WYSIWYG NEWS - 9 September, 2006

[news at wysiwygnews.com]

Subject: 9 September, 2006 
----- WYSIWYG NEWS ------------------------------ 
Copyright, Brian Harmer.  
 
Wham! Just like that, it's spring. Flowering pip and stone 
fruit trees are in glorious bloom. Everywhere, bright yellow 
kowhai are on show, as are camellias and rhododendrons (Mary 
and I hope to make it to the famed Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust 
on the lower slops of Taranaki sometime next month). Magnolias 
are magnificent, and the delicate pale green of the golden elm 
trees in Lower Hutt gives a lift to the heart after what seems 
to have been an especially dreary winter. No doubt we have 
months of wind to come, and  some rain before we experience 
genuine summer weather, but the promise has been made. On a 
totally different front, I have finally succumbed to years of 
family pressure to do something about self preservation, and 
have joined a local Gym. Mt Daughter-in-law is an HR manager 
for a national chain so I joined them, just as they opened a 
new gym here in Lower Hutt where Mitre 10 Hardware used to be. 
They have converted the vast cavern of the former builders 
supplies and hardware store to a very pleasant and well 
equipped facility. It is a high tech sort of place in a 
perverse kind of way. All of the treadmills and exercycles and 
cross-training machines have digital displays and once you 
have set yourself in motion you can then switch to one of the 
six or seven channels of Sky Television. Truth to tell, none 
of the chose channels are of interest to me, so I perform my 
aerobic routines without visual entertainment. The chosen 
music throughout the gym is also not to my taste (I am 
musically very conservative) so I take the iPod that my elder 
daughter kindly gave me, and listen to something more in 
keeping with my advanced years. I suspect I have quoted 
previously my affinity with the old joke about lying down 
until the urge passes (variously attributed to G.K. Chesterton 
and Robert Maynard Hutchins). I have been surprised at how 
much better I feel after a session, although when my trainer 
gets involved and has me doing weights, I discover entirely 
original locations for pain. 
 
---- 
Any text above this point, and all subsequent material in 
parentheses, and concluded with the initials "BH" is the 
personal opinion of Brian Harmer as editor of this newsletter, 
or occasionally "GS" will indicate an opinion from our 
editorial assistant. In all cases they are honest expressions 
of personal opinion, and are not presented as fact.  
 
All news items (except where noted otherwise) are reproduced 
by kind permission (renewed this week) of copyright owner, 
Newstalk ZB News. All copyright in the news items reproduced 
remains the property of The Radio Network Limited.  
 
This edition of the news is sponsored by more long-time 
WYSIWYG supporters, my friends George and Pat Berger in 
Alexandria, VA. Many thanks for all your support over many years. 

----  
On with the News.  
 
Monday, 4 September 2006
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

COURT REJECTS UNION BID IN PROGRESSIVE DISPUTE
----------------------------------------------

The Employment Court has rejected a bid by the National 
Distribution and Engineering Unions for an interim injunction 
to stop Progressive Enterprises using another company to do 
the work normally undertaken by its distribution workers. 
However the unions are vowing to continue the fight and are 
ploughing ahead with plans for a full hearing before the 
Employment Court next week. Meanwhile Progressive reckons it 
is winning the fight. Managing Director Marty Hamnett says 
around half of those on the picket line at Progressive's 
Palmerston North distribution centre have returned to work, 
which he says is a positive sign for the future supply of 
stores that receive their stocks from that distribution 
centre. Mr Hamnett says the developments are encouraging for 
all of the company's workers. 
 
(I must say this surprised me. I thought it was illegal under 
present legislation, for an employer to bring in replacement 
labour for people locked out. As I understand it, the 
integrated logistics company Linfox is delivering the 
materials. - BH)

WHAT'S ON BABY BOOMERS' MINDS?
------------------------------

New research shows New Zealand baby boomers are more worried 
about their looks and social lives than their finances. A 
survey of Southern Cross members aged over 55 highlights the 
concern they have about the impact of grey hair and wrinkles. 
It shows the majority expect and want to continue to lead 
active and social lifestyles, yet 84 percent are worried as to 
how they will cope with ageism, discrimination and loneliness. 
Only 44 percent mentioned maintaining their finances, while 29 
percent wonder how they will manage their gardens. Just over a 
quarter have concerns over their children's and 
grandchildren's financial security.

(As a marginally pre-boomer, I have never understood this 
phenomenon. As anyone who has met me knows, I am a stranger to 
fashion in all its forms, and my face might best be described 
as "lived-in". Like Pop-eye, "I yam what I yam" - BH)

SECURITY RULES EASED
--------------------

Air New Zealand passengers flying to the United States are 
once more allowed to carry their duty free purchases on board. 
The airline is falling into line with Qantas and relaxing the 
stringent no liquids and gels policy slapped on after last 
month's terror scare. Passengers buying duty free before going 
through immigration will be given their purchases while in the 
boarding gate lounge. However the duty free ban remains for 
anyone flying straight on to London from Los Angeles. Air New 
Zealand says that is because of the risk liquids and gels 
might be confiscated while passengers are in transit in the 
United States. All gels and liquids not purchased duty free 
are still banned from in-flight luggage. That includes items 
like drinks, shampoo and toothpaste.

LIABILITY WILL NOT HOLD UP GAS CLAIMS
-------------------------------------

The Insurance Council says the question of liability should 
not hold up claims made by Wellington businesses who are 
losing money because of problems with the gas supply. Parts of 
the CBD have been without gas for six days after water was 
discovered in Powerco's pipes. Some businesses say they have 
lost tens of thousands of dollars already and it could be 
Thursday before the supply is fully restored. Chris Ryan from 
the Insurance Council says it is hard to know exactly what 
caused the problem: it may have been a genuine accident 
because of the wet winter Wellington has had, or there may be 
some liability. Meanwhile, the restaurant belonging to Mike 
Egan, the President of the New Zealand Restaurants 
Association, has been closed since Wednesday when the gas 
supply was shut off. He says the Monsoon Poon's closure has 
cost him around $45,000. Mr Egan says not surprisingly, no one 
seems keen to take responsibility for the problem, and he is 
advising association members to check their insurance 
policies. 
 
(Astonishingly, the restoration of service is even now, not 
complete. The restaurant where Helen is was reconnected as 
late as Thursday this week - BH)

HAMILTON BUS FARES INCREASING
-----------------------------

Bus in fares in Hamilton will increase next year. Fares will 
rise between 10 and 30 cents per trip in February, as the cost 
of delivering new services moves to a more user pays system 
for passengers. Environment Waikato spokeswoman Paula 
Southgate says factors for the increase include the rising 
price of petrol. She says Land Transport New Zealand also 
requires the council to increase the amount it recovers from 
passengers in the next three to four years.

FIGURES NOT HEALTHY SAYS NATIONAL
---------------------------------

National says latest figures show the chance of getting 
elective surgery in an Auckland hospital is worse than it was 
six years ago. The party's health spokesman, Tony Ryall, says 
despite huge population growth in the region, fewer 
Aucklanders are getting elective surgery. He says figures from 
the Ministry of Health show that just over 13,000 people 
received elective surgery at Auckland DHB in the past year, 
compared with just over 14,000 in 2000/2001. Mr Ryall says the 
Government has failed to make any real inroads into boosting 
the service.

WORKPLACE PARTNERSHIPS WORKING
------------------------------

The Government says it is fairly pleased with the way 
employers and unions are interacting. The Department of 
Labour's Partnership Resource Centre has released reports on 
the importance of workplace partnerships. Labour Minister Ruth 
Dyson is encouraging employers, employees and unions to work 
more closely together to achieve a high-performing productive 
economy. She says New Zealand is already moving in the right 
direction. 

BACK DOWN OVER PRAYERS AT SCHOOL
--------------------------------

The Ministry of Education has backed down over a proposal to 
change religion featuring at school assemblies. It had planned 
to issue guidelines on religion and prayers at state primary 
and intermediate schools, which would require schools to give 
advance warning if an assembly contained hymns or prayers. 
Parents would have to give written consent for their children 
to attend. Currently, children have the right to opt out of 
school gatherings which feature religion. Senior Officer 
Martin Connolly says the Ministry has decided not to change 
its directive following the current wave of criticism. He 
stresses there was never any firm decision to change the 
policy in the first place. Anglican Archbishops were unhappy 
about the proposal. Archbishop David Moxon says it also 
changed the rules governing prayer assemblies outside school 
hours. He says it is interesting to note that karakia or Maori 
prayer was not included in the guidelines.

(That latter point was one that I made last week, I think.  A 
former colleague at university caused something of a stir a 
few years ago when a new building was opened with a dawn 
karakia. He objected vigorously asking why "animist 
superstition" was given preference over mainstream religious 
observances. - BH) 

Tuesday, 5 September 2006
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SIGNS ECONOMY SLOWING UP
------------------------

Economic growth is running out of steam and economists believe 
there are signs it is about to slow up even more for a while. 
The rate of growth has so far defied most predictions and the 
New Zealand Institute of Economic Research now expects it to 
slow from its annual average in the March 2006 year of 2.2 
percent to 1.5 percent in the March 2007 year. Quarterly 
Predictions editor Brent Layton says the rate was expected to 
have slowed much further already but has been resilient. He is 
predicting growth will lift slightly to 1.8 percent in 2008 
and bounce back to 3.3 percent in 2009.

MORE RATEPAYERS GET REBATES
---------------------------

Nearly 24,000 people have applied for and been granted a rates 
rebate this year, 20,000 more than for the whole of last year. 
The total rebate bill has already exceeded $10 million. Local 
Government Minister Mark Burton describes the figure as 
"outstanding". He is encouraging even more people to take 
advantage of the government's expanded rates rebate scheme. 
The qualifying income threshold has been increased from $7,500 
to $20,000. The maximum rebate increases from $200 to $500. 

JUDGES CAN WORK LONGER
----------------------

The compulsory retirement age for judges is being raised to 
70. Attorney-General Michael Cullen says the move means the 
most experienced and capable judges will be able to work for 
another two years. He believes it will also encourage the 
recruitment of senior legal practitioners to the bench. Dr 
Cullen says most people expect to live and work longer these 
days and judges are no different. The change brings New 
Zealand into line with comparative overseas countries such as 
Australia and the United Kingdom. The compulsory retirement 
age for judges in New Zealand has been 68 since 1980.  
 
(For most occupations, discrimination on the grounds of age is 
unlawful in NZ. I suspect there are some important exceptions 
such as airline pilots and neurosurgeons. - BH)

FUEL PRICE DROPS
----------------

More good news at the pumps for motorists. Shell has dropped 
the price of 91 and 95 by a further five cents a litre and 
diesel by three cents. The company says the move is due to the 
decreased cost of oil in the international market. Caltex, 
Mobil and BP are yet to announce if whether they are following 
suit.

(The current price for 91 octane is $1.55.9 per litre - BH)

RESEARCH CENTRE PULLS IN FUNDING
--------------------------------

The construction of a world-class research centre at 
Canterbury University is paying dividends for Christchurch. 
The Government and private companies came up with $20 million 
to build the ICT research centre which will house one of the 
world's 10 most powerful computers. That has led to another 
announcement today. A three way partnership between Canterbury 
University, the University of Nottingham and the Canterbury 
Development Corporation has been developed to explore geo-
spatial research. That has to do with surveying, environmental 
monitoring, precision agriculture and global positioning 
systems.

KIWIS BEAT AUSSIES IN TOURISM GAME
----------------------------------

New Zealand has beaten Australia in the tourism game. It has 
been voted the second best country in the world - just behind 
Italy - in a survey from travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller. 
Thirty thousand readers voted in the awards which saw 
Australia pushed into third position.

(To clarify, I think it was the second best to visit. - BH)

POLICE STEP INTO PROGRESSIVE DISPUTE
------------------------------------

Police have prevented union members from blocking the path of 
trucks entering the Progressive Enterprises warehouse in 
Palmerston North. The complex is the target of a picket line 
manned by locked-out distribution workers. Union organiser 
Dion Martin admits that trying to stop the trucks is illegal. 
He says despite that, picketers are talking of throwing 
themselves in front of the vehicles. Mr Martin is accusing 
police of using naked and brutal aggression, to carry out the 
wishes of a foreign-owned company. Meanwhile a delegation of 
Auckland union members is headed to Palmerston North to join 
the picket line outside Progressive Enterprises' warehouse. In 
the past 24 hours more than 40 of the locked out locals have 
returned to work. Mr Martin says Progressive starved them into 
submission. He says the workers told him that after nearly two 
weeks they could not afford to be off the job any longer. He 
says he has appealed to them to rethink their decision.

PM FOR TOP JOB AT UN?
---------------------

They might be at each others' throats over election spending 
but National would be happy for Prime Minister Helen Clark to 
take the top job at the United Nations. Miss Clark denies she 
has any aspirations in that area, but long running speculation 
has been fuelled again following a Time Magazine article 
touting her as a possible candidate. National Party Leader Dr 
Don Brash says traditionally a bi-partisan approach has been 
taken on such appointments and they would take a similar 
stance in this case. Dr Brash believes the UN job is more 
attractive to Helen Clark now than it was a month ago. However 
Miss Clark told reporters she already has the best job in New 
Zealand - that of Prime Minister - and she is perfectly happy.

260 STAFF TO STRIKE ACROSS 7 DHBS
---------------------------------

The union representing radiographers has issued further strike 
notice against seven District Health Boards. Some 260 staff 
are already threatening to walk off the job for three days, 
beginning next Tuesday. They have now issued notice of another 
24 hour strike to take place on the 19th. They are seeking 
wage parity with their colleagues in other districts. The 
strike action will force cancellation or postponement of all 
elective surgery. The DHBs to be affected include Bay of 
Plenty, Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Hutt Valley, Tairawhiti 
and Lakes. Andrew Keenan is responsible for contingency 
planning in the Bay of Plenty. He says people do not realise 
how much disruption there will be, warning it will really 
going to stretch the resources of private hospitals and 
clinics which will be helping out during the walkout.

WELLINGTON GAS COMES BACK ON
----------------------------

Slowly, but surely the gas is coming back on in central 
Wellington. Hundreds of properties have been without gas for 
nearly a week after water got into the mains. Powerco says 30 
properties had their gas restored today, but nearly 200 are 
still without supply. It says gas is now flowing past another 
50 properties and gas fitters are working to restore each 
affected building one-by-one. Powerco says it has not been 
able to gain access to some sites, so contractors have not 
been able to reconnect those properties.

(If I hear correctly, the difficulties have also been greater 
than expected to clear the system of water, gravel and other 
pollutants. - BH)

Wednesday, 6 September 2006
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HOUSING NZ'S $2 MILLION SUBSIDY
-------------------------------

The heat is being put on the Government over its state housing 
policy following revelations an Auckland family is being 
subsidised to live in a $2 million property. National Housing 
spokesman Phil Heatley has obtained information showing the 
property is the most expensive Housing New Zealand property in 
the entire country. He wants to know why the property is being 
held on to when there are more than 11,000 people on housing 
waiting lists. Mr Heatley says it would make sense for such a 
high value property, and others like it, to be sold, so that 
cheaper homes can be provided for many more people.

(Properties in places like Orakei have in fact had soaring 
valuations. I am not entirely sure that it is a valid policy 
of state to make sure that the less affluent should live in 
ghettos reserved for the. On the other hand, there is some 
validity to the argument that the very expensive houses 
referred to, if sold, would fund four or five reasonable 
houses elsewhere. Just for the sake of clarity, these houses 
are remarkably ordinary and would pass as state houses in Glen 
Innes or Pt Chevalier. It is only the location that makes them 
so valuable. - BH)

REVIEW OF TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM
--------------------------------

Western Bay of Plenty civil defence officials have confirmed 
their tsunami warning system is to be reviewed - amid concerns 
over how well it works. The ten sirens along the coast have 
come under attack at a council meeting, as being inadequate. 
Emergency Management's Barry Low says they accept public 
concern - and that the coverage is lower than expected. He 
says they will not be scrapping what has been put in place to 
date as those sirens are still reaching a lot of people.

DUNEDIN IS BACK ON THE LINE
---------------------------

The phones should be working now for about 12,000 South Island 
Telecom customers. The wider Otago area including Dunedin has 
been without phone service for most of the day. Internet, 
EFTPOS and ATM machines were also down. Telecom spokeswoman 
Sarah Berry says the fault has been located and the full 
service restored. The fault was caused by a contractor's 
digger which cut through a fibre-optic cable. Sarah Berry says 
if anyone has further concerns should they should contact 
Telecom on its 021 fault line.

AUCKLAND IS NZ'S GAY CAPITAL
----------------------------

Auckland has been confirmed as the gay capital of New Zealand. 
New research undertaken by the AIDS Foundation has found that 
45 percent of all gay men surveyed live in the City of Sails. 
The findings were based on Census data and a national survey 
of sexual behaviour from 1996. Senior researcher Peter Saxton 
says the survey also pinpoints the city's gay district, 
stretching from Westmere and Herne Bay to Kingsland and 
Newmarket. He says this district is home to 13 percent of the 
country's estimated gay male population.

DHB QUESTIONS STRIKE TIMING
---------------------------

The Canterbury District Health Board says industrial action by 
radiographers over the next few weeks appears to have been 
timed to have the maximum impact on patients. Medical 
radiation technologists from seven DHBs will be out for three 
days from next Tuesday. They have also announced another day 
of action for the following Tuesday as well. Canterbury DHB 
chief medical officer Nigel Millar says the extra strike on 
September 19 will make things harder. He says it will 
inevitably put patients through unnecessary additional pain 
and discomfort as much-needed x-rays will have to be delayed 
or done privately. Dr Millar says the strike will impact on 
some people's elective surgery if it is felt the lack of a 
radiographer could impact safety.

NEW PROPOSAL FROM DISTRIBUTION UNIONS
-------------------------------------

Unions representing locked-out supermarket distribution 
workers have drafted a new proposal to settle the standoff. 
They are challenging Progressive Enterprises to increase 
workers' wages to reflect the improved profitability of the 
company, not the flat eight percent rise they were originally 
seeking. They are also seeking allowance and redundancy equity 
across its distribution centres as part of a national 
collective agreement. National Secretary of the National 
Distribution Union, Laila Harre says today is the first day 
that union members will today miss out on their first full pay 
cheque. "They are rightly demanding that their employer 
justify its refusal to negotiate on their claims for a 
national agreement. It is not just the supermarket shelves 
that are empty. These workers are now surviving on the 
goodwill of their families, unions and communities," she says. 
Ms Harre says their proposal meets all reasonable concerns of 
the company.

NZ A GOOD PLACE TO RETIRE
-------------------------

New Zealand is one of the best places in which to retire 
according to a survey. International Living magazine's global 
retirement index has identified New Zealand in third spot, 
behind Panama and Malta. The eight key factors are taken into 
account are real estate prices, retirement benefits, the cost 
of living, security, healthcare, climate, culture and 
entertainment, and infrastructure.

GAS BACK ON SOON
----------------

Gas network company Powerco expects to restore supplies to the 
majority of its Wellington customers within the next 24 hours. 
Nearly 200 businesses in the central business district are 
still without gas after the network was flooded when a water 
main burst nearly a week ago. Powerco says about 30 more 
properties had supplies restored yesterday. More than 120 
staff are working on the repairs.

(Promises! Promises! - BH)

FURTHER FUEL PRICE DROPS NEEDED
-------------------------------

Fuel may have to fall by another 20 to 30 cents before New 
Zealand motorists return to their free-wheeling days. 
Yesterday's price cut of five to six cents, which is the 
fourth in just over three weeks, has brought 91 octane in many 
areas to $1.559 a litre. Diesel has also dropped by three 
cents per litre to around $1.19. Mike Noon, the Automobile 
Association's Motoring Affairs Manager, says research suggests 
motorists will not feel comfortable again until petrol drops 
to around $1.30-$1.35 a litre. He says motorists have been 
very uncomfortable ever since the price rose above $1.50 and 
the high prices have prompted a massive change in car usage 
this year, with motorists thinking twice about using their 
vehicles so often.

Thursday, 7 September 2006
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUCKLAND SET FOR STREAMLINING
-----------------------------

The Prime Minister is adamant cost-cutting is not the driving 
force behind a major shake-up of regional governance in 
Auckland. Helen Clark has met with mayors from Manukau, 
Waitakere, North Shore and Auckland cities to be briefed on 
their vision for streamlining the four major city councils. 
Miss Clark says more competence at a regional level would 
certainly produce financial efficiencies and offer more scope 
to invest in a lot of big-picture projects. She says the issue 
is about recognising that Auckland is on the cusp of either 
going all the way to being a metro region of scale, or lapsing 
back and "muddling along". Miss Clark says there has never 
been a layer of regional government with a single strategy to 
drive the metro region forward. She says legislation would be 
required for the changes, which she hopes can be introduced 
before next year's local body elections. She says it is not 
about forming a "super city" but a "super region". Neither the 
Auckland Regional Council, nor the three minor, largely rural, 
district councils that make up the rest of the Auckland 
region, were invited to the meeting, or took part in the 
earlier discussions. 
 
(The thing that worries me most about the initiative is that a 
very small number of people with access to the ears of the 
powerful, know what is best for us. They adamantly reject the 
notion of a referendum because it would slow the process. Well 
maybe the process needs to be slowed so that we can see if 
it's the right one! - BH)

MORE RIGHTS FOR VICTIMS
-----------------------

The Human Rights Commission is pushing for more rights for 
victims in the justice system. It has made the plea to a 
Parliamentary Inquiry into the place of victims in New 
Zealand's criminal justice system. Human Rights Commissioner 
Rosslyn Noonan says there needs to be a more comprehensive 
legislative framework that explicitly states victims have 
rights, not needs. She says victims need to be assured of 
access to certain basic services rather than getting access on 
a discretionary basis.

POWERCO REFUNDS GAS NETWORK CHARGES
-----------------------------------

Powerco is to refund gas network charges for Wellington 
customers affected by the outage but there is no offer of 
compensation. Chief Executive Richard Krogh says the company 
has realised the outage has caused significant problems and so 
they are refunding charges for the month of September. Details 
of how the refunds will be sorted for businesses are to be 
posted on Powerco's website later next week. There are still 
120 consumers in northern parts of Lambton Quay and 
Featherston Street as well as parts of the southern CBD who 
are still without gas after water got into the network.

SPEEDING UP DOCTOR "PRODUCTION LINE"
------------------------------------

The Government is working on ways to speed up the process of 
becoming a doctor in a bid to deal with shortages. Health 
Minister Pete Hodgson says a Workforce Taskforce has six 
months to find ways to produce doctors who are fit to practice 
in the shortest time possible. Mr Hodgson says the committee 
has a number of questions to answer. He says further raising 
the cap on undergraduate medical training is currently being 
considered by Tertiary Education Minister, Michael Cullen.

NATIONAL ANGRY AT TAX STONEWALLING
----------------------------------

The Government is being told to come clean on the advice it 
received for its recently announced business tax review. 
National is outraged its request for discussion papers and 
advice from Inland Revenue and Treasury are being stonewalled 
by revenue Minister Peter Dunne and Finance Minister Dr 
Michael Cullen. National's Finance spokesman John Key says the 
refusal to release the information is an abuse of power and 
unacceptable. He believes the Government is trying to hide 
infighting over tax policy within its ranks.

BUSINESSES WANT COMPO FROM PHONE OUTAGE
---------------------------------------

Some Otago businesses will be seeking compensation after their 
phone lines were down for most of yesterday. Telecom says a 
digger cut through fibre cable north of Dunedin, taking out 
the phone lines to about 12,000 customers. The Otago Chamber 
of Commerce says it affected internet and Eftpos transactions. 
Chief Executive John Christie says retailers reliant on Eftpos 
have lost business and some will be wanting Telecom to 
reimburse loses. He believes Telecom should come forward with 
an offer before business owners move on the issue. Telecom is 
not talking about compensation but says people with concerns 
should contact them.

NEW RULES FOR TRUCK BRAKES
--------------------------

New safety requirements for heavy vehicle brakes have been 
signed off by the Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven, 
but the Road Transport Forum says the issue of a proper system 
to test brakes remains unresolved. Under the new rules, heavy 
vehicles will have to be fitted with load sensing valves or an 
anti-lock system to reduce the likelihood of trucks jack-
knifing and causing accidents. But Tony Friedlander, RTF chief 
executive says at the moment there is no consistency in brake 
tests and trucks may be passed at one testing station but fail 
at another. He says it leads to people operating vehicles in 
good faith, but not operating them safely

SUPERMARKET CHAIN REJECTS UNION'S OFFER
---------------------------------------

Supermarket operator Progressive Enterprises has rejected a 
new offer from the union representing locked out distribution 
centre staff. The company says the proposal aimed at ending 
the two week dispute, would increase its employment costs by 
more than 13 percent. It had costed an earlier demand at 
around 30 percent. Progressive managing director Marty Hamnett 
says 13.5 percent is still unrealistic, at a time when food 
inflation is running below four percent. However, he says the 
union's offer does open the way for further discussion. "It's 
a positive sign. We've always said all along that we are very 
happy to talk about a realistic increase for our people based 
on the three existing contracts."

TASER THREAT ENOUGH TO DETER
----------------------------

Three people wielding weapons have dropped them at the 
prospect of being zapped with Taser guns. Police bosses say it 
is an extremely positive sign just six days into the 
controversial trial of the stun guns. Officers have so far 
deployed Tasers three times, but the tactic of flicking the 
gun's laser light in the direction of offenders has been 
enough to convince them to drop their weapons. In the most 
recent incident, a man threatening people with a large knife 
in central Wellington was warned the gun would be used and he 
was arrested without further problems. Taser trial project 
manager Superintendent John Rivers says the results of the 
trial are so far are extremely positive. 
 
(Interestingly, a case this weekend has resulted in the weapon 
being fired. And with all the logic that I have come to expect 
from that source, Green MP Keith Locke is reported as claiming 
this shows police will use it more frequently than they said. 
Hello? This is the first time. The first time could have 
happened on any day of the trial period. Its use is triggered 
by the actions of lawbreakers. In a letter to me on this 
topic, Mr Locke suggested that access to the taser would lead 
to "Rambo policing". I wish there were some clue dispenser for 
politicians who are determined that the police are the bad 
guys.  - BH)

FREE SCREENINGS TAKING TOO LONG
-------------------------------

Some women are failing to get potentially life-saving 
mammograms because they do not have the access they have been 
promised. Women aged 45 to 49 became eligible for biennial 
screenings two years ago, but Claire Ryan, deputy chairman of 
the Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition says only 19 percent have 
taken up the free screenings. The target is 70 percent. Ms 
Ryan believes waiting times are partially responsible and has 
anecdotal evidence that women are being forced to wait so 
long, they are giving up. She says some lead providers have 
indicated it could take months to clear the backlog of women 
wanting mammograms. Ms Ryan wants free screenings to take 
place within three weeks of making an appointment.

Friday, 8 September 2006
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

YOUNG WOMEN DRINKING HEAVILY
----------------------------

Young, independent, well-earning women are increasingly 
drinking heavily as a leisure activity. A Massey University 
study entitled Going Out And Getting Pissed has confirmed the 
feminisation of binge drinking is a trend. The study of 32 
Aucklanders between 20 and 30 shows an increasing number of 
women are drinking large quantities of alcohol socially. Study 
author and psychologist Dr Antonia Lyons says the group never 
talked about their behaviour as binge drinking and did not see 
it as a problem. However, they viewed drunken female strangers 
as disgusting, embarrassing and "slutty" but drunken male 
strangers as amusing. Dr Lyons says she was surprised to hear 
the negative stereotypes with which women view each other 
with.

POWERCO OFFERS REFUND
---------------------

Some Wellington businesses are gladly accepting Powerco's 
goodwill refund. The company is scrapping the September 
network charges for the one thousand customers who have been 
affected by the recent outage in the CBD, which saw supplies 
cut for days when water got into the gas pipes. Powerco says 
the fund is a thank you for patience and loyalty as it 
realises the problem caused significant inconvenience. The 
owner of restaurant Monsoon Poon and president of the 
Restaurant Association Mike Egan says it is a nice thing for a 
big corporation to do considering the outage was just one of 
those things nobody could predict.

ONION GENE HOLDS KEY TO SWEETNESS
---------------------------------

Work by international scientists including a New Zealander, 
may have a significant impact on onion growers around the 
world. Scientists have identified the gene responsible for the 
sugar content in onions which is critical to how sweet an 
onion becomes and how long it lasts in storage. Crop and Food 
Research vegetable geneticist John McCallum says an onion is 
sweeter when the gene occurs more frequently which could make 
it possible in the future to produce sweeter-eating onions. On 
the other hand, the less sweet an onion is the better it is 
for storage or export. The research took five years to 
complete and involved scientists from New Zealand, Japan, the 
Netherlands and America.

GANG PROBLEMS COULD BE SOLVED BY EDUCATION
------------------------------------------

A North Shore headmaster says a proper grounding in schools 
would help deal with the problem of gangs roaming parts of 
South Auckland. Westlake Boys School in Takapuna is today 
opening a new $11 million auditorium. Headmaster Jim Dale says 
as far as he is concerned there is no such thing as boys 
underachieving in schools. He also has some ideas on how to 
tackle the gang problem. He says if schools give them a sense 
of direction, a sense of pride and a sense of belonging and 
arm them with the right tools, the problem of gangs can be 
eradicated. Mr Dale says it is important to encourage the boys 
to do their best. He says they have got a responsibility at 
the school to make sure they create young men who are leaders 
in their community and in the nation as well as being the best 
fathers. He says all the boys there are high achievers and he 
is proud of every one of them.

GPS NEED OBSTETRIC SKILLS SAYS NZMA
-----------------------------------

GPs need to become skilled in emergency maternity care, 
according to the Medical Association, to counter the country's 
rural health care crisis. The NZMA says expectant mothers are 
being forced to travel long distances to hospitals, due to the 
shortage of paediatricians and obstetricians. Deputy chairman 
Dr Don Simmers says we need to think about up-skilling GPs so 
they can perform instrument-assisted deliveries and 
Caesareans. He says the concept has worked well in other 
countries and there is no reason New Zealand should not do it. 
Dr Simmers says only 54 GPs across the country are still 
involved in births. He says many rural GPs have experience in 
obstetric care, but most of them are expected to retire within 
a decade.

CTU MAY BLOCK SUPPLIES
----------------------

The Council of Trade Unions is looking at blocking supplies 
from getting into the country as it steps into the dispute 
between Progressive Enterprises and its distribution workers. 
At a meeting in Wellington today, the CTU heard of the 
hardships being faced by the locked-out workers. CTU President 
Ross Wilson says the next step in the strategy is looking at 
various forms of industrial action to put pressure back onto 
Progressive and its supermarket chains. He is talking to the 
International Transport Workers Federation internationally and 
unions in New Zealand and expects a strategy will be developed 
over the coming days.

UNIVERSITY BACKS SOFTWARE COMPANY DECISION
------------------------------------------

Canterbury University says the Government's support of 
Auckland-based 3D graphics software company Right Hemisphere 
will bring the fragmented development within the industry 
together. Right Hemisphere has been given a $12 million 
interest free loan in a bid to keep the company based in New 
Zealand. The loan is a move by the Government to ensure the 
country's best brains and entrepreneurs in this area of 
technology stay based in New Zealand. General manager of the 
University's Human Interface Technology Laboratory or Hit Lab, 
Richard Bishop, says they are one of the potential research 
organisations named to link up with Right Hemisphere. He says 
the move lines up against the Government's digital strategy.

MINING COMMUNITY MOURNS
-----------------------

The close knit mining community is in mourning after today's 
fatality at the Roa underground coal mine near Blackball on 
the West Coast. Forty-seven year old Bernard Green was killed 
when a shaft collapsed, sending rock and coal tumbling on top 
of him while he was 800 metres underground. Nine other men 
working at the time managed to escape unhurt. Engineering 
Union Secretary, Andrew Little says miners from the nearby 
Spring Creek and Terrace mines rushed to Roa to try to rescue 
the buried worker, but were unsuccessful. Roa is a private 
coal mine employing about thirty people.

THREE HOUR STANDOFF RESOLVED
----------------------------

The hostage drama at Auckland Prison at Paremoremo has ended 
without injury. The Corrections Department says the three hour 
standoff between a prisoner who locked himself and a female 
guard in a cupboard at Paremoremo prison has been resolved. 
Police managed to break into the cleaning cupboard where the 
prisoner was holding the guard hostage - overpower him and 
free the woman unharmed. Corrections Chief Executive Barry 
Matthews says "We are all relieved and thankful that the 
officer was safe and secure and that no one was injured. We 
will now be providing support to the officer and other staff 
who have been affected during this event". Mr Matthews praised 
the professionalism of both Police and Corrections negotiators 
in bringing the incident to a satisfactory conclusion. He says 
the Corrections department and police we will be conducting a 
full operational debrief and will make further information 
available once that process is complete. He says the prison is 
safely locked down and there is no risk to public and 
community.
 
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