Copyright © 1998 Brian Harmer
Today, Saturday is one of those days of splendour. Midwinter is in the air, in the coolness of the shadows and the starkness of the willows by the riverbank. Far in the North, the Tararuas are adorned with snow, not to any great depth, but just enough to pick out the sharpness of the peaks against the hazy blue of the sky, and to bestow that aura of majesty which snow tipped mountains always have. A green-gold tint on the willows hints at a spring which, in reality is still some way off. The Hutt River wanders between green fields down its rocky bed, pausing at times in still pools that reflect the perfect golden day. Occasionally the reflecting pools dive off in little turbulent patches that rush over the stones just beneath the surface. Here and there a paradise shelduck sports its gorgeous red-brown plumage and clerical collar, but its raucous honking quite spoils the effect.
On with the news
It looks like National will be forced to put a confidence vote before Parliament if the coalition dissolves. ACT leader Richard Prebble says the Prime Minister has written to him after seeking legal advice. Mr Prebble says Jenny Shipley has confirmed National couldn't continue as a minority government without the confidence of the house. He says the solicitor general has advised her that in these situations the government have a couple of weeks to sort things out but must have a vote if it can't get legislation passed.
The Auckland Art Gallery is confident a valuable Tissot artwork damaged in a robbery can be restored for display again. The $2 million painting was stolen from the gallery around two weeks ago. Police today found the work under a bed in a Waikaretu house south of Auckland. It has been cut on three sides and middle sections of the canvas are missing. Auckland Art Gallery director Chris Saines says it's likely the damage to the canvas occurred when the artwork was dropped and the glass shattered inwards. A 48 year old man has been charged with the aggravated robbery of the gallery and two other aggravated robberies earlier this year. Mr Saines says that despite the damage he is certain it can be restored.
A teenager struck by a train in West Auckland today looks set to lose part of a leg. The 13 year old was hit by a train at about three thirty as he attempted to cross the railway tracks near the Henderson Station. Ambulance crews initially feared he might lose both legs. The teenage victim has been transferred to Starship Children's Hospital.
A worker has been burnt in a gas main fire in Wellington. Police say the man and a co-worker were working on a gas main in Lowry Bay this afternoon when a fire erupted burning the man's face. The man has been admitted to Hutt Hospital with minor to moderate burns - the fire was quickly put out. Police say it appeared there was a gas leak - an investigation has been launched.
A major take-over in the insurance sector. Colonial has just bought the New Zealand and Australian businesses of Prudential... for around one and a half billion dollars. That makes Colonial the second largest insurance company in New Zealand... and in Australia. Today's purchase includes NZI Life... which was bought by Prudential last year.
Hamiltonians are equally split about how they wish to be finally laid to rest. A recent survey conducted by the Hamilton City Council has shown a 50-50 split between people wanting to be cremated and people wanting a more traditional burial option. Internment Facilities manager Jane Moore says the survey was designed to measure a variety of issues ranging from satisfaction of services, to preferences of burial or cremation. She says the survey has clearly identified opportunities for improvement.
Renegade MP Tuariki Delamere believes it is no longer New Zealand First.....but Winston First. While he hasn't officially resigned from his party Mr Delamere says he is now effectively an independent MP. Mr Delamere believes the coalition will be formally over within two weeks and he thinks his future will be closely entwined with the other tight five members. He says while they haven't decided whether to follow him....they should think long and hard about their future within New Zealand First because Winston Peters is leading it down a path of destruction. Meanwhile today's cabinet meeting ended with the government saying it is business as usual.
Canterbury Regional Council is promising civil action to recover the cost of repairs to flood protection works on the Opihi River system following last year's collapse of the Opuha dam. Judge Peter Skelton's declined to order the dam's builders to pay the $576,000 in reparations that the council are claiming. In sentencing Doug Hood limited and site manager Chris Hollingum, Judge Skelton also rejected the council's $420,000 claim for preparing and prosecuting the case. He awarded the council $54,000 in costs 90% of the $50,000 in fines he imposed. The council says this won't even cover the legal fees.
Motorists are today being encouraged to drive through a very public Dunedin speed trap. Police are checking the accuracy of their speed cameras on Anderson's Bay Road, after a land-mark case where charges against a driver were thrown out of court. In a bid to compile evidence for any appeal, a test of the cameras is underway and will run through tomorrow morning. At the scene, Superintendent Neil Gyde says even though speeds of more than 35 kilometres an hour will trigger the camera, no tickets will be issued.
All packed and no where to go...that is the scene in sacked deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters office this afternoon... Mr Peters staff have been packed all day but as yet they haven't been told where his new office will be... Most of Mr Peters 15 staff are now looking for work... The man himself is now a backbench MP leading a fractured party which breakaway Tuariki Delamere believes will become even more fractured... Mr Delamere expects at least some of the other Maori MPs to follow him out of New Zealand First which he says is in reality Winston First...
A massive response to an offer of cheap power for Aucklanders. Contact Energy has today joined the domestic supply market, offering average savings of up to 10 per cent a month. As a one-off special, it is also promising free electricity during December for those who sign up before October the first. Contact spokeswoman Tina Symmans says there have been a huge number of inquiries and it's Internet web-site has been upgraded to cope with demand. Meanwhile, Contact Energy believes its arrival in the market is behind the six per cent price reductions unveiled by Canterbury's Southpower today.
Lawyers acting for the accused Auckland City Art Gallery robber have until Thursday to file an appeal against the decision to lift name suppression. A 48-year-old man has been charged with stealing a James Tissot painting worth more than one million dollars. He's also charged with stealing $25,000 motorcycle, and two armed robberies south of Auckland. The man appeared in the Pukekohe District Court this morning, and Judge Mary-Beth Sharp lifted interim name suppression. But it was re-imposed in order for the man's lawyers to lodge an appeal with the High Court.
A huge drop in used car imports through the Ports of Auckland. Its net after tax surplus has climbed by nine hundred thousand dollars, to 40.3 million dollars. Ports of Auckland chairman Richard Carter says the company continues to provide excellent returns to shareholders. Car imports fell from one hundred and 14 thousand, to 89 thousand during the year, with a 31 per cent fall in used car imports.
North Islanders are being warned to brace for yet another spell of wild weather, with the MetService forecasting gale force winds and torrential downpours. A depression Northwest of Cape Reinga is expected to deepen rapidly over the next 12 to 24 hours. Heavy rain warnings have been issued for Northland, the Coromandel Peninsula, Gisborne and the northern Hawkes Bay. A strong wind warning also covers most of those areas.
Police have posted a $50,000 reward in connection with the murder of an Auckland woman four months ago. Claire Hills died in her burning car on Mangere Mountain on the 28th of April. Police have offered the reward for information leading to the conviction of someone for the murder of the 30-year-old. It is one of the biggest sums ever offered by police. The officer in charge of the case says the reward is an incentive to anyone who has critical information to come forward. Detective Senior Sergeant Dayle Candy says immunity against prosecution will be considered for any accomplice who gives information.
At least four people are believed to be dead, after a light plane crashed into the Foveaux Strait. The 10 seater Cessna aircraft was on a scenic flight from Stewart Island to Invercargill when its engines failed, and the pilot sent out a mayday call...just before five o'clock this evening. Our reporter at the scene at Bluff says five survivors have been plucked from the near freezing water, and taken to hospital. It is not yet clear what has happened to the tenth person who was on board the Cessna. Meanwhile, relatives of passengers who were aboard are being advised to contact Invercargill police.
Nine major North Island companies have agreed to pay more than five and a half million dollars for breaching the Commerce Act. The companies have reached a settlement with the Commerce Commission in the High Court at Auckland this afternoon. It follows a three year legal battle over allegations the companies worked together to agree on the prices farmers would be paid for livestock
The government currently has 19 ministers inside cabinet... and two ministers outside. However both ministers outside cabinet.... Robyn McDonald and Brian Donnelly... now sit on the opposition benches... and will lose their posts when the coalition government officially ends in seven days time. Four of the ministers currently inside cabinet have quit New Zealand First to become independent MPs... Tuariki Delamere, Tau Henare, Jack Elder and Peter McCardle. Jenny Shipley says she will make a decision soon on whether they should keep their ministerial warrants... and announce a reshuffled cabinet next week. Meanwhile, MPs have returned to the House this afternoon, but many are now sitting in different parts of the chamber following the collapse of the coalition. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has taken his badly depleted party to the opposition cross benches, while ACT moves over to the government's side. Winston Peters has asked the Prime Minister how she can call herself a centre-right government when it is now right wing because New Zealand First was in the centre. Jenny Shipley says Mr Peters may think he is the centre of the universe, but National has always occupied the centre right. The new government is already displaying signs of a lack of co-ordination. During question time former New Zealand First member Tau Henare was answering questions about Maori forestry, when he was asked a supplementary question by National's John Carter. Unfortunately Mr Carter's question was about the domestic purposes benefit, a subject which had been discussed ten minutes earlier.
The countdown is on for a Hawkes Bay millennium party that is causing a stir world-wide. Restaurateur, Raymond van Rijk has booked out Te Mata Peak for the year 2000 for an exclusive party. Te Mata will be one of the first places in the world to see the dawn of the new millennium. Tickets are limited to a thousand at $700 a head. Mr van Rijk says the Internet has been a great way of marketing his party. So far, he has sold 250 tickets.
Labour has got proof the huge number of New Zealanders waiting to see a specialist is nothing new. A new report shows nearly 100 thousand people are waiting for their first specialist assessment. But Labour MP Annette King says another report dated July last year acknowledged the same serious problem. Mrs King says it is obvious the Health Funding Authority is waiting for the Government to take action. She says what is needed is more cash, and it must be new money, not taken from other services. Annette King says there is also a real danger people will die waiting because they don't know how serious their conditions are.
The defence minister is using the rescue of balloonist Steve Fossett as ammunition in his hunt for more money for the armed forces. Max Bradford says the type of rapid and professional response to an international rescue mission by the HMNZS Endeavour is something that has become virtually taken for granted. In a speech to senior Air Force officers, Mr Bradford says the Asian economic crisis may have curbed regional defence spending by our neighbours. But he says the fragile economic outlook is opening up old divisions and creating instability for the region's security. Max Bradford also points out that while some Asian countries are spending up more than five and a half per cent of GDP on defence, we spend around 1.3 per cent.
Customers look set to be the winner as discount shopping giant the Warehouse takes full advantage of the government's new parallel import laws. The chain has imported hundreds of Philips and Panasonic televisions and videos, and is selling them for as much as 80 dollars less than other appliance stores. It follows the government's decision to break import monopolies. Warehouse Managing Director Stephen Tindall says the new import laws will give customers a better deal.
Signs of stress are already beginning to show in the government's patched together support on confidence issues. The minority National government has 62 votes on its side in terms of confidence issues... including eight votes from ACT. However ACT leader Richard Prebble seems to be asking for some large concessions in return for that support. In parliament today Mr Prebble implied that if the government is not prepared to make policy changes in the direction of the ACT party... it should consider calling an early election. Prime Minister Jenny Shipley is now asking Mr Prebble to clarify whether he wants to participate in the government... and if so... on what basis.
The Navy has been called in to help search for the wreckage of the Southern Air Cessna which crashed in Foveaux Strait last night. Five people died when the plane went down just before five o'clock yesterday. The Navy Volunteer Reserve's inshore patrol craft HMNZS Moa will leave Dunedin tomorrow to travel to the crash scene. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission and police have asked to use the Moa's side scan sonar equipment. Side scan sonar can show metal objects on the sea floor, and was last used in the search for Ben Smart and Olivia Hope.
A Maori lobby group is claiming the right to issue passports to any New Zealander who wants one. The Confederation of Chiefs of the United Tribes says it would like to issue the new passports by the end of the year. Spokesman Dan Davis says they would be available to anyone, Maori or Pakeha. He says the Confederation has the right to govern alongside the elected Government, and they won't be approaching the immigration Service for permission to print the passports. Dan Davis says the confederation is also considering issuing driving licences.
He was a remarkable man - that tribute this afternoon for the pilot of the Southern Air Cessna which crashed into Foveaux strait last night. The owner of Southern Air, Alan Aitcheson, says the 51-year-old pilot, Robin Andrews did an incredible job saving any of his passengers' lives. Five people were killed in the tragedy including the pilot ... - but five survived. Mr Aitcheson says Mr Andrews had 14-thousand flying hours behind him and was an extremely experienced pilot. He says for a pilot to crash land in the water ..but manage to get the passengers out onto the fuselage first, is truly remarkable. Alan Aitcheson says the people of Southland have been amazing, and the whole community has rallied-around. He says he is confident the air accident inspectors will be able to find what caused the tragedy.
Ten people have been arrested at a drug checkpoint at Auckland's Mount Eden prison today. The checkpoint was a combined Police-Prison Officers operation helped by drug sniffer dogs. Six people were arrested for cannabis possession, another for possession of amphetamines and the others for car and driving offences.
Claims vitamin company Healtheries of New Zealand has overstepped the mark by directly targeting schools, inviting them to give supplements to students. Healtheries has sent a letter to school principals which promotes giving Vitamin C and Echinacea to children to boost immunity. Dietician Lyn Gillanders says there is little scientific evidence that such supplements will prevent illness anyway. She says schools should be educating children about healthy eating -- not handing out pills and potions as substitutes.
Labour's George Hawkins says the government is risking embarrassing the country... by possibly having to back down on a commercial arrangement. Taking that sort of risk led to Winston Peters sacking last Friday... after he threatened to support legislation which would overturn the sale of Wellington Airport. However Mr Hawkins says the government is taking the same risk over changes to drivers licences. The Land Transport Safety Authority has already organised a contract for producing photographic drivers licences... despite the fact the legislation requiring those photos has not yet been passed by parliament. Mr Hawkins says that is extremely arrogant... as there is a real chance that legislation may not be passed in the current political environment.
The New Zealand Government says it appreciates and understands the military steps taken against Sudan and Afghanistan by the US. The United States has fired missiles at suspected terrorist sites in both countries, because of their alleged involvement in the US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Foreign Affairs Minister Don McKinnon says New Zealanders will recall the horror of the bomb attacks, which killed innocent citizens at the embassies. Mr McKinnon says the US has very good intelligence which links the suspected terrorist sites to the African bombings.
Pressure is increasing for the Government to hurry up measures to protect young prison inmates. 17 year old Damien Meyer died in hospital yesterday after being found unconscious in the Manawatu prison. Chief Youth Court Judge David Carruthers says there is a desperate need for programmes and a separate facility for offenders under 20. Labour MP Goff supports the judge's view, saying young inmates need to be kept away from the corrupting influence of older, hardened inmates and to protect them from bullying. He says there is no guarantee such a facility would stop suicides, but it would certainly reduce the risk.
There have been more downward movements for retail interest rates today. ASB offshoot Bank Direct has dropped its floating rate to 7.9 per cent. The move matches a similar cut by the Public Trust Office and Sovereign. Interest rates have fallen dramatically in the past 24 hours following the release of the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Statement yesterday morning.
Transport Safety officials are looking further into claims of almost blind drivers passing eye tests for drivers' licences. The Royal Foundation for the Blind says paid up members are being cleared to drive by soft-hearted doctors who often suggest they shouldn't travel further afield than their neighbourhood shops. But the Land Transport Safety Authority says while it is concerning it is not viewed as a major hazard on the country's roads. Spokesman Dave Jones says in 1996 there were 30 injury crashes and 2 fatal smashes involving drivers deemed to be sight impaired. He says in 80 per cent of cases, illness caused the vision difficulties.
The wallet may not seem any thicker, but new statistics show a slight increase in pay packets. Statistics New Zealand says salary and wage rates rose point-6 per cent in the June quarter -- and is two per cent up on the same period last year. Primary teachers' fight to get pay parity with their secondary school counterparts accounts for much of the hike. Their resulting pay increase counts for 36 per cent of the quarterly overall increase in pay rates. Among the major occupation groups, professionals fared best with a 3-point-4 per cent hike, while service and sales workers continue to record the lowest annual movement, up only point-9 of a per cent.
Fears the Government's refusal to label genetically modified foods, could seriously impact on the availability of "kosher" foods. A private members' bill, which would have required compulsory labelling of genetically modified foods, was voted down in Parliament this week. The President of the Wellington Council of Jewish Women, Elizabeth Rothman, says Jews aren't allowed to eat food which has "had its nature interfered with" - for example, a tomato with pig genes. Ms Rothman says the decision against compulsory labelling affects their right to freedom of religious practice and expression, which is guaranteed under our Bill of Rights.
Public health officials are pulling out all the stops to head off a deadly mosquito invasion. A live female adult, and larvae, of the Asian Tiger Mosquito have been found at Wellington's Port, sparking a joint eradication operation. Wellington's medical officer of health, Dr Stephen Palmer, says the mosquito can transmit dengue fever and Ross river fever. He says officials are inspecting the area now, and they will spray any likely habitats with insecticide. Dr Palmer says the ship on which the larvae was found, has also docked at Auckland and Lyttelton.
No decision yet on whether the 18-year-old Southland teenager involved in a fatal car accident will appeal his manslaughter conviction. Seven year old Samuel Kingsbury was killed when a car crashed through the front fence of his home in Gore, in January. The teenage driver, who was drunk at the time, was convicted of manslaughter and jailed for four and a half years. Last night in a landmark case, the car's owner and back seat passenger, Tee Jay Crossan was also found guilty of manslaughter. Tee Jay Crossan's lawyer says a decision on whether to appeal won't be made until after next week's sentencing.
Finance Minister Bill Birch is refusing to rule out spending cutbacks in a bid to balance the country's books. At a meeting in Auckland today the new treasurer has outlined his vision for the future. He is denying speculation of a slash and burn exercise, but has announced that everything is under review. Mr Birch says that includes the billion dollars so far unallocated, from the five billion dollar spend-up announced in the coalition agreement. Mr Birch has also hinted that figures due out from Treasury next month may show a small deficit, as the Asian crisis takes its toll.
Bomb and fire experts continue to sift through the rubble of a Napier house, blown apart during a mystery explosion. The owners weren't at home when the blast destroyed their two-storey home last night. Initial investigations point to an LPG leak in the garage of the couple's home, as being the cause. A bomb expert has been called in to help fire safety officers assess the scene. They are expected to release their findings in the next few hours.
Date: 20 August 1998 Brian Dooley
Wellington New Zealand
CURRENCIES
The currency codes given below conform to ISO 4217, which
can be found at http://www.xe.net/currency/iso_4217.htm.
The rates given are for telegraphic transfer and are
as given in the Wellington Evening Post today.
To Buy NZD 1.00
USD 0.5075
AUD 0.8550
GBP 0.3129
JPY 73.31
CAD 0.7777
FRF 3.0668
DEM 0.9147
HKD 3.9416
SGD 0.8948
ZAR 3.2176
CHF 0.7664
INTEREST RATES (%)
Call : 5.75
90 Day: 6.23
*****
It's been a rotten week, so no time for editorial comment :-(
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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