Copyright © 1995 Brian Harmer
Sorry folks ... still not quite there. And I am making no rash promises for next week, thought the week after, it's all over.
All news items (except where noted otherwise) are reproduced by kind permission of copyright owner, IRN Ltd. 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 "HH" will indicate an opinion from Helen. In all cases they are honest expressions of personal opinion, and are not presented as fact. On with the news:
Foreign Affairs is not reviewing its travel advisory to India, despite calls for the warning to be lifted. New Zealand joined the US and Britain last month when it told citizens to leave India as the conflict with Pakistan intensified. But the Confederation of Indian Industry says the world overreacted and must reverse the advice. It also claims the warnings are informal sanctions to push the two nuclear capable countries back from the brink of war. New Zealand's Foreign Affairs says the warnings and travel advisories will not be removed or reviewed at the moment. Diplomatic missions in India say the advice is based on risk assessment.
Holiday park operators are backing the decision to scrap cheap advance fares for Cook Strait ferry crossings this Christmas. The Interisland Line will not be offering any discount fares on the North to South sailings over the holiday period because they are expecting a busy season. Already some sailings are booked out. Holiday Accommodation Parks Association spokesman Brian Morrison says the Christmas-New Year period is extremely busy for parks in the Wellington and Marlborough-Nelson areas. He hopes the decision will lighten the load and prompt people to spread their holidays out to avoid congestion at holiday parks.
A man originally charged with murder following a killing in Invercargill has admitted the lesser charge of manslaughter. Nineteen-year-old Christopher John Keen has pleaded guilty in the High Court. He was charged following the killing of Kelvin Brian Donaldson at his home in Invercargill last September. Keen will be sentenced next week.
The Prime Minister remains tightlipped over the election date, but she is adamant the Paintergate investigation is not holding up any announcement. Helen Clark is trying to brush aside speculation over the election date as nothing more than a "media frenzy". She says an announcement will be made when Labour is ready. There is speculation Miss Clark will announce an early election sometime this week, possibly after briefing the Labour Party caucus which meets tomorrow. She says the investigation into the paintings she signed for charity but did not paint, is not deterring her from making an announcement.
Alliance Party President Matt McCarten is making a bid for a seat in parliament. He is number three on the party's list,. Leader Laila Harre is number one with Willie Jackson at number two. Mr McCarten comes in just ahead of Liz Gordon. Laila Harre says Mr McCarten has played an extraordinary leadership role in the Alliance, particularly during the difficulties which led to the Alliance split. She says his placement at number three reflects her personal desire to have him in Parliament. She says the Alliance has gone through a messy divorce but is now under new management and has a strong team for the election campaign. The latest NBR opinion poll suggests the party has less than one percent support.
The Prime Minister believes today's announcement on the secondary teachers' vote will show whether teachers have confidence in the leadership of their union, the PPTA. Secondary school teachers have been voting on whether to ratify the latest agreement reached by their union and the government. They are expected to reject the offer, which consists of a 5. 5 percent pay rise over three years and an allowance for the implementation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement. Prime Minister Helen Clark believes the leadership of the union is being tested by the ratification votes. She says the members do not seem prepared to back the judgement of the PPTA negotiators. Miss Clark says the government needs to know what it will take to get members to seriously consider a negotiated settlement. Meanwhile, principals say a deal that gives secondary teachers a pay rise that is greater than inflation would go some way towards achieving a settlement. Principals' Council spokesman Russell Trethewey says there are serious staff recruitment and retention issues developing in secondary schools. He says the problems are not going to be addressed by a settlement that falls below the level of inflation. If teachers do reject the agreement, it will be the second deal turned down by union members.
National is warning that if secondary teachers do not ratify their pay offer there will be a lot of angry parents. The teachers' union, the PPTA, will release the results of its nationwide ballot today on whether to accept or reject the government's offer of a 5. 5 percent pay rise and allowance for the new education certificate. Many teachers have expressed dissatisfaction about the deal. Union members will be told the outcome of the ballot this morning and a public announcement will be made at around midday. PPTA President Jen McCutcheon says opposition to the settlement centres on enormous issues facing secondary schools. She says the recruitment and retention of teachers is a huge issue and the NCEA is creating intolerable workloads. National Party leader Bill English says parents have been left right out of the debate. He says they have had continuous disruption through children being sent home from school and there does not seem to be any sign the government is making progress with the teachers.
The Green Party wants the government to defer refugee legislation which might prejudice a case before the High Court. Immigration spokesman Keith Locke says the government should not proceed with part of the Transnational Organised Crime Bill. The Human Rights Foundation and Refugee Council claim routine detention of asylum seekers is contrary to the Refugee Convention and Justice Baragwanath agrees. Mr Locke says the new law assumes the Immigration Act can still be used against asylum seekers, which is contrary to the judge's interim ruling. He says three clauses relating to the judgment should come out of the bill until the final judgement is given.
There are hopes the pay claim by Auckland nurses will not go the same way as the secondary teachers' dispute. Nurses throughout the region are holding site meetings this week to vote on whether to take strike action. Nurses' Organisation Northern Regional Manager James Ritchie says the government has got into a difficult situation with secondary teachers, but there is no need for a similar stalemate with nurses. He says there will be no action before mediation talks scheduled for early next week. Mr Ritchie hopes the talks will resolve one of the main sticking points, the rate of pay for graduates. He will not put a dollar figure on what the union wants, but says other health professionals have starting salaries of $35-40,000. He says the nurses, like teachers, want to ensure their pay is attractive enough to entice good people into their profession.
A show of support from economic analysts for Winston Peters' immigration policy. The New Zealand First leader says immigration is out of control and should be tightened. Economic consultants, Infometrics, says the government needs to take another look at its immigration policy. Director Andrew Gawith says the overflow of migrants is putting pressure on domestic services such as housing, schools and health services, forcing interest rates to rise. Mr Gawith says keeping within the government's immigration target would ease the pressure on the Reserve Bank, as well as exporters. He says what is needed is an even immigration flow that the economy's resources can handle and which also meets labour demands. Mr Gawith says exporters are feeling very unsettled by higher interest rates and a rising kiwi dollar.
Authorities are monitoring Queen Charlotte Sound for a possible fuel leak, after the sinking of a luxury launch. Around 600 litres of fuel was on board the Silver Spray when it sank off Cape Koamaru on Saturday night. The launch went down after hitting a rock. A light plane will check the area this morning. Maritime Safety Authority deputy- director Bruce Maroc says the situation is being monitored but he believes the fuel would have been dissipated by high seas in the Sounds yesterday.
Business New Zealand wants less talk and more action over growing speculation of an early election. Business New Zealand CEO Simon Carlaw admits the election is unlikely to be a cliffhanger but says the final make-up of the government is uncertain. He says financial investment decisions may be postponed until the nature of the government becomes clearer. Mr Carlaw says Business New Zealand will spend the next month analysing political policies to determine which will best promote economic growth. He says policies will be graded against the organisation's score-card for economic growth.
A Methodist minister has been assaulted at a church in the Auckland suburb of Glen Innes. Police say the minister was hit on the head by a man around eight o'clock, at the Methodist Church in Maybury Street. The man fled the scene after assaulting the minister, and police are yet to find the assailant. He is believed to be known to church members. No further details are known at this stage.
Wellington nurses are among 4,000 in the Lower half of the North Island voting on their latest pay offer this week. Nurses at both Capital and Coast Health and Hutt Valley Health have been voting on whether to accept the offer. If they accept it, it will bring all nurses at District Health Boards in the lower half of the North Island, into line with those at Capital and Coast. The union for the nurses, the Nurses' Organisation, says if the latest offer is not agreed to, the union will seek to get back to the mediating table to get a better contract. Strike action is not planned at this stage. A result of the vote is due tomorrow afternoon.
The Anglican Trust for Women and Children is pleased one of its former employees has been punished for sexual abuse crimes committed thirty years ago. Seventy-two-year-old Matamata man Ramon Doughty has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the High Court in Hamilton. He had earlier pleaded guilty to 16 counts of sexual abuse including rape and sodomy, committed against three girls in his care. At the time of the abuse, Doughty and his wife were running Blackwood House in Auckland, owned by the Trust. In a written statement, spokeswoman Dianne Kenderdine says the trust deeply regrets the anguish caused, and is pleased the person directly responsible has been held accountable.
July 27th will be election day. Political editor, Barry Soper says Helen Clark's excuses for calling the early poll are fairly flimsy. She says she wants the mandate of the people to lead a strong Government. The Prime Minister says the election date is about two and a half months earlier than she had intended. She says what spurred her into going early was the time-wasting farce Parliament's become, added to the position her current Government's in. Miss Clark says there now are not enough hours in the day for the legislative programme. The Prime Minister's blaming the shambles in the Alliance, which had led to filibustering from the Opposition benches. Helen Clark says she is relishing the prospect of campaigning but she doubts whether National's Bill English is. But Mr English says Helen Clark has simply panicked, because National's rising in the polls. He says Miss Clark should be worried about it, because he is getting a great reception on the road. However, National has taken a hiding in the latest opinion poll, trailing Labour by a record 32 percent. Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton believes there's a strong need for an early election. Mr Anderton says an election is needed, so the Government can get on with its progressive direction. He says he is confident he will be re-elected in the Wigram seat. Mr Anderton says Helen Clark has also indicated he will be part of any new Labour Government. The Greens, meanwhile, want Labour to come out before the election, and say whether it will consider them as a potential coalition partner. The Greens says the right is now irrelevant, and the only question in this election is whether voters give Labour absolute power. Green co-leader Rod Donald is urging people to vote Green so they can keep Labour honest. But he says Labour should state its intentions before going to the polls, if it does not have a majority. Helen Clark has all but ruled out the Greens as a potential coalition partner following its uncompromising stance on GM. New Zealand First believes the Government has thrown in the towel by calling an early election date. Party Leader Winston Peters says the Government has no constitutional reason to go to the polls early, and is only doing so because the economy's starting to turn sour. Mr Peters says his party is ready when others are panicking, and it will launch its campaign on Monday in his seat of Tauranga. He says his party is on the way back and he says it will be a factor in the next Parliament. ACT leader Richard Prebble agrees there is economic reasoning behind Miss Clark's decision. Mr Prebble says mortgage interest rates will be at nine percent by November and export prices are falling. He says the Government has not tackled the problem of violent crime, nor has it provided business the tax incentive to compete on the world markets. Political analyst Colin James says July 27th is far too soon for her coalition partnerHe says Jim Anderton is in a difficult position, with his party not really up and running, and what is left of the Alliance badly needing more time. Colin James says it is also bad news for National, which is running a good 20 points behind Labour in the polls. He says Bill English needs all the time he can find to get his campaign together, and Helen Clark's just sliced three months off that. Colin James says, of all the other parties, the early date suits the Greens best. They are riding high in the polls at the moment, at around eight percent, and the early date leaves less time for Labour to knock over the Greens GM argument.
The PPTA admits students will suffer from the latest industrial action. The secondary teachers union has imposed an immediate ban on involvement in extra and co-curricular activities. It comes on the back of the teachers' rejection of the latest pay offer from the Government. PPTA president Jen McCutcheon says the implementation of the NCEA is a nightmare, and requires all the teachers' time. She says there's simply no time to spare for other activities. But she says the downside is the impact on the students. Ms McCutcheon believes the ban will reveal just how much personal time teachers give to students.
Medical experts admit to being mystified about how a woman on a strict dieting regime ended up suffering from an illness more often found in alcoholics. The journal Neurology reports that the woman - who lost around 20kg in just under a year - developed Wernicke's encephalopathy. The condition causes erratic movements or even paralysis in the muscles which control the eye, along with upsetting the sense of balance and the ability to walk properly. It is normally caused by the lack of vitamin B1, which is often linked to alcoholism. If untreated it can cause permanent brain damage. In this case, the woman had been eating a balanced, healthy, calorie-controlled diet, with vitamin supplements. Italian doctors who have studied the case believe a herbal supplement the woman was taking may have been responsible, but admit that it may simply have been her genetic makeup that was to blame. The woman was successfully treated with vitamin injections.
A strong New Zealand dollar could herald a price war amongst new and used car dealers. The company which distributes Hyundai has cut the price of its new vehicles by up to six thousand dollars. The price changes are effective immediately and are the result of a new agreement with Hyundai in Korea. New Zealand General Manager, Philip Eustace, says the price drop is the most dramatic in the car market for several years. He says kiwis will now have a real choice between buying brand new or second hand vehicles.
Time is running out for anyone not on the electoral roll. Today's announcement of a July 27th election means the rolls close for printing in just under a fortnight's time on June 25th. Two and a half million people are already enrolled. That is 400,000 more than at the same stage during the 1999 election campaign. But Electoral Enrolment Centre Manager, Murray Wicks, says 250,000 people still need to fill in a new enrolment form to ensure they are eligible to vote.
A huge increase in the number of drownings. Ten people drowned last month, bringing the total for the year to 57 in just five months. The death toll last year was 45 for the full 12 months. Water Safety New Zealand says the most significant areas of concern are swimming and fishing. He says people enjoying water sports need to take responsibility for their own actions and avoid unnecessary risk taking.
The government has committed an extra $1 billion over the next decade to defence spending. Defence Minister Mark Burton has released the Defence Long Term Development Plan, which identifies proposals for defence capital expenditure over the next ten years. He says most of the $1 billion will probably be spent within five years. Mr Burton says in addition to projects already approved, total spending on defence capital projects is likely to exceed $3 billion over the next decade.
Strongly worded political editorials in two of the country's major daily newspapers are a sign of the times, according to a leading authority on the media. Both the New Zealand Herald and the Dominion have run editorials against the Green Party. Previously newspapers have tried to be non-partisan in reporting on politics. Jim Tully from the Canterbury University's Mass Communication and Journalism Department believes the shift in policy has occurred because of the apparently disproportionate amount of power small parties now have under the MMP system. Mr Tully says editors have always had a sense of leadership. He believes the strongly written editorials have come about due to editors taking a role in explaining, educating or at least providing ideas of how voting and political influence might occur. Broadcast news organisations, on the other hand, are required by law to observe standards of impartiality and balance, or answer to the Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Helen Clark has put the country out of its misery, ending weeks of speculation over the election date. The decision is a relief to the business communityVoters will have their say on Saturday, July 27. The Prime Minister blames instability in the Alliance for her decision to go to the polls early. Miss Clark says the breakup of the junior coalition partner's having an impact on the Government's ability to get legislation through Parliament. She says large amounts of time are being wasted on most sitting days by points of order, in what she labels opposition time- wasting. The Prime Minister does not think any good would come from dragging things out, as it would further demean the standing of Parliament in the eyes of the public. Business leaders say they are pleased Helen Clark's finally named the day. Auckland Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive, Michael Barnett, says the speculation was beginning to cause some indecisiveness within the sector. He says some of the fringe elements in politics were also trying to take advantage of the uncertainty. Michael Barnett says it is good we all now know what to expect. The markets have greeted the news with a yawn. The dollar and interest rates are barely changed and Peter Adams of HSBC Bank says that date had already been factored into the equation by most financial players. He says attention in the financial world is now directed at the next review of the official cash rate. Peter Adams says the point of discussion is whether the increase will be quarter or half a percent.
Waikato tribe Tainui is highlighting the financial benefits it has provided to its people in the wake of its latest executive resignation. The tribe's Trust Services Manager David Gray walked out on his job yesterday after only four months. He is the latest in a string of executives to leave Tainui. Te Kaumaarua chairman Kingi Porima says in a sign that the tribe's problems are in the past, more than $650,000 will be handed out to Tainui beneficiaries before the end of the year. He says Tainui is in a strong financial position, with a budgeted $10 million operating surplus for the current financial year. But source at the tribe says dissatisfaction among members is not about money, but is about control with one faction supporting the Kingitanga movement, while another supports the ruling council. The source, who does not want to be named, says until that issue is resolved, Tainui will not make any progress.
There are fears for the long-term future of school sports following a ban on extra-curricular activities by angry secondary teachers. The PPTA's ordered members not to take part in after school activities such as sports and drama. The move follows the rejection of the latest Government pay offer. The ban on extracurricular activities takes effect immediately, nationwide. Teachers warn if it goes on long- term, we could end up like Britain, where there is little in the way of after-class sports or other activities at state schools. Auckland regional PPTA chairman Alan Papprill says if nothing else, the ban will give union members some time to spend with their families. He says after-school sport requires teachers to do many more hours for no extra pay and little recognition. Mr Papprill says the ban will stay in place until a new pay deal is reached.
A 72-year-old Matamata man has been sentenced to seven years in prison, for 16 counts of sexual abuse dating back to the 1960s. Ramon Doughty earlier admitted abusing the three girls, who had been placed in his care 30 years ago. At the time, Doughty and his wife were running Blackwood House in Auckland's Herne Bay, which was owned by the Anglican Trust for Women and Children. The victims, aged six to 15 at the time, were subjected to prolonged periods of abuse, including rape and sodomy. The victims were present in the High Court in Hamilton for today's sentencingIn handing down the sentence, Justice Nicholson said crimes against children must be condemned with emphasis.
Wedesday, 12 June
A 19-year-old has been charged with the murder of missing Bay of Plenty man John Sorenson. The teenager, from Putaruru, will also face a charge of unlawfully taking a vehicle. Mr Sorenson, aged 56 disappeared on Sunday night, and police found blood and signs of a struggle at his Mamaku home. His car was found early today in the south Waikato town of Putaruru, and a body was located in a shallow grave in a forest just south of there. A formal identification of the body and a post mortem examination are scheduled for tomorrow.
Organisers of this year's 34th annual National Fieldays agricultural show say the rain during the official opening ceremony has become something of a tradition. However, Fieldays operations manager Kevin Lindsay says he was relieved to see the Mystery Creek site's sophisticated drainage system got rid of most of the surface water fairly quickly. He says roads at the site have been contoured with a "V" profile - opposite to normal roads - which brings the water into the centre of the road and away from the exhibition stands. The event was officially opened by Prime Minister Helen Clark, at her first public outing outside of the capital, since announcing the election date yesterday. Ms Clark says Fieldays puts Waikato and New Zealand on the map. She says farmers look to Fieldays to see the latest in technology and innovative ideas . The Prime Minister took the chance to start her unofficial election campaign, saying she has been surprised by the feedback she has had from people who would not normally vote for Labour. She says farmers see that Labour has got in alongside the dairy industry to give it the best possible chance overseas. Fieldays organisers say visitor numbers look to be slightly up on last year, carrying on a four year trend. Organisers will announce official figures tomorrow morning.
Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton's been accused of personality politics by calling a party after himself. Mr Anderton will next Tuesday officially join and lead the Jim Anderton Progressive Coalition Party. Ms Harre says the name of the party simply confirms what his Alliance MPs have had to put up with over the past few years. She says not since the Pauline Hanson episode in Australia have we seen a personality cult trying to disguise itself as a political party. Mr Anderton says the party's being called after him to make sure people know who they are voting for, and not about ego at all.
Rotorua police searching for a missing Mamaku man have found a body. John Eric Sorenson has not been seen since Sunday night. Detective Senior Sergeant Garth Bryan says they have located a body in a shallow grave in a forest just south of Putaruru. Earlier today police recovered the 56-year-old's car from the south Waikato town. Detective Senior Sergeant Bryan says they have yet to make a formal identification on the body, which will remain where it was found until tomorrow. A man is helping police with their inquiries.
Secondary students fed up with the PPTA dispute are taking matters into their own hands. Pupils at Christchurch's Riccarton High School and Villa Maria College are refusing to go to class. It follows the teachers' rejection of the latest pay offer, and the PPTA's ban on extracurricular activities. Villa Maria Year 11 student Maria Duncan says they are angry with both the Government and the PPTA. She says the union is taking away the students right to take part in extracurricular sport and cultural activities. Wellington's Onslow College teacher Bernard Beckett says his fellow teachers have voted not to carry out the ban. He says they are also urging the PPTA to lift it altogether. Mr Beckett says action like the extracurricular ban splits the staff and angers the students. Meanwhile, Christchurch's Riccarton High School principal Gary Coburn says at least five schools in the city have been hit by student protests today. There were many students protesting who are good students but who are genuinely unsettled at their sporting and cultural activities being taken away. Gary Coburn says the extracurricular activity is the part of school students enjoy the most.
Electricity and gas distributor UnitedNetworks says it is considering selling the entire company, following the decision of its major shareholder to exit the operation. UnitedNetworks is 70 percent owned by American utilities company Aquila Inc. Aquila, based in Kansas City, Missouri, wants to sell assets to shore up its balance sheet. United Networks has appointed Deutsche Bank to seek expressions of interest from potential buyers for all the company's shares or its assets.
A sought-after Auckland college says zoning is forcing parents to try to bribe their way into the school. Principal of Avondale College Brent Lewis says out-of-zone parents have offered to pay international student fees of between nine and 12 thousand dollars a year to enrol their child. He's even received post-dated cheques with enrolment forms - in one case for three thousand dollars - with the intention the cheque be cashed if the enrolment is successful. Mr Lewis says zoning has created a messy situation, with families moving house, providing bogus addresses and now even offering money to get their child into zone.
Manners in the workplace have taken a turn for the worse, and socialising may be to blame. Recruitment specialists TMP Worldwide have surveyed more than 230 people on-line. Fifty-seven percent of respondents think manners just are not as good as they used to be. Fifty-three percent claim swearing is common at their work. When it comes to who is doing the swearing, colleagues are the worst offenders at 57 percent, followed by bosses at 22 and customers at 20 percent. The behaviour the respondents found the found most offensive was a colleague making or accepting a phone call during an interview. TMP's David Doyle says colleagues interact more outside the office and may be bringing their social behaviour back into the workplace. Ninety percent of respondents want their boss to care about them as a person.
The police have launched a recruitment campaign for criminal intelligence officers. Advertisements seeking applicants for a range of positions appeared in the major newspapers around the country. Police counter terrorism Assistant Commissioner Jon White wants to improve New Zealand's ability to deal with both international and domestic security. He says there is a need for greater understanding of terrorism and to develop more sophisticated counter terrorism response. The positions available include intelligence support officers and tactical intelligence analysts.
The organisers of the Yellow Ribbon Fight for Life boxing event are claiming a big surge in revenue. The celebrity bouts last week are intended to raising money to help prevent youth suicide. Fight for Life organiser Dean Lonergan says while he cannot reveal the final figures until the end of the week, he is impressed. He says the result will be better than last year's event.
A man who robbed an Auckland bank hired a taxi for his getaway vehicle. It is the second time the man is believed to have held up a bank in less than a week. Police say the man hired a cab from Pakuranga's town centre yesterday, paying to be driven round the corner from a WestpacTrust branch. The man then walked into the bank with a knife and handed a teller a note demanding cash. He then fled to the taxi with the money, paying the unsuspecting driver to be taken to Newmarket. Police are confident he is the same man who robbed an ASB bank in Panmure last Wednesday. The man's described as skinny, 175cm tall, aged between 17 and 20 and of Pacific Island descent.
Health professionals come in for some criticism following the most comprehensive study of HIV and AIDS patients ever undertaken in this country. The study reveals more than 70 percent of patients rate their health as good or excellent. But Executive Director of the Aids Foundation, Kevin Hague, says the study shows that four out of five patients got their initial HIV test results without any pre-counselling. He is also worried at the number of patients who reported a health professional had breached their patient confidentiality by telling someone else of their HIV status without consent. There is also alarm at the poverty being experienced by a significant proportion of HIV and aids patients in this country. Aids Foundation Executive Director Kevin Hague says discrimination in the work place and long-term dependence on benefits means many of those surveyed are living below the bread line. He says up to 15 percent reported having real difficulty affording food and medical treatment.
The Wallace family is elated but Constable Keith Abbott is gutted by news he will have to stand trial for murder, after all. The chief justice has overturned the findings of two Justices of the Peace who ruled a private prosecution by the Wallace family could not go ahead. The officer will stand trial for the shooting death of Steven Wallace in Waitara in April 2000. Dame Sian Elias says there is enough evidence to take to a trial. She says the JPs did not understand their proper function. The chief justice says the credibility of evidence, and the guilt or innocence of Constable Abbott must be left for a jury to decide. Wallace family lawyer John Rowan QC is not surprised at the decision, and he is grateful the matter's been given proper consideration. However Police Association president, Greg O'Connor says today's decision is extremely disappointing. He says it is another step on the path to getting justice for Constable Abbot. And senior police managers have been quick to pledge their support to Constable Keith Abbott. Central District Commander, Superintendent Mark Lammas says he respects the decision. He says Constable Abbott's now on special leave until the court process is completed
Fears of a repeat of today's unprecedented bout of civil disobedience by secondary school students. Tens of thousands of teenagers have effectively given themselves the day off. Many walked out of their classrooms en masse. Some students just went home to enjoy an early weekend. But many others took part in demonstrations against the effect the teachers pay dispute is having on their education. Hundreds of students from Heretaunga College in Upper Hutt marched through the city to present a petition to local MP, Paul Swain. They said they were upset at the effect the ongoing teachers' pay dispute is having on their education. Head boy, Stuart Henderson says teachers were supportive of today's action. He says the whole issue in Heretaunga College appears to be intensifying and the ban on extra- curricular activities is having a negative effect on school morale. Protests took part in most cities and towns. In many cases police looked on as students walked out of school. School Trustees Association President, Chris France, says there was little anyone could do to prevent today's demonstrations. His worry now is what will happen on Monday. The PPTA executive has condemned the walkouts, but says Education Minister Trevor Mallard needs to take note of what's happened. However National is calling for the minister's resignation. Leader Bill English says it is simply not good enough for the Education Minister to wash his hands of it because he does not have a fresh pay claim on the table. He says where there's anarchy in the schools Trevor Mallard has to do something more than simply making points of principle. A fresh pay claim is expected from the teachers sometime next week. The minister's yet to make any comment on today's action. Meanwhile the PPTA claims teachers fully support the extra-curricular ban that is sparked today's unrest. The order from the union stops teachers taking part in any unpaid activity outside normal school hours. PPTA president Jen McCutcheon says all industrial action must get endorsement from the union's members. But she says the reaction to the ban will be taken into consideration. Ms McCutcheon says the PPTA will give teachers an opportunity to have another vote on the action early next week.
National leader Bill English has congratulated the Yellow Ribbon Fight for Life organisers for raising a record sum of $1 million. Mr English was one of the main attractions at the charity boxing event held earlier this month, losing his fight on points to entertainer Ted Clarke. The event aimed to raise money and awareness for youth suicide. Mr English says Fight for Life organiser Dean Lonergan and Thelma French from Yellow Ribbon deserve to have achieved the record amount. He says they put in countless hours in ensuring it was a success.
The lawyer for a man accused of murdering bank worker John Vaughan has expressed concern about his client's treatment in prison. Mr Vaughan died after being shot in the head during an armed robbery in the Auckland suburb of Mangere Bridge, last month. Four men accused of his murder - two of whom are also charged with murdering pizza worker Marcus Doig - appeared in the Manukau District Court today. Lawyer Paddy O'Driscoll says the four men were being kept in solitary confinement, 23 hours a day. He told the court if the case is delayed too much, their treatment could be deemed harsh and unusual punishment under the Bill of Rights. A pre-depositions hearing has been set down for July.
Acting Reserve Bank Governor Rod Carr says a recent surge in immigrants is causing inflationary pressure. Dr Carr's comments come in his response today to a series of questions from Parliament's Finance and Expenditure Committee. He says immigration is stimulating demand more than it is adding to the country's ability to produce goods and services to meet that demand. And Dr Carr says the recent inflow of migrants has done little to alleviate the skill shortages being experienced by a tight labour market. However the governor says in the long term the inflow of immigrants may help the country's economic growth prospects. The Reserve Bank has been lifting the official cash rate in order to dampen down inflationary pressure.
Name suppression has been continued for the four men arrested following the murders of a pizza worker and a bank worker in Auckland last month. Marcus Doig and John Vaughan were shot during separate armed robberies. Continued name suppression was granted at the end of a hearing today in the Manukau District Court. Two of the men are charged with murdering both Marcus Doig and John Vaughan, and the attempted murder of Mr Doig's co-worker. The other two are charged with the murder of John Vaughan only. They all face robbery charges. A pre-depositions hearing has been set down for the 5th of July. In the meantime, all four remain in custody.
Some changes at the top of food giant Heinz Wattie's. The company is re-establishing kiwi management for its New Zealand operations. Peter Lucas who was previously Managing Director of Tegel Foods Ltd becomes CEO of Heinz New Zealand responsible for the Wattie's and Tegel businesses. He will report directly to Dick Wamhoff, area Vice President for Asia Pacific who will be supported by a corporate office based in Melbourne. Reporting to Peter Lucas will be Bruce Scott, who has taken over as Managing Director of Tegel Foods. Also reporting to Mr Lucas will be Nigel Comer, who as Managing Director of Heinz Wattie's in New Zealand has now been given responsibility for all Wattie's operations in New Zealand. The organisation says the changes are a positive step for the Heinz-Wattie's team in New Zealand and re-establishes locally-based management of Wattie's and Tegel.
The Wallace family has succeeded in its quest to get the private murder prosecution of Constable Keith Abbott back into court. The Chief Justice, Dame Sian Elias has released her decision following her review of the case, and says the case should go to the High Court. She has overruled the two JPs at the New Plymouth District Court who after a depositions hearing decided that the case should not go to trialShe has granted permission for Steven Wallace's family to file an application for a private murder prosecution. Constable Abbott shot Mr Wallace dead in the main street of Waitara in April 2000. The argument of the Wallace family lawyer, John Rowan QC was that Abbott acted recklessly when he confronted Steven Wallace after the young man embarked on a window smashing spree. Mr Rowan says the policeman had the option of using a police-issued baton, a dog handler on the way to the scene and a fellow officer there as well. In not using these, John Rowan says senior officer Constable Abbott - the senior officer at the scene - failed in planning to contain Mr Wallace effectively. Prior to announcing today's decision, the Chief Justice had also managed to get both defence and prosecution to agree on the possibility of Constable Abbott defending a manslaughter charge and not a murder charge - should a trial eventuate.
Another bug is attacking our produce. MAF has confirmed the lettuce aphid Nasonovia ribis-nigi has spread to Pukekohe, south of Auckland and Outram near Dunedin. The lettuce aphid infests blackcurrant and gooseberry bushes but is particularly bad in lettuces because the aphid gets in to the heart of the plant, making it difficult to control. The latest finds indicate the pest is now established in North Canterbury, South Auckland and Otago. Barney Stephenson, MAF's National Adviser on Plant Pest Surveillance and Response, says the spread of this pest has been faster than expected, but it was always known that it would only be a matter of time. The aphid was first discovered in Marshlands near Christchurch in early April this year. Dr Stephenson says eradication of the pest is not feasible. He says the lettuce industry now needs to take steps to manage the pest, including short term control measures, and development of a long term integrated approach. He says growers are working with Crop and Food Research and chemical companies in order to obtain clearance for a wider range of chemicals and to provide growers with advice on immediate control.
Date: 13 June 2002 Brian Dooley
Wellington New Zealand
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