WYSIWYG NEWS - 24 October, 2007

[news at wysiwygnews.com]

Subject: 24 October, 2007 
----- WYSIWYG NEWS ------------------------------ 
Copyright, Brian Harmer. 
 
Wanganui for the long Labour Day weekend. We went there to 
coordinate with my brother, over the sale of my mother's 
little house. Calamity! The toilet floor was flooded due to a 
previously unknown leak in the tap that provides water to the 
cistern. Even worse, the water had soaked through the wall 
into the carpet in the adjoining room, and there was mildew on 
the wall. Hasty calls to an excellent plumber willing to turn 
out on the Saturday of a long weekend, and to the insurance 
company whose first response was to look for escape clauses. 
Happily, more reasoned analysis by Head office when business 
resumed on Tuesday resulted in a happy outcome. During all the 
immediate panic of discovering and initial remedy, the real 
estate agents with whom we had made appointments turned up and 
the house was not looking its best. My mother was happily able 
to leave all this to my brother and I, but it was a hectic 
afternoon. After that, the trip back was pretty routine. The 
weather since then has progressed from ordinary to absolutely 
awful. It has alternated between gale and severe gale. 
Wellington caught gusts in excess of 130 km/h, and down in 
Fiordland and South Westland, it got even worse with 200 km/h 
near the Homer tunnel. In Invercargill, some fairly severe 
property damage was incurred, but surprisingly no serious 
injury has been reported. We are about to drive to Gisborne 
for our daughter Helen's wedding to Vasely on Saturday, and we 
are hearing of extreme wind warnings between Upper Hutt and 
Riversdale, so I guess our trip over the Rimutaka hill in the 
morning will be interesting to say the least. If the worst 
comes to the worst, I guess we will have to go via Levin 
through Shannon to Palmerston North and thence through the 
Manawatu Gorge, but for now I am hoping for the wind to die 
down overnight. Trucks were overturned by the heavy winds in 
the region of Dannevirke yesterday. Obviously there will be 
exciting events to report next week. 

---- 
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 of copyright owner, Newstalk ZB News. All 
copyright in the news items reproduced remains the property of 
The Radio Network Limited. 
 
I will recommence acknowledging sponsorship from the recent 
donations as of next week. Thanks again. 
----  
On with the News. 
 
Monday, 15 October 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPGRADE FUNDING NO WALK IN THE PARK
-----------------------------------

The future of Auckland City Council's contribution to the 
funding of the Eden Park 2011 Rugby World Cup upgrade remains 
murky. Newly re-elected Auckland mayor John Banks has 
denounced his predecessor Dick Hubbard's proposal to spend $50 
million on the stadium upgrade, instead favouring a makeover 
of the surrounding infrastructure. Mr Banks is backed by a 
number of city councillors, including former deputy mayor 
David Hay, who has returned to the Auckland City Council after 
a stint on the Auckland Regional Council. Mr Hay says the 
previous council was happy to support the upgrade of the 
actual park, but that was because it was also in favour of 38 
percent rates rises over three years. Mr Hay says the only way 
to prevent such a big rise is look at some planned projects, 
and the new council is yet to formalise a position on the Eden 
Park issue. Prime Minister Helen Clark appears to think 
Auckland City will end up paying something towards the 
upgrade. She says there are good reasons why Auckland City 
should stump up, particularly the huge international exposure 
it will get. National's sports spokesman Murray McCully is 
sympathetic to Mr Banks' view, saying Sports Minister Trevor 
Mallard made all the calls on the stadium and he should sign 
the cheques. However Mr McCully says the election dust must 
now be allowed to settle and Mr Banks will have to sit down 
and have meaningful talks with the Government.

(The principal reason that Auckland should pay, is that this 
will be a significant regional asset, just as Lancaster Park 
is to Christchurch, and the Stadium is to Wellington. Look Ma, 
no taxpayer funding! - BH)

RAIDS FIRST UNDER NEW ANTI-TERROR LAW
-------------------------------------

Today's nationwide armed police raids and arrests are the 
first under the Terrorism Suppression Act. Police Commissioner 
Howard Broad says his officers were acting on intelligence 
about people operating and participating in para-military 
training camps involving weapons, which were being held in the 
Eastern Bay of Plenty. It is thought the military style camps 
were run last year and this year. A number of firearms have 
been seized and so far 14 people are believed to have been 
arrested. They include Maori activist Tame Iti, who will 
appear in Rotorua District Court this afternoon. Commissioner 
Broad says the decision to use the Terrorism Act was not taken 
lightly. He says he decided it was prudent to act in the 
interests of public safety. Mr Broad says police will gather 
and assess all available evidence before making a decision on 
whether any of those arrested today will be charged under the 
Terrorism Suppression Act. Although most of the 300 officers 
involved in the operation have gone back to other duties, 
operation is continuing, with suggestions police are still 
looking for people connected with the para-military groups. 
Officers have set up a roadblock in the small eastern Bay of 
Plenty settlement of Taneatua. Officers are on hand 
questioning everyone approaching and only locals are being let 
through the police block. Taneatua resident Ameria Nuku says 
there police presence is massive. She says there are about 20 
police cars, a chopper, uniformed officers and armed offenders 
squad members wandering around. Ms Nuku says people are 
terrified at the mixed message they are receiving abut a 
possible terrorist group being in the area. She says police 
are not telling them anything and it is adding to peoples' 
worry. 

(If ever I saw an example of media fuelled hysteria, this has 
been the worst. Note carefully what Commissioner Broad 
actually said. No decision has yet been made to invoke the 
Terrorism Suppression Act. Ever since then, no news coverage 
of the arrests and subsequent court appearances has failed to 
use the word "terrorist". The media are the ones who insist on 
keeping these events in that particular context. So far all 
charges have been in the context of the Crimes Act, or the 
Summary Proceedings Act. - BH)

ALT TV ORDERED OFF AIR FOR EXPLICIT BROADCAST
---------------------------------------------

The Broadcasting Standards Authority has ordered Auckland-
based music channel Alt TV to go off air for five hours and 
broadcast an apology for breaching the standards of good taste 
and decency. It says Alt TV ran text messages that were racist 
and sexual across the screen during a live broadcast of 
concert Groove In The Park on Waitangi Day. The programme was 
rated G and was run between midday and 5pm. The Broadcasting 
Standards Authority says Alt TV breached the standards of good 
taste and decency, children's interests, fairness and 
denigration. It says two of the words shown in text messages 
were considered among the most offensive in an authority 
survey of public opinion. The station has been ordered to go 
off air and display a silent statement for five-hours on 
Labour Day, summarising the authority's decision. Alt TV must 
also pay a $5,000 fine within a month. Alt TV responded to the 
authority saying it had employed a moderator/censor to look at 
the text messages before they were broadcast. It said 
unfortunately the moderator became intoxicated on the day and 
failed to perform the role. It said it was very sorry and 
regretful about the whole situation, adding that the broadcast 
had ?seriously damaged? its brand and its relationship with 
SKY Television. Alt TV said any order of costs would seriously 
jeopardise its future

QUEENS WHARF HILTON APPEAL RESUMES
----------------------------------

An appeal against the decision to allow a Hilton hotel to be 
built on Wellington's Queens Wharf resumes in the Environment 
Court today. Commissioners appointed by Greater Wellington 
Regional Council last year granted a resource consent for a 
five-star, five-storey hotel to be built on the Outer T of the 
wharf. The commissioners said it would be good for 
Wellington's economy and the potentially adverse effects were 
not significant enough to decline the application. Waterfront 
Watch and the Wellington Civic Trust have joined forces to 
fight the decision. The say the site is an important one and 
should be used for something more significant. The appeal 
initially began in July but was adjourned, and has been set 
down for the next three days.

(I resent people with an edifice complex who have to fill up 
every open space with some money making monstrosity. The space 
is great for the reset of us because there is no monstrosity 
there now. - BH)

HOUSING NZ'S SPENDING QUESTIONED
--------------------------------

National wants to know why Housing New Zealand's spending on 
consultants has nearly doubled in the last four years. The 
bill stands at around $12.5 million while the number of full-
time staff at the organisation has grown from 582 to 1005. 
National's Housing spokesman, Phil Heatley says the number of 
Housing New Zealand staff earning more than $100,000 a year 
has doubled from 39 to 80. Mr Heatley says the figures make a 
mockery of Labour's promise to build in-house capacity rather 
than employ consultants.

HOW CAN VOTER APATHY BE CURED?
------------------------------

Wellington's ousted deputy mayor Alick Shaw believes the First 
Past the Post voting system and electronic voting could be 
possible answers to voter apathy for the capital's next local 
body elections. Wellington recorded one of the lowest voter 
turnouts in the local body elections, with 40 percent of 
people voting, compared with 42 percent at the 2004 elections. 
That is despite an extensive advertising campaign aimed at 
getting at least 48 percent of people participating. Mr Shaw 
says the Single Transferable Vote system, where voters rank 
their choices in order, is very confusing and he has no doubt 
it contributed to the low turnout. "With STV, if we had strong 
political parties working, then I might have a different view, 
but we don't. I think it favours those folk who have got a 
relatively disciplined and committed voter base." Mr Shaw 
believes the low turnout could have skewed the result. 
 
(First cure candidate mediocrity. - BH)

BUSINESS WANTS ALTERNATIVE HARBOUR CROSSINGS
--------------------------------------------

The Auckland Chamber of Commerce wants roading authority 
Transit New Zealand and engineering consultants Beca to come 
clean about the safety status of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. 
A 2006 report by Beca claims the clip on lanes have the 
potential for catastrophic failure but Transit says the bridge 
is safe and the report is outlining an unlikely worst possible 
scenario. Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Michael Barnett 
says the differing views on safety are unacceptable and 
Aucklanders need certainty. He says Transit's plans to fast 
track the upgrade of the bridge have come out at $37 million 
more than expected, which highlights the urgency of the 
completion of the Western Ring Route and a third harbour 
crossing.

Tuesday, 16 October 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KIWIBANK'S OVERNIGHT FAULT FIXED
--------------------------------

Kiwibank says its computer system is back up and running after 
an overnight hitch. This morning customers woke to find 
overnight deposits and withdrawals had not gone through. 
Kiwibank spokesman Bruce Thompson says it was due to a 
technical fault in relation to interbank transactions. He says 
the problem has now been sorted and all customers accounts 
should be back up and running. Mr Thompson says no customers 
will have lost money as a result of the problem.

WIND FARM TO BE BUILT NEAR PORT WAIKATO
---------------------------------------

A new wind farm is to be built on farmland south of Port 
Waikato. Contact Energy says the development is part of its 
investment programme in renewable electricity generation, 
which also includes significant expansion of the company's 
geothermal generation near Taupo. Chief Executive David 
Baldwin says its size is yet to be determined, but it has the 
potential to be up to 650 megawatts. He says that could 
produce enough electricity to power approximately 250,000 
homes and help avoid the production of around 1.2 million 
tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere per annum. Mr 
Baldwin says more than $100 million could be injected into the 
local Waikato economy over the four to five year construction 
period, followed by millions of dollars each year when it is 
operating.

HEALTHCARE COMPANY FINED $22,500
--------------------------------

A Christchurch healthcare provider has been handed a hefty 
fine for breaches of the Health and Safety in Employment Act. 
Ryman Healthcare was found to have significant hazards at its 
Aidenfield site. They included staff working at heights 
without fall protection, poorly constructed scaffolding and 
unsafe use of a forklift. The company pleaded guilty to all 
three charges and was fined $22,500 in total.

CULLEN NEGATIVE ON TAX CUTS AGAIN
---------------------------------

Finance Minister Michael Cullen says New Zealand workers 
should not expect similar tax cuts to those being offered 
across the Tasman. As the Australian election campaign gets 
underway, Prime Minister John Howard is offering $34 billion 
worth of tax cuts, giving most workers at least $20 a week 
extra in their pocket. But Dr Cullen believes tax cuts do does 
nothing for people earning under $30,000 a year. He says a 
Labour-led government would be unlikely to adopt such a 
programme.

POLICE MINISTER DEFENDS RAIDS
-----------------------------

Police Minister Annette King is defending the police raids, 
sparked by military-style training camps in the Bay of Plenty. 
The Maori Party is accusing police of going over-the-top in 
the raids on mainly-Maori communities, which were carried out 
under anti-terrorism laws. Mrs King says suggestions the 
arrests were politically motivated are untrue, as the 
Government only found out about the camps late last week. She 
says it was the Police Commissioner's decision to make the 
arrests, based on the risk to the public. Mrs King says police 
have to make decisions on the evidence they have. She says if 
anything had happened, people would have been asking "why the 
useless cops hadn't done anything about it". Mrs King says 
time will tell if police made the right decision and it is not 
for people standing on the sidelines to decide. Acting Prime 
Minister Michael Cullen is refusing to confirm whether Helen 
Clark or any other Government ministers may have been targets 
of those arrested.

(I really don't admire Ms King, but she is right on the nail. 
If there is evidence of such things as napalm, then the law 
should take its course. - BH)

RESEARCH FOCUSES ON SILAGE AND EFFLUENT
---------------------------------------

New research is being carried out to discover whether maize 
silage can be used to strip nutrients from high nutrient soils 
and also if dairy farm effluent can be substituted for 
manufactured fertiliser on soils with low nutrient status. The 
project is being managed by the Foundation for Arable Research 
and co-funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's 
Sustainable Farming Fund, Environment Waikato and Dairy 
Insight. Spokeswoman Andrea Pearson says silage crops take up 
considerable amounts of nutrients and therefore could be used 
to reduce soil nutrients in cases where effluent has been 
applied long-term to a paddock. She says on the flip side, 
dairy farm effluent could be applied to lower nutrient 
cropping ground, reducing the cost of putting fertiliser into 
the maize crop. The project will run for three years and will 
involve a series of field days, workshops and dairy discussion 
groups.

FEE HIKE CRITICISED BY STUDENTS
-------------------------------

Auckland University is being criticised by its students' 
association for raising fees next year. Undergraduates face a 
2.7 percent increase and post-graduate students a rise of 7.2 
percent. Overseas students will pay five percent more. 
Association Acting President Bethanie Maples says institutes 
should not treat students like cash cows. She says the 
university voted to increase international fees at a time when 
services for overseas students are being reduced. The 
university says it is facing an $8 million shortfall. Vice 
Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon says the government subsidy is 
increasing by just over two percent, which is well below 
increasing costs. 
 
(Almost every tertiary institution has been warned to expect a 
significant reduction in funding from the Tertiary Education 
Commission. The universities and Polytechnics are between the 
proverbial rock and the hard place. Having seen our own 
department's attempts to reduce costs while doing more with 
less, my own opinion is that they are being driven into an 
untenable corner. - BH)

OIL PRICES ROCKETING
--------------------

Oil has shot up to an all-time high and is trading at more 
than $US85 a barrel. Some analysts now say $US90 is the next 
achievable target. The increase is being fuelled by booming 
commodity markets and fresh concerns about tensions between 
Iraq and Turkey. Meanwhile, listed oil explorer Austral 
Pacific Energy has commissioned its Cheal oil and gas onshore 
production facility in Taranaki. Cheal has so far produced 
more than 212,000 barrels of oil at rates of up to 1000 
barrels per day at the A and B sites. Austral Pacific says its 
$NZ30 million facility is unique in New Zealand as it has been 
purpose-built for the extraction, production and 
transportation of Cheal oil, which is waxy and similar to that 
found in the onshore Ngatoro/Kaimiro and offshore Maari 
fields. CEO and president Thompson Jewell says the company's 
next step is to drill and complete two more wells at the A 
site, which is planned to increase daily production by a 
further 50 percent. "There is significant potential for 
further upside in this project and we are excited at the 
prospects for further growth."

Wednesday, 17 October 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EARTHQUAKE BILL REACHES $400,000
--------------------------------

The damage bill from yesterday's 6.7 magnitude earthquake near 
Milford has reached $400,000. Earthquake Commission Insurance 
Manager Lance Dixon says 68 claims had been lodged by early 
this afternoon. Problems include cracked internal walls and 
ceilings, cracked building exteriors and broken chimneys and 
windows. Mr Dixon is urging people to check their homes and 
holiday homes for possible damage as the deadline for filing 
claims is three months after the event.

PRODUCTION CO SCRUTINISING FORMALDEHYDE TESTS
---------------------------------------------

TV3 says the independent production company which made the 
Target consumers' programme will respond to the findings of a 
report into imported Chinese clothing once it has examined it. 
Topshelf's programme claimed there were dangerous levels of 
formaldehyde in Chinese-made clothing but official tests have 
found little cause for concern. The Ministry of Consumer 
Affairs tested 99 items in response to concerns raised by the 
programme. Ninety-seven of the items had either no, or very 
low levels of formaldehyde, which is used to prevent clothes 
creasing. The remaining two garments had above acceptable 
levels, but washing the clothes reduced the formaldehyde to 
well within acceptable levels. Consumer Affairs Minister 
Judith Tizard says ministry's testing was robust and credible 
whereas Target used the wrong testing method to get 
dramatically different results. TV3 spokesman Roger Beaumount 
says Topshelf is reviewing the ministry's report.

PLEA FOR MORE AMBULANCE FUNDING
-------------------------------

St John has made a plea for significantly more money to ensure 
the safety of patients and ambulance officers. Chief Executive 
James Wood has told a Parliamentary Select Committee the 
ambulance service is facing increasing demand and needs to 
employ an extra 400 full time officers over the next eight 
years. He wants to phase out single-crewed emergency responses 
which he says place an unfair burden on ambulance officers and 
endangers patient safety. St John currently receives funding 
from the Ministry of Health, ACC and District Health Boards 
for ambulance operations. The organisation itself contributes 
approximately $8 million a year to its ambulance operations 
and an average of $1.8 million a year to running the Emergency 
Ambulance Communications Centres

TOUGHER ALCOHOL LAWS ON THE WAY
-------------------------------

Tough new laws are set to be put in place for young drinkers. 
The Government is planning to reduce the blood alcohol limit 
for drivers under 20 who do not hold a full licence, to zero. 
The rules surrounding alcohol advertising are also going to be 
tightened. There will also be a new offence for adults, other 
than parents or guardians, who supply liquor to minors for 
consumption in a public place. Three strikes in two years and 
bar managers who sell to minors will be out of business. The 
only defence for selling to a minor will be if they have seen 
an ID.

GOVT'S TEEN DRINK INITIATIVES LABELLED FEEBLE
---------------------------------------------

The Drug Foundation is slamming the government for what it 
claims is a feeble attempt to tackle the booze binge culture. 
The changes include zero alcohol tolerance for under 20-year-
old drivers who do not have a full licence, and three strikes 
and you're out for bar managers who serve liquor to minors. 
But Drugs Foundation boss Ross Bell says liquor advertising 
remains in the hands of the industry and nothing is being done 
to address cheap alcoholic drinks such as alcopops, which now 
cost less than Coca Cola. Mr Bell hopes opposition parties 
will toughen the law once it goes through the select committee 
process. Mr Bell says the fact the moves do not deal with 
liquor licensing makes them weak. New Zealand First MP Ron 
Mark also believes the proposals will do little to stop 
teenagers binge drinking. He says despite debate on the issue, 
parents are still giving alcohol to their kids who are then 
going out and drinking in public places. 

(The editor who chose the preceding article described them as 
"tough new laws". Interesting. - BH)

UNIONS CALL FOR $15 AN HOUR MINIMUM WAGE
----------------------------------------

The union movement is seeking a big hike in the minimum wage. 
The Council of Trade Unions thinks it should rise from $11.25 
to $15 an hour. CTU Secretary Carol Beaumont says the minimum 
wage should be around two-thirds of the average wage. 
 
(I can't see the Employers standing still for that one. - BH)

GOVT URGED TO SMOOTH PATH FOR WIND FARM
---------------------------------------

Advocates for wind energy want the government to ensure red 
tape is kept to a minimum as Contact Energy outlines plans to 
build what could be one of the world's largest wind farms. The 
energy project would be developed on farmland south of Port 
Waikato and cover an area of 320sq km. It will have 218 
turbines able to power up to 250,000 homes. It will be known 
as Hau?uru m? raki, meaning north-west wind. Contact Energy's 
CEO David Baldwin says the site is strategically important as 
it is located in the North Island and is close to the major 
electricity load centres of Hamilton and Auckland. The 
company's research into the economic benefits of the wind farm 
suggests that in excess of $100 million could be injected into 
the local Waikato economy over the four to five year 
construction period, followed by millions of dollars each year 
when it is operating. Around 450 jobs are likely to be created 
in the area during the construction phase. "We see this as a 
very positive development for the Waikato region, including 
for the landowners involved in the project. We have been 
particularly pleased with the response from Maori landowners 
who have enthusiastically welcomed the project? Fraser Clark, 
CEO for the Wind Energy Association says the benefits of wind 
energy are undeniable. "It's a resource that we get for free 
and we've got plenty of it. It's not gas or something that 
might run out or be affected by international pricing. It's 
good for our energy and independence." Mr Clark says it is now 
up to the government to give Contact a hand, by reducing 
barriers to consenting renewable projects. An application for 
resource consent will be filed by the end of the year. Contact 
also wants to construct a flexible, fast-start 100 MW gas-
fired peaking plant at the company's Stratford power station 
site to help support increasing levels of wind generation 
during demand peaks and periods of low wind or hydro 
generation.

WHISTLE-BLOWERS CAN HELP STOP FRAUD
-----------------------------------

Crime is a fact of life for New Zealand businesses. Almost 70 
percent of companies responding to a PricewaterhouseCoopers 
survey report having been fleeced by an employee in some way. 
Their combined losses total almost $70 million, while 20 
percent have involved direct losses of between $1.35 million 
and $13.5 million. The average loss over the last two years is 
$544,922. Sixteen percent of firms report being a victim of 
intellectual property theft. Pricewaterhouse forensic 
investigator Alex Tan says 48 percent of the money is never 
recovered. He is also disappointed about how firms respond 
when they discover they have been robbed. Sixteen percent do 
nothing, 53 percent said they dismissed the perpetrator and 
just 46 percent of cases involved the laying of criminal 
charges. Sixty-eight percent of respondents say they have 
relevant insurance policies but an average of only six percent 
of the lost funds have been recovered from such policies. The 
percentage of organisations in New Zealand that reported an 
incident of economic crime was significantly higher than the 
comparable results in both the Asia-Pacific region and 
globally. A typical perpetrator in New Zealand is a male who 
has been in his position with the organisation for less than 
two years. His highest qualification is a high school 
education and he is aged between 31 and 40. However, in the 
past two years a number of significant incidents of fraud have 
been investigated where the perpetrator did not fit this 
profile, particularly in relation to gender. The most common 
reason for economic crime, not surprisingly, is financial 
gain. The survey suggests tackling the problem by putting a 
whistle-blowing mechanism in place, effective fraud risk 
management controls and training for staff that fosters an 
environment in which the reporting of economic crime is 
encouraged and compliance is the norm. It says an 
organisation's people are both its greatest weapon in the 
fight against economic crime and its greatest liability. The 
survey shows that despite fears of negative publicity, the 
organisations that did suffer from fraud and other economic 
crime suffered no significant collateral damage.

Thursday, 18 October 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FIRESTORM CONTINUES OVER POLICE RAIDS
-------------------------------------

Claims by Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples that the police 
raids have set back race relations by a hundred years are not 
finding favour with some on the Government benches. Associate 
Maori Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta says Dr Sharples is 
misreading the issue, saying it is about public safety, not 
Maori. Among those questioned and arrested when warrants were 
enacted under the Terrorism Suppression Act were a number of 
Maori and environmental activists, including Tuhoe radical 
Tame Iti. Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia was earlier 
today asked whether he thought Tame Iti was a terrorist. He 
said he did not think so, but it is for the courts to decide. 
The Green Party wants the police to show citizens more respect 
in the wake of the raids. Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says 
two well-known environmentalists had their Taupo home searched 
as part of the raids. She is upset at the way the pair were 
treated, especially when no charges were laid. Ms Fitzsimons 
says their house was searched under the Terrorism Suppression 
Act and it is hard to see a connection between terrorism and 
people who have spent their lives on peaceful and constructive 
environmental work. One of the environmentalists is Charlotte 
Pearsall, who says she does not know why her family was 
targeted and she is still in shock. She says Tame Iti is her 
partner's uncle and her parents run an Eco business. She says 
her family has never owned or handled guns, nor does it know 
anything about training camps in the Urewera Ranges. Ms 
Pearsall says the police search of their house lasted four 
hours. She says police brought sniffer dogs through the house 
and went through all her personal things, including her 
underwear drawer, sheets and dirty laundry. 
 
(In general, too many polarised opinions are being bandied 
about. Best to wait the findings of the courts. - BH)

THE JONESES CLEARED AFTER SPEAKING OUT
--------------------------------------

There is relief for real estate firm The Joneses after being 
found not guilty of bringing the industry into disrepute. The 
company faced a disciplinary hearing with the Real Estate 
Institute after making critical comments about the state of 
the sector, and some agents. The Joneses director Chris Taylor 
says the ruling is a victory for common sense. Mr Taylor says 
it is disappointing that advocating good business practice 
with a focus on the customer was seen by a few people as an 
attack on the industry. He says he was only reflecting 
consumer opinion, which is going to continue if it means 
higher standards across the industry.

NATS THROW BOOK AT EDUCATION MINISTRY
-------------------------------------

There is outrage from the National Party over what it sees as 
empire building at the Education Ministry. The party's 
education spokeswoman Katherine Rich has produced figures 
showing the number of bureaucrats employed at the Ministry has 
risen by 16 percent in the past five years. The wage bill has 
increased by 150 percent. Ms Rich says there are more than 119 
people at the Education Ministry earning more than a $100,000 
a year. She says all this spending comes at a time when 
schools are struggling to make ends meet. Ms Rich says if she 
becomes education minister she will want to see how much of 
the department's blowout can be sent back to where it is 
needed.

UPS AND DOWNS FOR NZ'S STANDARD OF LIVING
-----------------------------------------

The latest report into New Zealand's standard of living has 
found a mixed level of improvement in the past year. The 
Ministry of Social Development has released its annual report. 
It has found a number of positives, with life expectancy up, 
suicide rates down and income levels on the rise. New Zealand 
leads OECD countries in terms of having the lowest 
unemployment rate and in being seen as the least corrupt 
country. On the downside, there has been a fall in those 
studying in tertiary education, a rise in obesity levels and a 
high number of people still smoking.

AA ASKS FOR LONG-WEEKEND FUEL REPRIEVE
--------------------------------------

The Automobile Association is asking fuel companies to hold 
off raising their price over the long weekend. BP yesterday 
raised its prices another three cents a litre after 
international oil prices soared to a record high. AA spokesman 
Mark Stockdale is concerned prices are rising at a busy time 
for holidaymakers. He says it is great Gull has agreed to hold 
back its prices and now other companies should do the same. Mr 
Stockdale says weekend motorists should plan their trips 
carefully to save fuel. Earlier increases in fuel prices are 
now showing up in the latest statistics on electronic card 
transactions. Statistics New Zealand says there was a one 
percent rise in their value in September, with much of the 
growth coming from the motor-vehicle related sector. There 
were 79 million electronic card transactions last month, worth 
$4.5 billion. 
 
(And they got it, with the exception of BP who chose to stay 3 
cents dearer than everyone else all weekend. It is my 
anecdotal impression that BP are frequently first to raise the 
price, and never the first to lower it. - BH)

TELECOM NAMES CHARITIES TO GET $250,000
---------------------------------------

Telecom has announced the winners of an online vote to see who 
gets a share of the $1 million it is giving to charity. The 
company put up the money following problems with its Xtra 
internet service earlier this year. The chosen charities are 
the Child Cancer Foundation, the National Heart Foundation, 
the RSPCA and World Vision New Zealand. The recipients were 
chosen by Xtra users and each receives $250,000.

YOUNG PEOPLE RIDDLED WITH DEBT
------------------------------

They are no longer at school, but members of Generation Y 
could do with some financial education. A survey by credit 
information provider Veda Advantage has found 18 to 27-year-
olds are struggling to manage their financial obligations. 
Generation Ys are responsible for a third of all defaults 
listed with the company. Their most popular credit 
applications are for household hire purchase and personal 
loans. Veda Advantage says the figures point to a concerning 
lack of financial literacy amongst young adults, who are 
making the most of easy credit to buy the latest gadgets.

RETAILERS WANT APOLOGY FROM TV3
-------------------------------

TV3 is under fire from the Retailers Association after 
official tests on levels of formaldehyde in clothing imported 
from China were found to have little cause for concern. The 
network's Target programme highlighted dangerous levels of 
formaldehyde, but the Ministry of Consumer Affairs' tests show 
the clothes have no or very low levels of the chemical. John 
Albertson, CEO of the Retailers Association, says the Target 
programme was inflammatory set out to use shock tactics at the 
expense of the true facts. He claims incorrect scientific 
methods were used in the testing. Mr Albertson believes a 
public apology from TV3 would be an appropriate first step.

MINIMUM WAGE RISE MISGUIDED SAYS BUSINESS
-----------------------------------------

A business lobby group believes the call to raise the minimum 
wage by nearly $4 is misguided. The current rate is $11.25 an 
hour but the Council of Trade Unions wants it to rise to $15. 
Business New Zealand Chief Executive Phil O'Reilly says such a 
move would harm the interests of the people the CTU says it 
wants to help. He says it would be better if both businesses 
and unions concentrated on upskilling low paid workers. He 
says with better skills, people are more likely to get a 
better paid job. Mr O'Reilly says a big jump in the minimum 
wage would impact on a large number of workplaces.

FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS NOT LEGALLY BINDING
------------------------------------------

A business lobby group believes the call to raise the minimum 
wage by nearly $4 is misguided. The current rate is $11.25 an 
hour but the Council of Trade Unions wants it to rise to $15. 
Business New Zealand Chief Executive Phil O'Reilly says such a 
move would harm the interests of the people the CTU says it 
wants to help. He says it would be better if both businesses 
and unions concentrated on upskilling low paid workers. He 
says with better skills, people are more likely to get a 
better paid job. Mr O'Reilly says a big jump in the minimum 
wage would impact on a large number of workplaces.

NO RELIEF IN SIGHT AS PETROL PRICES RISE
----------------------------------------

New Zealand motorists will soon be paying even more at the 
pump after a decision by MPs in Turkey. Lawmakers have voted 
to authorise military raids into northern Iraq, to crush 
Kurdish rebels. The ongoing tensions have helped push oil 
prices to record highs, closing in on $US89 a barrel. Analysts 
say the events in Iraq are very relevant to the rest of the 
world because they involve a small region which has most of 
the oil reserves. BP has already raised fuel prices a further 
three cents a litre and other oil companies are reviewing 
their prices. 
 
(Everyone else sold 91 octane at $1.609 all weekend. BP were 
$1.639. How fatuous is that .9 of a cent thing, by the way. Do 
we really believe that we are fooled by a five cent saving on 
a 50 litre fill-up? Why not make them whole cents? - BH) 

Friday, 19 October 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TEACHERS TO VOTE ON AGREEMENT OFFER
-----------------------------------

The likelihood of further industrial action by secondary 
teachers has diminished. Union the PPTA says it has reached a 
consensus with the Education Ministry on a new collective 
agreement. It will now go out to the country's 17,500 
secondary teachers, to be voted on at 24 regional paid union 
meetings.

TOURISM NUMBERS HIT RECORD HIGH
-------------------------------

The number of international tourists in New Zealand reached a 
record high last month. Altogether 168,000 visited, with the 
bulk of 84,000 people coming from Australia. Tourism New 
Zealand's acting chief executive Tim Hunter says it is a good 
result, considering the Rugby World Cup in Europe has sucked 
up a lot of global travel spending.

PACIFIC BLUE TO SPREAD WINGS EARLY
----------------------------------

Pacific Blue is taking off earlier than expected. The airline 
says domestic services will start on November 12, three days 
ahead of schedule. It is offering $9 fares on its Auckland, 
Wellington and Christchurch routes to mark the event. Tomorrow 
morning from 10am, 3,000 tickets will go on sale. 
 
(Woosh! Gone! - BH)

MEAT SECTOR AND SCIENTISTS AGREE TO COOPERATE
---------------------------------------------

Meat processors, marketers and exporters have agreed to work 
closer with scientists on research and development issues. 
AgResearch ran a two-day workshop recently where 
representatives from the sector and researchers discussed 
better ways of working together to become more efficient and 
produce better products. Delegates voiced their concerns about 
the fact that funding for meat processing would run out in the 
next two years. Workshop topics included meat safety and 
spoilage, eating quality products, animal diseases and 
traceability. Dr Andy West from AgResearch says that at an 
international level, it is imperative New Zealand produces 
better, more efficient and new products. He says to achieve 
this, active industry participation in research is essential.

SUPPORT FROM NATS FOR RAISING DRIVING AGE
-----------------------------------------

National is supporting the bill put forward by United Future 
leader Peter Dunne which would raise the minimum driving age 
from 15 to 16, but rural women are against it. National's 
transport spokesman Maurice Williamson says his party has a 
wide range of views on the issue which need to be debated in a 
select committee. He says he tried to move the age to 16 in 
1998, but it was voted down because of opposition from groups 
such as Federated Farmers. However a group representing rural 
women is objecting to any changes. Noeline Holt from Rural 
Women New Zealand says it will have a greater impact on rural 
families because of a lack of public transport outside the 
main centres. She says there is no point in lifting the 
driving age without educating young drivers. "Raising the 
driving age is only part of the solution." There needs to be 
more driver education. I think that's going to be a far more 
creative solution. The bill has been passed unanimously 
through its first reading. 
 
(Interesting. The farming community who have always seen 
themselves as the natural constituency of the National Party 
seem vigorously opposed. - BH)

MORTGAGE RATE RISES BITING
--------------------------

Budgeting agencies say more people are feeling the pinch of 
rising mortgage rates and fuel prices. There is concern 
inflationary pressures will force the Reserve Bank to again 
raise the Official Cash Rate next week. Raewyn Fox, CEO of the 
Federation of Family Budgeting Services says although the 
agency has not yet seen a large number of people losing their 
homes, many are worried it could be a possibility. She says 
people who do not own their own homes are also worried that 
rents will rise. Ms Fox says homeowners whose mortgages are up 
for review are doing complete overhauls of their finances to 
see how they can meet the increase in payments from higher 
interest rates.

EVIDENCE WILL SPEAK FOR ITSELF - POLICE UNION
---------------------------------------------

The police union is urging people who are claiming the anti-
terror raids this week were racist to wait to see the 
evidence. Police Association president Greg O'Connor says much 
of the criticism of police has been outrageous and unbalanced 
and is coming from entirely predictable quarters, such as 
politicians seeking airtime and those subjected to the 
searches. Mr O'Connor says police have learnt the best way of 
conducting such operations over the years. He says unless 
there is a thorough, well-researched approach, things can get 
out of control and people can get hurt, including police and 
the people they are trying to protect. Mr O'Connor says 
fortunately middle, sensible New Zealand is waiting to see the 
facts for themselves. He believes they will be very surprised 
about the extent of the evidence, when it is revealed.

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