are being rolled in and the wine chilled as Martinborough gears up for its busiest day of the year. On Sunday the town will cater for 10,000 revelers at its 20th anniversary Toast Martinborough festival. Festival general manager Rachel Fletcher says 11 vineyards are participating, 7,500 litres of wine will be drunk and 30,000 portions of food consumed. She says $2 million will be generated for the local economy. Ms Fletcher recommends tickets holders should organise travel arrangements now, if they haven't already done so.
By Greg Ford



More asylum seekers intercepted

Australian Customs officers are preparing to intercept a boat with 93 asylum seekers off Christmas Island. Radio Australia reports the boat was spotted on Sunday by an aerial patrol about 90 nautical miles north of the island. The asylum seekers will be taken to Christmas Island. The Immigration Department says the new arrivals will take the number of asylum seekers on the island to more than 1100. Indonesian officials also intercepted a boat with dozens of asylum seekers aboard on Thursday night.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Hail storms forecast

Thunderstorms and unusually large hail stones are forecast for the central North Island on Monday afternoon. MetService says heavy rain could result in flash flooding, while hail stones 1cm - 2cm in diameter could damage crops, orchards, vines, glasshouses and vehicles. The Bay of Plenty, Taupo, northern Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, and northeast of Taihape are the areas expected to be affected.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Pavlova origins up for debate again

The origins of the humble pavlova are once again up for debate. Rangiora Church believes it has uncovered the first published pavlova recipe. Reverend Christine Allan-Johns says the recipe was published in the Rangiora Mother's Union cookbook in 1933, two years before a similar one was printed in Australia. She says the recipe is only a little different from today's. "Quite small, small pavlova cakes they call it, and there's no vinegar so it's just egg whites, sugar, and a bit of cornflour, really," she says. Ms Allan-Johns says they have re-published the recipe in a cookbook to raise funds for the church.
By Scarlett Cvitanovich



Post-Cup business deals underway

Millions of dollars worth of business deals are underway, following VIP networking events during the Rugby World Cup. In a post-Cup tally, Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development says investment deals are in the pipeline, which could deliver up to $150 million to Auckland's economy. Business development manager Clyde Rogers says more than 8100 people attended networking events at the Business Club during the tournament, of whom half were from overseas. He says between now and March some deals are likely to be done in the aviation sector, in biotechnology and in the food and beverage areas.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Sunday, November 13

Rena - Salvors move focus from oil to cargo

Salvors aboard the Rena have all but finished removing oil from the stranded cargo ship and are now shifting their focus to its cargo. Maritime New Zealand's Salvage Unit Manager Arthur Jobard says about 290 tonnes of oil has been pumped from the Rena's number five starboard tank. He says there is probably about 60 tonnes of oil still on board which will be removed manually as it floats to the top of the water in the tank. A crane ship ST60 will move alongside the ship on Monday to begin removing the 1280 containers it is carrying. However, Transport Minister Steven Joyce says it can only remove about six containers a day, so it could take longer than seven months for all the cargo to be removed. Mr Joyce says Maritime New Zealand has told the ship's owners they must remove the wreck once the containers have been recovered, because it is a shipping hazard. The Rena was carrying 1368 containers when it ran aground on the Astrolabe reef off the coast of Tauranga on 5 October. Eighty-eight have since been lost overboard.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



272 lives saved last year

The New Zealand Search and Rescue Council says 272 lives were saved in the past year because of search and rescue operations. The total number of operations was 2374, of which 1076 were sea-based, 976 were on land and 275 involved aircraft. It says 425 people faced life-threatening incidents and 272 lives were saved. The council says the total number of incidents is not significantly different to the previous year. Use of technology, such as GPS distress beacons, significantly increases the chance of success.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Santa parade in Wellington Santa Parade

Wellington City Council expects more than 60,000 people to turn out for the annual Santa parade on Sunday. The 62nd parade starts at 2pm on the corner of Lambton Quay and Ballance Street and ends in Manners Street. A Santa party will be held in Civic Square afterwards until about 4.15pm. Roads in central Wellington will be closed from 10am - 5pm. They include Lambton Quay, Cuba Street, Bond Street, Willis Street and Manners Street.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



US Marines to visit NZ to mark anniversary

A contingent of US Marines will travel to New Zealand next June, to participate in marking the 70th anniversary of the arrival of US Forces to New Zealand during World War 2. Major General Peter J. Talleri officially accepted John Key's invitation at the annual Marine Corps Ball in Wellington last night. Mr Key made the offer to Barack Obama in a meeting the pair had in the US. He says the announcement furthers a strong historic bond between the two countries, and is intended to underscore the US commitment to a deepening relationship with New Zealand.
Copyright 2002 - 2011, TelstraClear Ltd



Florian Habicht tops film awards with 'Love Story'

Director Florian Habicht has won two top awards at the 2011 Aotearoa Film and Television Awards, which were announced on Saturday night. His feature film Love Story was named best film and he won the award for best director. The awards for best male and female actors in a feature film went respectively to Rawiri Paratene in The Insatiable Moon and Michelle Ang in My Wedding and Other Secrets. In television, the award for best-current affairs series went to Maori Television's Native Affairs, while TV3's 7 Days was named best comedy.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Potential seen for return of 1980s asset sale problems

A senior figure in the sale of state assets during the 1980s believes the National Party's plans for partial privatisations could be bedevilled by some of the same problems encountered in those earlier sales. Ian Dickson is a former chief economist at Fay Richwhite, the investment bank that bought a number of previously privatised assets. He says the National Party's plan to retain 51% as part of a mixed ownership model, could create conflicts among vocal minority investors who have different ideas about corporate structure or dividend policies. These tensions resulted in the subsequent sale of the BNZ to the National Australia Bank.
Copyright © 2011 Radio New Zealand



Saturday, November 12

Rugby - Tindall dropped, fined for Queenstown incident

The England rugby captain Mike Tindall has been dropped from England's elite rugby squad for his off-field behavour in New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup, and fined about $50,000. The England Rugby Football Union says it took action over a night in Queenstown, which made headlines when Tindall was caught on closed-circuit television with a woman at a bar. He admitted to misleading officials when initially questioned about the evening. The union says Tindall's actions amount to a very serious breach of the squad's code of conduct.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Hospital beds being closed by pay campaign

Nurses in Australia have started shutting down a third of the beds in public hospitals in Victoria in a campaign for better pay. But the Nursing Federation insists the closure of 800 beds will not put patients in danger. The ABC reports that leaked State cabinet documents have revealed a plan to cut the nursing budget and replace some nurses with less qualified assistants. The federation wants a pay rise of 18.5% over four years, with no change to current nurse-to-patient ratios.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



14th century timepiece to be auctioned

A 14th century scientific instrument brought to New Zealand by a family from England in the 1860s is to be offered for sale at auction next month. The quadrant-shaped astrolabe was made in 1396 and is marked with the badge of King Richard II. Owner Christopher Becker found it in a shed on his family farm in Queensland in the 1970s. He says it went to Taranaki with the Nicholson family in the 1860s before being taken to Australia in the middle of the last century. He says the item arrived from New Zealand without any accompanying paperwork and ended up in a bag of old parts. Bonhams of London says it's the second oldest dated British scientific instrument in existence. The auction house says bidding could go above $410,000 when the instrument goes under the hammer on 13 December.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand



Gold Coast to host 2018 Games

The Gold Coast in Queensland is to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The decision was made at the Commonwealth Games Assembly in the West Indies on Friday. It will be the fifth time that Australia will host the Commonwealth Games. Two cities were vying for the event: Hamboantota in Sri Lanka and the Gold Coast. A coastal town, Hambantota was devastated by the 2004 tsunami. Sri Lanka sent a delegation of 60 to the meeting. The ABC reports Sri Lanka was seeking to host the event for the first time. The 2010 Games were held in Delhi, India, and the 2014 event will be in Glasgow, Scotland.
Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand


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