Copyright © 1998 Brian Harmer
Coming down off the hill from Normandale towards the Hutt, there are some great vantage points from which to see the harbour entrance. On Tuesday, after an unseasonably warm day, the sky was becoming cloudy as the sun set. Hawkins Hill and the succession of lesser hills acquired that layered look sometimes seen in works by airbrush artists, with each layer a different shade of grey. The harbour itself took on the hue of weathered brass, flat, flawless, golden. Matiu/Somes was close enough to retain some of its green coloration despite the fading light. The inner city was already aglow with the lights on the container terminal, and all the dimmer but still attractive lights of city blocks and streets.
Later in the week, I had occasion to travel back from Wainuiomata, and paused at the lookout at the top of the hill. The sinuous curves of the Hutt River look very attractive from up there. In the foreground, the grim industrial aspect of the Railway Workshops is offset only marginally by the greenery of the Hutt Park Raceway and Shandon golf course. The sweeping curve of Petone Beach takes the eye around to the more pleasing aspect of the head of the Harbour and thence along those hills which hem the road and rail corridor against the sea. Somes/Matiu sits out in the harbour, no longer guarding us against unwanted pestilence, but now a reserve on which it is possible to book accommodation overnight.
What an extraordinary week it has been politically. Watch it unfold as the days pass ... and look at the predictions made by various pundits, and laugh ... if you can.
On with the news
Cabinet has delayed a decision that has had the potential to bust up the coalition. Ministers have been meeting all day to discuss whether to sell the Crown's two-thirds stake in Wellington Airport. Cabinet broke up just before five. The Prime Minister, Finance Minister Bill Birch and Treasurer Winston Peters will meet to discuss the sale before making an announcement one way or another on Wednesday... Our political editor says it is difficult to say what more there is to discuss...a healthy bid is already on the table from a company that is 75 percent New Zealand owned...
Driving Instructors say our licensing system needs to be made stricter if the driving age is to stay the same. A parliamentary select committee has recommended that the driving age should remain at 15. The Land Transport Safety Authority had argued for it to be raised to 16. President of the New Zealand Institute of Driving Instructors, Fred Bardon, says from a safety perspective he is disappointed with the recommendation. He says there is a marked difference in maturity levels between 15 and 16. Mr Bardon says if the age IS going to stay at 15, the Graduated Driver Licensing system must be more rigorous.
(In a completely unsignalled u-turn, the same people later in the week welcomed the retention of the 15 year driving age. - BH)
Auckland's publicly owned bus service has been sold. The Yellow Bus Company was formerly under the control of the Auckland Regional Services Trust. The Trust has now sold the company to the Scottish based company Stagecoach for more than 111 million dollars. Stagecoach also runs the Auckland bus service Cityline, and the Wellington metropolitan bus service. The Commerce Commission initially refused to allow Stagecoach to buy the Yellow Bus Company because it was concerned it may have a monopoly in the market but that decision was overturned several months ago.
(This has caused much wailing and gnashing of teeth among some Aucklanders who are lamenting the probable demise of the familiar yellow bus scheme. For my part, yellow buses are an innovation ... real Auckland buses are a pale green with a cream stripe along the side and the words "Auckland Transport Board" in dark green within the strip ... I find it hard to take seriously claims for heritage status of a colour scheme which I remember being introduced BH)
Revelations that the man who shot a Wellington woman nearly two weeks ago had three previous convictions for breaching bail. Jason Moses shot his partner Liana Collier only hours after being released on bail - police had not opposed it. Moses was found dead a short time later. Labour's Phil Goff says information he has obtained from the Police Minister shows Moses had breached bail three times and had previous convictions involving firearms. He says he can't understand why he was let out again, and the review of our bail laws currently underway should be taken more seriously by the minister.
Interpol doesn't believe New Zealand is a part of an international black market trade in stolen artefacts, despite the theft of a major artwork from the Auckland City Art Gallery. An armed man burst into the gallery yesterday, ripped the two million-dollar painting from its frame, and took off o a motorcycle. Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Allan from Interpol in Wellington says it is the first case he has heard of where, violence and weapons have been used in the heist of an artwork. He says he is just waiting for a good quality colour photograph of the painting, before issuing a warning to Interpol world-wide.
A reserved decision at the hearing of a Palmerston North High Court case over police corruption. Dannevirke man Craig Withey is seeking $850,000 in damages, claiming police framed him on a charge of manufacturing cannabis oil. In June a High Court Jury accepted that while police had fabricated evidence they hadn't done so maliciously. Withey's counsel, Donald Stevens today described that verdict as a miscarriage of justice and asked Justice Ellis to overturn it and award his client damages. However Crown Counsel, Kristy McDonald said the Jury found no malice and there was no basis for the Judge to interfere with the verdict.
A Union representing Prison guards says its members have strict rules about sexual relations with inmates. The PSA is commenting on allegations that an officer got a female prison inmate pregnant at the Arohata Women's institution near Wellington. Spokeswoman Anne Thewles describes sexual relations between the jailer and the person in his charge as a gross breach of trust. The Corrections Department has launched an inquiry into the incident. It says the guard at the centre of the paternity scandal has left his job.
ACT MP Rodney Hide claims Winston Peters could be rolled from his job as leader of New Zealand First. Mr Hide claims that cabinet Minister Tuariki John Delamere... who said last week he would consider the leadership if he was approached about it.... is planning a coup. Rodney Hide says Mr Delamere's office claims Winston Peters has just 6 votes left in the party's caucus.
(To Rodney's credit, his antennae picked up that something was happening, but in every other respect he got his prediction wrong. See later item about formation of a new Maori party. -BH)
The discovery of a case of diphtheria in Auckland is being held up as a timely reminder for parents to immunise their children. A young boy at a childcare centre on the North Shore is being treated for the killer disease the first case in this country in almost 20 years. Doctor Nick Jones from Auckland Healthcare says the case is probably an isolated one, as the boy was treated quickly, and none of the other children at the centre have developed symptoms. But he says diphtheria can lie dormant for years before re-emerging...which is all the more reason for children to be immunised.
Winston Peters appears to have ruled out an eventual public float as a compromise to the impasse over the sale of Wellington Airport. The deputy prime minister and New Zealand First leader says a float wouldn't satisfy his concerns. Cabinet deferred a decision on whether to sell the Crown's two-thirds stake until tomorrow. New Zealand First opposes the sale, while National is backing the idea. Prime Minister Jenny Shipley has told parliament negotiations are under way with the highest bidder.
(The tanks start moving towards Poland - BH)
Better pay, more time off and increased community support are being offered as incentives to draw doctors to the South Island's West Coast. The area has a serious shortage of GPs - three have left over the last few weeks, leaving only two fulltime doctors in the area. Crisis talks between local hospitals and various health groups have been held today to discuss the issue. Buller District Mayor Pat O'Dea says an incentive package has been offered because rural New Zealanders have a right to quality health care - and doctors should be rewarded for providing it.
(I believe that the Coasters are offering a salary package in the order of $90,000 ... almost certainly insufficient to attract doctors away from the money to be made in the main centres - BH)
As the fight goes on at Massey University over fee increases - universities are being told how much funding they are getting by the government today. Education Minister Wyatt Creech says the government is putting 155 million dollars more into tertiary education to implement the new Universal Tertiary Tuition Allowance. That is down from the 250 million dollars announced in the budget because of spending cuts. Mr Creech says he is announcing the new rates for the allowance for 1999 today so providers can complete their planning and fee setting.
An expansion to the student occupation at Massey University. Around 50 students have been occupying the University's Registry building since a 3-hundred dollar fee hike was announced on Friday. Student President, Peter Hobson says around twenty students have now expanded their occupation to include the University's Corporate Communications building. He says students are hoping the new occupation will put more pressure on the vice-chancellor to take their concerns seriously.
The Law Society is concerned that police may be forced to impound vehicles or suspend drivers' licences, if the Land Transport Bill becomes law. A Government committee has recommended licences be automatically suspended if the driver as twice the legal breath alcohol limit, or if the vehicle was exceeding the speed limit by 50 kilometres an hour. The Law Society is concerned that police will have no discretion over the confiscations. Spokesman Peter Woodhouse says a mandatory suspension would be unfair in some cases, including if a driver was caught speeding while rushing a heart attack victim to a hospital.
Thrown straight into the deep end -- the newly elected National Party President is on his way to Wellington tomorrow to discuss the future of the coalition Government. Prime Minister Jenny Shipley is effectively leading a minority government, after a dramatic turn of events tonight saw the coalition crumble. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters led a walkout of his New Zealand First Ministers from a cabinet meeting, over the sale of Wellington airport. National Party President John Slater says there is still a lot of talking to be done, before any decisions are made.
(Neville Chamberlain says "Peace in our time"? - BH)
A plea from the Police Association to keep the Northland police district on its own. The revised police review was released yesterday, which suggests cutting the 16 districts down to between 10 and 12. The original plan suggested 11, but Commissioner Peter Doone says this range gives more flexibility, especially for contentious issues, like merging Northland with North Shore district. Police Association president, Greg O'Connor, says when small districts are tagged on to larger ones they very quickly become the poor relation because they find it hard to lobby for scarce resources.
A landmark day for Maori in the Bay of Plenty, with the Regional Council due to decide whether to pursue a policy of separate seats for Maori representatives. Environment BOP chief executive Jeff Jones says councillors will consider a report by an independent hearings commissioner, who says the creation of a distinct Maori constituency is constitutionally sound. Mr Jones says any change to the make up of the council would require the Government to pass new legislation.
A warning from the Police Association not to make the police review just about dollars and cents. The revised review of the police was released yesterday after two months of consultation. The review has a few changes, mostly to make the options more flexible as it goes back for more consultation with police and Government departments. One change is a recommendation that between 380 and 450 jobs go, rather than the originally specified 445 jobs. Police Association resident, Greg O'Connor, says it is good it's now more flexible, but that is still a lot of jobs. Mr O'Connor says that is not so bad if it's justified and not just about saving money.
The head of Carter Holt Harvey says introducing compulsory redundancies at its Kinleith pulp and paper mill is unfortunate, but necessary. Workers at the mill say the company is trying to back out of a co-operative agreement, so it can shed hundreds of workers and put remaining workers on individual contracts. Carter Holt Harvey Chief Executive John Faraci says an agreement WAS made with the workers - but it isn't binding, as an exit clause exists for both sides. Workers met in Tokoroa last night to discuss the matter, and are meeting again this morning.
(Kinleith has a special place in my memories since I spent five of my bachelor years working there (1963-1968) ... the smell of methyl mercaptan emitted from the chemical pulp digesters will stay with me till my dying day ... but on the whole, they are happy memories of a young and growing town - BH)
Dunedin police are still unsure about how many support staff they will have in future, despite the release of the latest review of their department. District manager John Riley says the report indicates how many staff each district should have but doesn't spell out the actual positions. He says he is hopeful Dunedin won't lose many jobs because its staffing is already lean. The review confirms the merger of the Otago and Southland police districts but no decision has been taken on where the enlarged district will be based.
The political fallout over the coalition collapse continues tonight with New Zealand First's Tuariki Delamere admitting he was involved in drawing up plans for a Maori political party. A detailed paper on the party's been tabled in Parliament and Mr Delamere says he had a hand in writing it. The paper criticises the Pakeha element of New Zealand First saying it doesn't want to be involved with the Maori element of the party. It says that has been made obvious by the actions and speeches of Winston Peters. Mr Delamere says if there was enough support the party's five Maori MPs would have to give a Maori party serious consideration....a hui is expected to be held to gauge support within the next few weeks.
(Much of the outrage centres on the fact that Mr Delamere was proposing to use a taxpayer funded hui to launch this new Maori party. The timing of the proposal so soon after a pledge of loyalty to the beleaguered Winston Peters. Add Delamere to Alamein Kopu in my list of people I don't want behind me if I am under attack - BH)
Any hope of a reconciliation between the coalition partners seems to have been dashed in parliament this afternoon. Prime Minister Jenny Shipley was visibly uncomfortable as... in the seat next to her... New Zealand First leader Winston Peters launched a sustained attack on the National party. Mr Peters says he felt Jenny Shipley had betrayed him at last night's cabinet meeting. Winston Peters says he would also consider overturning the decision... by cabinet... to sell Wellington Airport... and warned the prime minister that the issue is not over. Mr Peters' comments effectively challenge Jenny Shipley to sack him from her cabinet.
(The Stukas attack selected targets - BH)
A constitutional law expert believes National can box on as an minority Government, provided it can avoid being defeated on confidence issues. The Prime Minister says she is happy to lead a minority government if the rift between National and New Zealand First can't be patched up. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and his ministers stormed out of a Cabinet meeting last night in protest at the vote to sell Wellington Airport. Sir Geoffrey Palmer says Mrs Shipley could lead a minority Government as long as she has support on supply and confidence motions. However, Sir Geoffrey says if she does that, there is a high likelihood of an early election.
(The tanks cross the border - BH)
Workers at the Kinleith pulp and paper mill in Tokoroa say it is time for union and management representatives to head back to the negotiating table. Carter Holt Harvey has confirmed it is planning to make an undetermined number of workers at the mill redundant. Chief Executive John Faraci says they have to cut staff as part of restructuring, and the voluntary redundancy process is moving too slowly. Union spokesman Scott Wilson says the company is reneging on a co-operative agreement it made with workers. A meeting between the union and management is scheduled for Monday.
(Ports blockaded - BH)
The parents of a young boy who sparked a diphtheria scare at an Auckland childcare centre, will be asked to supply proof their child has been immunised when he returns. Creative Kids Childcare Centre has decided to ban all unvaccinated children following the case. Co-owner Shayne Ivory says half of the 70-plus children tested have been cleared of the disease. He says the results are encouraging, but he won't rest easy until all the tests come back early next week. Shayne Ivory says the parents of the young boy who contracted diphtheria, intend vaccinating their child. He says they will need to provide an immunisation certificate when the boy is well.
(Hang on a minute. Immunisation produces antibodies. This child has had the disease ... he is now more copiously equipped with diphtheria antibodies than anyone else in the country - BH)
A 41 year old American man uplifted from Antarctica in a mid-winter mercy dash is now recovering in Christchurch hospital. A New Zealand Air force Hercules was sent to the icy continent yesterday to rescue Gerry Ness, who was seriously ill at McMurdo station. It was the first time we have sent a Hercules to Antarctica in the middle of winter, in the dark, on such a rescue mission. A spokesman for Christchurch Hospital says Mr Ness is in a comfortable condition...but says it can't release any more details about his illness.
Winston Peters says he was only doing his job. Mr Peters has delivered a brief media statement in the wake of today's sacking by Prime Minister Jenny Shipley. He is to lose both his treasury portfolio and his deputy prime minister's title. Mr Peters has been accused by the Prime Minister of undermining her integrity, but the New Zealand First leader says he has just been bringing the issues into the public spotlight.
(Blitzkrieg!!! The dogs of war are now irretrievably loosed! - BH)
Act leader Richard Prebble hopes the sacking of Winston Peters will put an end to what he calls the "kindergarten politics" we have seen this year. Prime Minister Jenny Shipley has dumped her deputy prime minister and treasurer, for comments he made about the cabinet's handling of the Wellington Airport sale. She has given the other New Zealand First ministers the weekend to consider whether they will give her their support.
Tuariki Delamere has already signed on. Act's Richard Prebble says the government will have the support of his eight MPs for confidence votes.
The coalition agreement is in tatters tonight following the sacking today of Treasurer Winston Peters.... Prime Minister Jenny Shipley breached the agreement when she appointed Bill Birch as Treasurer and Wyatt Creech as acting Prime Minister....the agreement reserves those jobs for the leader of the junior coalition party... New Zealand First president Doug Woolerton says Mrs Shipley is ignoring the agreement on the one hand and holding it up with the other... She says the future of the coalition will be decided by the disputes committee which is part of the coalition agreement...
Tuariki Delamere has come out today strongly in support of the Prime Minister ... widening the rift between himself and his New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. He says he will give his support to Jenny Shipley, and says she did the right thing sacking Mr Peters. Mr Delamere this evening acknowledges he is likely to be kicked out of New Zealand First. He says the last day has been something of a roller coaster ride. The chairman of Mr Delamere's electorate branch of New Zealand First is calling for his resignation from the party.
(France has a government in Vichy. BH)
The Human Rights Commission says it is okay for childcare centres to turn unvaccinated children away. An Auckland childcare centre, this week ruled not to accept un-immunised youngsters following a diphtheria scare involving one of its children. Other centres which have supported the decision, have voiced fears of being prosecuted for discrimination if they do the same. But the Human Rights Commissioner Pamela Jefferies, says the Auckland centre's decision is sensible. She says childcare centres are entitled to refuse unvaccinated children entry, if it is impossible for them to reduce the risk of infecting other children to a reasonable level.
A victory for police bosses following confirmation today their pay offer is to stand. Police had been seeking a 15 per cent increase. But an independent arbitrator has decided to accept as given, management's offer including a two-and-a-half thousand dollar lump sum payment, and 2.5 per cent rise effective from next October. The police union is staggered by the decision..however, police administration is pleased the matter has been laid to rest. Assistant Commissioner Jon White says part of the deal will see the minimum salary for new constables increase by more than six per cent. He says the settlement allows administration to focus on other challenging issues.
Weather-watchers are keeping a close eye on Waikato skies as the region prepares for another violent downpour... The rain band passing through Northland is due to settle in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Taupo later tonight. MetService forecasters say heavy rain will lash the region until early tomorrow morning. Environment Waikato staff are monitoring the situation...between 20 and 30 millimetres of rain are forecast overnight.
Date: 13 August 1998 Brian Dooley
Wellington New Zealand
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*****
Next week ... well ... I assume there will be a next week? The All Blacks
have just lost their fourth successive test for the first time since about
1929 ... the sky is falling :-(
Brian Harmer
"Our luck is even better than I expected Don Quixote exclaimed
... I'm going to attack those mighty giants and slay them in their tracks" - Cervantes
http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~bharmer/
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