Saturday, June 29, 2013

United Future stripped of party status

By
Online Reporter
United Future leader Peter Dunne has accepted the Speaker's ruling to strip his party of recognition saying he had "no credible alternative".
David Carter ruled today that the party will no longer be recognised as a party for parliamentary purposes and Mr Dunne will be treated as an independent MP.
He made the announcement in the House today after giving it "considerable thought". The ruling is effective immediately.
The ruling means the party cannot keep more than $100,000 in party funding.
However, Mr Carter said if the party were to regain its registration he would "revisit the matter of the recognition of its parliamentary membership on the basis it is a political party in whose name a member was elected in the 2011 general election".
"In doing so I believe I am properly balancing the competing public interest – balancing on one hand the need for openness and transparency in public funding, and on the other hand party representation as determined by the electorate at the last election."
Mr Dunne's party was de-registered last month because it could not prove it had more than 500 members.
He pleaded for the Electoral Commission to change its rules, which state he must produce hardcopy proof of each member. That process could take weeks or even months to collect.
Mr Carter said the matter was still with the Electoral Commission and it was "likely" to take more time than originally anticipated. He did not want to influence their decision.
"However, the time that may be involved creates a level of uncertainty that has the potential to disrupt the business of the House.
"The House's longstanding practice is that it does not concern itself with the membership of political parties. Its concern is only for their parliamentary membership."
Registration of a party and its recognition under standing orders were not the same thing, he said.
Registration allowed political parties to contest the party vote at the next election and also allowed them to be considered for allocation of free time and money to broadcast election advertising.
"Recognition acknowledges that the parliamentary membership of parties elected at the previous election […] it's greatest significance resides in the fact that it enables a party's parliamentary membership to receive additional funding."
Mr Carter said he had to balance two "fundamental public interests".
"It is not tenable for a party that cannot reasonably demonstrate its wider representative capacity to continue to be funded. On the other hand party representation of community interests expressed at a general election should not be interfered with lightly."    
Earlier today the Auditor-General refused to intervene over the funding row and said Mr Dunne's entitlements were still lawful while he is still recognised as party leader.
Auditor-General Lyn Provost said Mr Dunne's funding was lawful because United Future was still recognised as a party by Mr Carter.
However, she added if the Speaker determines United Future is no longer recognised as a party, its funding entitlements will change accordingly.
Mr Carter previously said it is the first time a parliamentary party has been de-registered, and there is little guidance in Parliament's standing orders or previous speakers' directions about what to do.
3 News Tue, 25 Jun 2013 2:30p.m.
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Meka Whaitiri wins Ikaroa-Rawhiti seat

By
Online Reporter
Labour's Meka Whaitiri will become the country's newest MP after winning the Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election.
Whaitiri won by 1761 votes and was in the lead since the vote tallying began at 7pm.
Mana's Te Hamua Nikora came in second with 2607 votes followed by the Maori Party's candidate Na Rongowhakaata Raihania then the Green Party's Marama Davidson.
A total of 10,519 votes were cast in a by-election where voter turnout was expected to be low.
There are nearly 34,000 people on the Maori roll in the electorate which stretches the length of the east coast from north of Gisborne to Wainuiomata.
Until now, the seat has only ever been held by Labour's Parekura Horomia since its inception in 1999 until his death earlier this year.
Final tally for Ikaroa-Rawhiti:
  • Meka Whaitiri – Labour Party 4368 votes
  • Te Hamua Nikora – Mana 2607 votes
  • Na Rongowhakaata Raihania – Maori Party 2104 votes
  • Marama Davidson – Green Party 1188 votes
  • Michael Appleby – Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party 161 votes
  • Maurice Wairau – Independent 27 votes
  • Adam Holland – Independent 13 votes
3 News Sat, 29 Jun 2013 9:05p.m.
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NZ like an Orwell novel — Peters

By
Online Reporter
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at the Race Relations Commissioner, who said she would be keeping an eye on his comments about the Chinese.
Mr Peters made the comments during a speech at a Grey Power meeting in Te Kuiti today, where he also repeated his concerns about Chinese immigration and crime.
He said Race Relations Commissioner Susan Devoy's comment that she was tired of Mr Peters' tirades was "insidious censorship under the guise of the race relations industry, [which] has to be stopped in its tracks".
Mr Peters said his party felt Ms Devoy "should be given a chance" in her new role. However, she should "read our speeches and ignore the professionally outraged white liberals and cultural fellow travellers who pollute the landscape and demand the rest of the country pay for their civic amenities".
The party had a "long history of being attacked by those who don't like our message".
"When people seek to curtail free speech, alarm bells should start ringing," he said.
Last month Mr Peters labelled Auckland a "super city of sin" partly because of fast-tracking of visas for Chinese tourists into the country. He said Chinese immigrants contributed to the crime, drug and prostitution industry, which was being fuelled by gambling.
He defended the speech today, saying it was "based on research reports and from people who knew what they were talking about – i.e. Chinese, who share New Zealand First's concern".
Mr Peters said there were parallels with New Zealand in 2013 and George Orwell's novel, 1984, which deals with the themes of the destruction of freedom of speech.
"Being told the facts even though the facts hurt is a part of life, and in recent years there has been a shift from telling people the truth.
"George Orwell would have had a field day in New Zealand circa 2013," he said.
3 News Mon, 24 Jun 2013 3:41p.m.
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Live election results: Ikaroa-Rawhiti

By
Online Reporter
The votes have been cast, the polls have closed, the counting has begun and the wait is now on in the Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election.
Voting closed at 7pm and the Electoral Commission estimates a winner could be decided by 10:30pm tonight.
Latest by-election results as at 8:15pm

  • Michael Appleby – Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party 141 votes
  • Marama Davidson – Green Party 1013 votes
  • Adam Holland – Independent 12 votes
  • Te Hamua Nikora – Mana 2228 votes
  • Na Rongowhakaata Raihania – Maori Party 1809 votes
  • Maurice Wairau – Independent 21 votes
  • Meka Whaitiri – Labour Party 3678 votes
Leading candidate: Meka Whaitiri by 1450 votes
Percent of votes counted: 91.9 percent
Number of votes counted: 8948
3 News
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Thursday, June 27, 2013

Storm-battered albatross released


By
Online Reporter

Two storm-wrecked albatross were released back into the wild today after last week's severe weather.
One was left disoriented on the Wellington Airport runway, while the other was found on one of the south coast bays. 
The White-capped albatrosses, who normally reside in the sub-Antarctic, have spent the past week relaxing and recuperating at Wellington Zoo.
In fact, they were so relaxed they weren't in any hurry to leave the rocky outcrops of Makara.
They sat, stretched their wings and preened themselves for at least an hour - in no rush to take flight.
Dr Lisa Argilla, of Wellington Zoo, says the birds would eventually head south toward their home around the Auckland and Antipodes Islands, possibly via Kaikoura.
The two albatrosses were stressed, but not injured during the storm. However, four more birds haven't been so lucky and are still recovering at the zoo. They will be released at a later date.
3 News Fri, 28 Jun 2013 1:50p.m.
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Pay figures 'don't reflect NZ job market'

By
Online Reporter
New average salary figures released by job website Seek aren't reflective of wages throughout the country, an economic commentator says.
The average salary for jobs advertised on the website rose by $1000 over the past five months to $72,700.
But financial journalist Bernard Hickey told Firstline only those working in high-skill jobs such as IT, construction and engineering are reaping the benefits.
"Its accurate that wages on Seek have gone up, but it's not representative of wages paid to everyone in New Zealand, he says.
"In lower-skilled jobs that aren't in such demand we're not seeing wage growth."
A more accurate figure would be to look at real GDP per capita which has actually fallen 1.3 percent since 2007.
"The [financial] recovery's fruit has been spread pretty thinly among the bulk of the population and it's gone to those with higher skills and those with assets - stocks and property."
Mr Hickey says salaries in Christchurch and Taranaki are on the rise because of demand in construction and energy sectors respectively.
Rising wages in high skilled jobs were indicative of an improving economy, he says.
"The jobs advertised on Seek are the ones they're really struggling to get someone for. If you're an employer looking for an engineer in Christchurch or an architect in Taranaki, you're going to have to fight hard to get someone for that job."
3 News Fri, 28 Jun 2013 4:33p.m.

Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/Pay-figures-dont-reflect-NZ-job-market/tabid/421/articleID/303105/Default.aspx#ixzz2XULMGp3n
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New Plymouth body identified as missing teen

By
Online Reporter
Police have confirmed the body that washed up in New Plymouth yesterday is missing teenager Nikolao "Niko" Meafua.
A post-mortem was carried out today, and New Plymouth police have referred the death to the coroner.
The 16-year-old's body was discovered near the coastal walkway in New Plymouth. A member of the public alerted police yesterday afternoon after seeing the body on the rocks, just below the walkway, near the Kawaroa Todd Energy Aquatic Centre.
Niko walked out of his mother's Bell Block home barefoot after an argument on June 10.
A few days later he was spotted around the Coastal Walkway in Fitzroy. Police were unable to confirm it, but a spokeswoman says officers are "sure it was a positive sighting".
This was backed up by several phone calls from New Plymouth locals, the most recent coming over the weekend, claiming to have seen the teenager.
"We do believe he is still alive and he might be receiving assistance from somebody," said the police spokeswoman.
Before yesterday's discovery, Niko's mother, Paula Meafua, had made a heartbreaking plea via police and social media for her son to return.
3 News Wed, 26 Jun 2013 4:05p.m.
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Body thought to be missing woman

By
Online Reporter
The body of a woman police believe to be missing Rawene woman Barbara Moka has been found.
Northland police say the body was found in the Omanaia area following information received during the missing person inquiry.
Formal identification is still yet to take place, but a post-mortem will be carried out soon.
Ms Moka, 32, was last seen on June 9 after attending a tangi at the Te Piiti Marae in Omanaia, and police suspect foul play is likely.
Police believe the mother-of-four and her 43-year-old partner were involved in a car crash at around 1am on June 10, but returned to the marae afterwards.
3 News
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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Police reap benefits of social media

By
Online Reporter
It's policing, but at 140 characters at a time.
The New Zealand Police says its use of social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, has helped solve crime, predict possible transport disruptions and recruit new officers.
Their social media strategy has been so successful they've managed to surpass their goal of 600 new recruits and the cost to attract them was 29 percent lower in 2010 compared to 2008.
Police spokeswoman Karen Jones says police have about 30 different Facebook pages and 10 Twitter accounts which are run by different districts to meet individual communities' needs. Most of the posts, especially at smaller stations, are made by officers during their shifts, she says.
"In Queenstown, they'll post pictures of break-ins or CCTV footage while other pages, like Taupo, are more about community engagement – they'll post crazy videos of themselves.
"We have to be where our communities are, and it is really important to be seen to be visible."
Aside from community engagement, social media is increasingly being used as an intelligence gathering tool, she says.
"If police post an image taken from CCTV to Facebook then they [the public] will get in touch by direct message."
Sometimes it's not the public, but the offender himself who helps out the police.
Last year a Taupo man handed himself into police following a post on the Tauhara Paetiki Neighbourhood Policing Team Facebook page appealing for information on his whereabouts.
Michael Shane Hagger, 34, gained his 15 minutes of internet fame after replying to the post with the phrase "hoo rah".
Social media is also being used to help prevent crime too.
Bay of Plenty police took to their Twitter account last week during an operation into crime prevention.
Area communications spokesperson Kim Perks says the site is helpful in giving the general public a somewhat voyeuristic glimpse into what police officers get up to while on the beat.
During the operation the @BOPPolice account, which has just under 2000 followers, used the #BOPprevent hashtag to tweet about a gang member's run-in with the law.
"There's no hiding. Gang member forbidden to drive had car impounded. Hour later, same man different car; impounded again. #BOPprevent"
It also tweeted a photo of an open ground-level window of a house saying: "Police patrol stopped at this home and found no one in but windows and doors open. Don't invite burglars."  
Ms Perks says during these kinds of operations "there's a concerted effort to do a series of tweets to drive home the message".
Police would be naive if they didn't realise people get information from different sources, she says.
'If the police had a cat, it would probably break the internet'
The most popular police Facebook and Twitter accounts are the NZ Police Recruitment page which has more than 18,500 "likes" and the @BetterWorkStory account which has more than 4500 followers.
The social media accounts aren't just for arrest updates, intelligence gathering or recruiting though.
Ms Jones says animal stories seem to be particularly popular with the public.
Earlier this year a stolen alpaca found in Putaruru asleep under an apple tree generated a bit of buzz.
"Sneaking up to the animal, we attached a tow rope to its neck before leading it to our patrol car. On the way back to the station it sat with its head out the window, enjoying the ride," a Police Recruitment Facebook post read. 
"If the police had a cat, it would probably break the internet," Ms Jones says.
A blog on the Attorney General's website last week addressed the police using social media to meet their target of recruiting more people aged 18 to 25, women, and people from the Maori, Pasifika, and Asian communities.
In 2008, police set a 600 new recruit target to hit by December 2011 amid a competitive employment market and a 61 percent drop in the recruitment budget between 2008 and 2011. 
"Alongside traditional advertising, the police decided to use social media to challenge the target groups’ perceptions and tackle other potential recruitment barriers."
The police have overarching policies for individuals, intelligence gathering and for police use of social media, but each district can establish and run their own Twitter or Facebook accounts.
Individual officers are allowed to have their own personal accounts, but were encouraged to make their settings private and be careful with what they share.
"They're dealing with offenders who potentially wish to target them [the officers] as individual[s]."
Police have also harnessed the power of Twitter through a monitoring tool called Signal to help predict possible disruptions during large events.
Ms Jones says one of Signal's first outings was during the 2011 Rugby World Cup where "tweets of interest" were used as early indications of where there might be delays in transport.
It was a tool police would use in future during large public events, she says.
Police say building a strong base of social media followers pays off and were expecting a higher recruitment rate in the 2013/14 year compared to the 2012/13 year.
3 News Wed, 26 Jun 2013 5:00a.m.
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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Fake NZ Republic page asks for money

A fake Facebook page for a Republican movement which is asking for donations has prompted a warning from a legitimate republican group.
Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand chair Lewis Holden says the fake page has copied text and images from its website to set up the page.
"The Foundation for the Republic of New Zealand" page has 323 "likes" and even fooled some of the members of the Republican Movement.
"One of my members brought it to my attention last night and said 'Have you heard of these guys?'" Mr Holden said.
He said it was likely others may have been fooled by the page and have donated money.
The page has since removed the bank account number and requests for donations, and has also changed contact details on its page.
It posted that it asked for donations "so that we can help fund our website project, and to pay for our advertisements, pamphlets, flags and other merchandise. We also have costs attributed to running our meeting place."
That meeting place, The Foundation Hall, appears to be a residential address in the Christchurh suburb of Merivale.
The page earlier today listed Joshua Richard Lucas as the chairman of the group and listed a KiwiBank account where people can make donations.
Mr Holden said his group was always on the lookout for other groups to partner with, but there was no record of the Foundation on the incorporated societies register on the Companies Office website.
Members of the Republican Movement had been asked to report the page and Mr Holden had emailed and called Mr Lucas.
If the page was not taken down today, Mr Holden would go to the police.
The fake page was a distraction the group didn't need, he said.
"We're ramping up our campaign against the constitutional review, there's the royal succession and royal baby too. It's a distraction we don't need. It's quite damaging."
 A tell-tale sign the group wasn't legitimate was it had its founding date as 1983.
"The Republican movement has been around since 1994. Before then there was no one interested in it."
The Republican Movement did ask the public for donations, but were open about where the money is spent.
"We're an incorporated society, so we're open about spending donations on pamphlets."
Mr Lucas did not answer his phone when 3 News called on several occasions.
3 News
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Trees pose problems following storm

By
Online Reporter
Wellington City Council staff will get a birds-eye view of the city today to find areas where fallen trees are still causing problems after last week's storm.
A council spokesman says members of the council's tree team will fly around the region in a helicopter to get an aerial view of the damage.
While many roads have been cleared of fallen trees, there may be some less-used roads which are still obstructed, he says.
Some of the fallen trees may have to be lifted out using a helicopter.
The public are being warned to stay away from walkways because trees could still come down without notice.
At least 50 council workers as well as contractors are working to clear downed trees from public areas, and the cleanup on the south coast is continuing.
Electricity repairs 'could take a week'
Meanwhile around 600 homes around the Wellington region are still without power and some of the region's electricity infrastructure has been more severely damaged than feared.
Wellington Electricity repair crews entered some of the worst hit areas yesterday and found the damage to the electrical network was worse than they thought.
"All indications are that restoration for this scale of damage we are encountering could take a further week of repairs," the company says in a statement.
The company has called in more than 120 additional reinforcements from Hamilton, Thames, Whangarei and Tauranga.
Wellington Electricity customers have been asked to report any downed lines and not to assume the company knows about power outages.
Crews will be working in Khandallah, Eastbourne, Belmont, Johnsonville, Tawa, Porirua and Titahi Bay today.
Transport still disrupted
Bluebridge and Interislander ferries have resumed normal schedules, while some rail services are still disrupted and are running special bus services. 
Special bus services are running in place of some rail services into and out of Wellington.
TranzMetro says express buses will travel between Wellington and Melling on an hourly timetable.
The Hutt Valley Line route will be replaced by bus between Wellington and Petone because of track repairs, but trains will run from Petone to Upper Hutt.
Buses will depart from the bus layby at Petone Station and will travel north along Hutt Rd to the Dowse interchange, then go south on State Highway 2 into Wellington.
The company is warning passengers to expect delays on the roads because of the extra traffic and buses.
It is possible some services will be cancelled with no bus replacement, TranzMetro says.
The Capital Connection service is running as normal.
Train schedules
Melling Line
  • Buses will depart Wellington hourly from 6:17am until 6:17pm.
  • Buses will depart Melling hourly from 6:39am until 6:39pm.
Hutt Valley Line
  • Train services will depart Upper Hutt for Petone at the following times (trains will meet buses for Petone to Wellington services): 10:00am, 10:30am, 11:00am, 11:30am, 12:00pm, 12:30pm, 1:00pm, 1:30pm, 2:00pm, 2:30pm, 3:00pm, 3:30pm, 4:00pm, 4:30pm, 5:00pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm, 6:30pm, 7:00pm, 7:30pm, 8:00pm, 9:00pm, 10:00pm, 11:00pm
  • Bus services will depart Wellington for Petone at the following times (buses will meet trains for Petone to Upper Hutt services): 10:05am, 10:35am, 11:05am, 11:35am, 12:05pm, 12:35pm, 1:05pm, 1:35pm, 2:05pm, 2:35pm, 3:05pm, 3:35pm, 4:05pm, 4:35pm, 5:05pm, 5:35pm, 6:05pm, 6:35pm, 7:05pm, 7:35pm, 8:05pm, 8:35pm, 9:05pm, 10:05pm, and 11:05pm
Wairarapa southbound
  • The 10:25am service from Masterton to Wellington will be a train from Masterton to Upper Hutt, and will be replaced by bus from Upper Hutt to Wellington.
  • The 3:40pm service from Masterton to Wellington will be a train from Masterton to Upper Hutt, and will be replaced by bus from Upper Hutt to Wellington.
Wairarapa northbound
  • The 12:55pm service from Wellington to Masterton will be replaced by bus from Wellington to Upper Hutt, and will be a train from Upper Hutt to Masterton.
  • The 4:25pm service from Wellington to Masterton will be replaced by bus from Wellington to Upper Hutt, and will be a train from Upper Hutt to Masterton.
  • The 5:30pm service from Wellington to Upper Hutt is cancelled, with no bus replacement.
  • The 6:22pm service from Wellington to Upper Hutt will be replaced by bus from Wellington to Masterton.
3 News Mon, 24 Jun 2013 12:10p.m.
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Dunne issues statement via 'selfie'

By
Online Reporter
Peter Dunne has shown he isn't necessarily all doom and gloom after replying to a tongue-in-cheek request by a journalist.
Through Twitter, RadioLIVE political editor Jessica Williams tweeted Mr Dunne following his United Future Party's loss of recognition as a political party for Parliamentary purposes.
Mr Dunne had sent out a three-line press release following the Speaker's decision, but would not comment further.
Ms Williams tweeted: "idea for MPs-who-won't-comment-other-than-release: record an MP3 of you READING your release, attach to yr release. audio = radio stories!"
In a move that could set a new precedent for politicians, Mr Dunne replied to Ms Williams, sending her this 28-second video of him reading his statement.
3 News
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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Albatross loses bearings in storm

By
Online Reporter
People aren't the only ones feeling the effects of Wellington's storm.
A wayward albatross was found in distress on the Wellington International Airport runway this morning.
Airport Operations and Airport Fire Service discovered the bird on the runway during an inspection at first light.
Albatrosses are not usually found in the Wellington area and likely became lost because of the storm, an airport spokesperson says.
"We even suspect he could have braved the storm all the way from Antarctica."
Airport Fire Service manager Daniel Debono says the bird was taken to the airport fire station where it was kept safe and warm and was "surprisingly happy to be inside".
The bird has been transported to Wellington Zoo's animal hospital and the SPCA has been notified.
A spokeswoman for the zoo says several other birds, including giant petrels and shags, which have been affected by the storm have been brought in and staff were still trying to figure out the extent of their injuries.
3 News Fri, 21 Jun 2013 12:23p.m.
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Occupation of alleged MFAT leaker revealed

By
Online Reporter
The occupation of a person under suspicion of leaking confidential Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) documents has been revealed.
In the Court of Appeal in Wellington today, Justices permitted media to say the individual, known as Person A, was a clerical assistant. There are strict suppression orders around the person's identity. Person A was not in court, but was represented by lawyer Jason McHerron.
Suppression orders have been put in place around the employment history of Person A, their name, gender and any other identifying details.
Mr McHerron said the occupation of Person A had not specifically been suppressed in previous hearings, but an issue could arise over whether it would identify his client.
There had been speculation a diplomat had leaked the cabinet reports to Labour MP Phil Goff.
Mr Goff last year released several confidential documents which embarrassed the Government during its controversial restructuring of MFAT.
The documents showed senior diplomats were strongly opposed to the cost-cutting plan to close embassies and that the Government ordered chief executive John Allen to revise it.
Paula Rebstock, former head of the Commerce Commission, was appointed to find the source of the leak.
Mr McHerron today asked for the source documents which led to the allegation so Person A could "corroborate [their] denial."
"[Person A] is in a position of having to disprove the allegations".
He was not sure what the source documents would reveal, but they would allow his client to "verify or contradict" what the documents showed.
However, Crown lawyer Una Lagose said Person A had been told "precisely what's in there [the source documents]", which would not restrict their ability to respond to the allegations.
Forensic analysis of the organisation's email and document management system could include material the commissioner does not want revealed, she said.
She said while the State Services Commissioner did intend to make the final report into the leak public, there was no intention to name Person A.
All interested parties would be given the final report with notice of the release date, she said.
The Justices asked Mr McHerron to discuss with the Crown which exact documents he wanted.
Mr McHerron also argued Ms Rebstock needed to keep her suspicions out of her report because they were not in the inquiry's terms of reference. There was no evidence to support her suspicion, he said.
Person A is suspected of leaking the documents, but today Mr McHerron said the whole question around the case is "whether suspicion has a place in Ms Rebstock's report".
One of the terms of reference "required an investigation of relevant facts on the possible unauthorised disclosure of three cabinet papers. As well as information relating to those papers," Mr McHerron said.
Mr McHerron said there was no evidence his client had leaked the documents.
"So why go on and raise a suspicion? When the investigation comes up with nothing then it should fall away."
However the Justices said an investigator must look at all of the evidence and draw a conclusion.
"In the end it's her [Ms Rebstock's] conclusion. How can you run an inquiry and not draw a conclusion?
"She's entitled to say its black, or its white, but she's equally entitled to say its grey."
The Justices reserved their decision.
3 News
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Will Aaron Gilmore run for Chch East?

By
Online Reporter
Remember Aaron Gilmore?
Well his time in the political wilderness could be about to end - at least, if his latest blog post is anything to go by.
Gilmore discussed Labour MP Lianne Dalziel putting her hand up to contest the Christchurch mayoralty forcing a Christchurch East by election.
Near the end of the blog post, he seems to suggest he too may throw his name in the ring for the seat.
"Many locals have asked what am I going to do as part of this. The answer to that is simple. The by-election is not likely till after show week. So good things come to those who wait."
Gilmore says his rather coy attitude comes from lessons learned through his abrupt resignation from cabinet in early May.
"I have learnt to hold my cards very closely. Bottom line, I do not want to see Labour hold onto the seat, as I do not think that is the best thing for the people."
Mr Gilmore running for the by election is an idea Prime Minister John Key finds somewhat laughable.
Asked in his post-cabinet press conference today whether he would be happy for Mr Gilmore to be back in his caucus, Mr Key smirked.
"By my understanding he was thinking about doing that as an independent. By definition, that means he's not part of our caucus.
"I don't think it's likely he'll win."
In his blog post Mr Gilmore compares his family to Ms Dalziel's: "My family would be described as working class. Lianne came from multiple generations of tertiary educated people, with two very smart successful siblings."
He also discusses whether the electorate would still be considered a safe Labour seat.
"Well it is not."
He believes the make-up of the Christchurch East electorate has changed since the earthquakes.
A date for the by-election has not been set, but is likely to take place before the end of the year.
3 News
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Wgtn council sets interim alcohol sale policy

By
Online Reporter
The Wellington City Council has voted on its controversial interim draft alcohol policy for off-licences amid fierce opposition from the city's major supermarket chains.
The Strategy and Policy Committee today voted to set maximum trading hours for off-licences from 7am to 9pm city-wide. 
Changing the liquor selling hours would force so-called pre-loaders to plan their drinking more carefully, and help stop people taking alcohol into the central city, the council says.
The vote means the committee will now send its final draft alcohol management strategy and draft local alcohol policy to the public for feedback on July 2 with submissions closing on August 2.
Phillipa Clifford, of Progressive Enterprises which runs Countdown supermarkets, says it was "of real concern [...] as supermarket operators [is that] we're under sustained attack of being primarily responsible for alcohol related harm in the city.
"There is no empirical evidence to support these attacks and we strongly refute them."
Ms Clifford says only 1.7 percent of purchases in Countdown supermarkets were alcohol only and the average age of their customers was 46.
The alcohol-only sales figure had come down considerably from 2.05 percent in 2009, she says.
Foodstuffs Wellington General Manager Retail Services George Sutherland says a 9pm cut-off for liquor sales would cause some confrontation between staff and customers.
"If you enter a supermarket and put a bottle of wine or craft beer or even a box of Tui in your basket as well as laundry power and broccoli [and it passes 9pm] we can't sell you one of those items.
"It compromises our business and provides and unpleasant situation. It's third world," he says.
Foodstuffs has four family-owned New World supermarkets in Wellington.
Mr Sutherland says many of those buying alcohol from the New World supermarkets were 30 or older. Wine sales to people between 18 and 30 were not in "abundant numbers".
Councillor Justin Lester says the issue of pre-loading was "overcooked" and young people were merely making a "rational economic choice" when buying alcohol.
"I have $15 to spend. If I buy 12 beers at the supermarket it costs me $12, if I go to a bar I can buy one drink for $10."
Mr Lester does not believe changing the opening hours would not make a difference.
"I think if we want to change a binge drinking culture we need to look at it [as a society].
"Changing drinking hours I don't think will make a difference, it assumes kids can't make good decisions by themselves," he says.
Mr Lester voted to stay in line with the Government law to have off-licence hours from 7am to 11pm.
The council had three options for closing hours for off-licences which include supermarkets and liquor stores in Wellington.
Law changes which come into force on December 18, will mean hours for off-licences throughout the country will be from 7am to 11pm and 8am to 4am for on-licence premises which include bars, clubs and restaurants.
However, councils will be able to introduce their own local alcohol policies setting variations on those hours.
The two other options on the table are a city-wide 7am-9pm limit and a 9pm closing for central city and CBD southern area off-licences, with 11pm remaining for the rest of the city.
3 News Thu, 20 Jun 2013 3:54p.m.
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Whittall hearing to be held in Wellington

By
Online Reporter
Former Pike River Coal boss Peter Whittall has won his bid to have his defended hearing moved from Greymouth to Wellington.
Whittall is denying a dozen charges under the Health and Safety in Employment Act following the Pike River Mine explosion on November 19, 2010 that claimed 29 lives. At the time, he was the chief executive of Pike River Coal.
In a decision released today, Judge Jane Farish says the defended hearing should be moved from to Wellington "given the complexity and length of the trial together with Mr Whittall's personal position".
Crown lawyers argued the "paramount consideration" was the wider interest of the Greymouth community and in particular the victims' families, and said it would not be in the interests of justice to transfer the hearing out of the town.
Judge Farish says Whittall's ability to conduct his defence would be "significantly compromised" by the trial being held in Greymouth.
Public interest in the case could be met with a livestream of the hearing, she says.
At a hearing on March 14, Judge Farish was told the Crown was briefing 113 witnesses including nine expert witnesses. It was expected some of those briefs of evidence would be "lengthy, complex and detailed".
More than 600,000 documents needed to be reviewed, the Crown said at the time.
The defence estimated the hearing could take between 12 and 16 weeks.
Whittall's lawyer Stuart Grieve QC said the case is complex in a legal sense as well as in the volume of material which needs to be considered.
There are limited flights from Christchurch and Wellington to Hokitika and any overseas witnesses would need to catch two flights to get to the hearing, he said.
"The cost of travel is not inconsiderable, but it is more the ability to have access to witnesses in a timely manner and the logistics of having witnesses available to prepare or instruct." 
Mr Grieve said Whittall lived in Wellington and "assists greatly" in the running of his home. Holding the hearing in Wellington would allow Whittall to mount the "best defence" possible, rather than just an adequate one, he said.
In previous court appearances in Greymouth, "there has been significant animosity towards him [Whittall]", Mr Grieve said.
Judge Farish agreed Whittall would be under "significant stress" if the hearing was to remain in Greymouth "not only as a result of the hearing, but given the community's vilification of him".
Meanwhile Crown lawyer Brent Stanaway argued it was "insufficient" to rely on media coverage of the case and also streaming the hearing to adequately meet the needs of the great public interest around Greymouth and the country.
He said little weight should be placed on Whittall's personal circumstances and any animosity toward him could be minimised by more security.
The Greymouth courthouse had adequate audio/visual links for witnesses, he said.
While the issues raised by Whittall's defence were problematic, there were not "insurmountable" and were not enough for the court to transfer the hearing in the interests of justice, Mr Stanaway said.
Key facts of the Whittall trial:
  • Whittall facing 12 health and safety charges
  • trial could take 12-16 weeks
  • more than 600,000 documents to be reviewed
  • one document contains 20,000 emails
  • legal teams won't be ready until January or February next year
  • 113 prosecution witnesses; six to seven weeks to present evidence
3 News
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Govt gambling bill guts Maori Party's original

By
Online Reporter
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has revealed a new gambling amendment bill – which has gutted the Maori Party's original bill.
It will give the DIA more power to cancel or suspend licenses for Class 4 or non-casino gaming machine venues, and will increase the minimum rate of return to the community.
Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain says the Government is taking a "moderate" approach to reforming Class 4 or non-casino gaming machine venues.
The revised Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Bill announced today by Mr Tremain and the Maori Party's Te Ururoa Flavell provides some of the provisions, albeit watered down, in the Maori Party's original bill.
Meanwhile the Green Party's gambling spokeswoman Denise Roche says the bill does "nothing to reduce the harm from gambling".
Mr Flavell says despite the changes to his bill by the Commerce Select Committee, "small steps in the right direction are better than no change at all".
"We compromised, sure, there's no doubt about that but we thought it was better to get some gains then none at all," he says.
Mr Tremain says he hopes to introduce the new bill into the house by November for its first reading.
The bill seeks to restore the ability of the DIA to cancel or suspend Class 4 licences. 'High trust' gaming venues will get their licences extended to two years rather than one. It would also strengthen the ability to address conflicts of interest and non-compliance within the industry.
Venues with Class 4 licenses will have to increase the minimum rate of return to the community to around 40 percent from about 36 percent. The original bill would have required 80 percent of gaming proceeds to be returned to community groups in the same area the funds were raised.
Mr Tremain says the Government agrees "in principle" that a minimum amount of funding should go back into the community it came from.
The same end can be met through regulation-making in the bill which will allow more flexibility and consultation over the minimum amount, he says. 
The Maori Party's version of the bill would have also enabled the DIA to mandate the use of "harm minimisation devices" such as pre-commit cards and player tracking through gaming machine operators' licence conditions. The Government says this can also be done through regulation.
The original bill also allowed for councils to shut down or ban Class 4 or non-casino gaming machines.
Mr Tremain, however, says the new bill will allow some Class 4 operators to move their venues from low socio-economic areas to places such as CBDs.
The Government did not support the part of the Maori Party bill which would have required local councils to take over the distribution of gaming proceeds to the community or which would have removed funding from the racing industry.
Ms Roche says the Government's proposed reforms did not focus on harm minimisation.
"The changes announced today could actually lead to more harm from this industry."
"It is simply unacceptable that the Government’s weak response to the problems in the gaming sector will once again rely on how the gaming industry reacts."
The legislation received more than 30,000 submissions.
3 News
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Tunnel fill could form runway – pilots

By
Online Reporter
A New Zealand pilots' group says the fill from a proposed second Mt Victoria tunnel could be used as part of a runway extension at Wellington airport.
New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association (NZALPA) technical Director Stuart Julian says if the second tunnel were to be given the green light, the material excavated during its construction could be used in any plan to extend the runway.
"NZALPA would be very open to having a full and comprehensive brief about those elements of the project because I think there's potential for some win-win situations there," he says.
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) announced yesterday a plan for a second tunnel to increase capacity and efficiency of the road system.
It would be built right next to the existing tunnel and provide two lanes for eastbound traffic.
An airport spokesperson says resource consent for the runway extension could take up to two years and the build could take between three and five years.
The airport was considering all construction options, but the most likely was reclamation of land north into Evans Bay. An extension to the south would mean building into 10m swells in the Cook Strait, the spokesperson says.
The NZALPA is in Wellington for its annual conference and among the major issues being discussed were the construction of a new air traffic control tower at Wellington Airport, the use of handheld lasers and an upcoming review of the Civil Aviation Act.
Mr Julian is in favour of the airport's plans to extend its runway and says an important part of the investment "is ensuring that Wellington Airport is provided with 240m of a runway end safety area (RESA) which meets internationally recognised safety standards".
"When you consider Wellington Airport’s environment including water, hills and wind conditions, NZALPA believes 240m of RESA is essential for the completion of a successful project."
An extension of the runway would allow more and larger aircraft to land at the airport, he says.
3 News

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 6:19p.m.
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Wellington storm 'worst in 45 years'

By Briar Marbeck and Simon Wong
It's being called the worst storm to hit Wellington in 45 years.
Sirens pierced through the night and into the morning as emergency services raced through the city's streets repairing what the storm had broken.
Thousands are still without power this morning and numerous roads have been closed.
There are 30,000 homes without power in the capital, including Lower Hutt, Wainuiomata, Miramar, Makara, Porirua, Titahi Bay and Whitby. Power may remain cut off until midday in some areas.
The Wellington Fire Service received more than 900 emergency calls last night – a number of which were for damaged homes and surface flooding.
The weather conditions were so severe overnight a number of councils and power companies in the Wellington region were forced to stop staff from carrying out repairs.
Police say any downed power lines should be treated as live and reported to council.
The city's mayor Celia Wade-Brown says civil defence and emergency services have described the winds as "probably the worst to hit the area since the Wahine storm in 1968".
She urged residents to call their local council to report damage to their properties and in their neighbourhoods.
The City Council is running its usual rubbish and recycling collection today, but residents have been asked to not put their rubbish out because it could end up all over the streets.   
Meanwhile, the New Zealand Transport Agency says all highways in the Wellington region are open, but is advising motorists to take extreme care.
"Conditions are fortunately settling down, but people must remember that it's still wet and windy by normal standards and great care is required on the roads," a spokesperson says.
Police are urging extreme caution to anyone driving, and say people should not use the urban motorway unless it is an emergency.
Wellington rail passenger services have been cancelled due to the need for urgent repair work. Hourly buses will replace trains until further notice.
The weather has caused Seatoun School, at the entrance to Wellington's Harbour, to shut its gates today.
All Air New Zealand flights into and out of Wellington are suspended until further notice.
All Interislander ferry sailings have been cancelled for the rest of today.
The Interislander's largest ferry, Kaitaki, was torn from its mooring in the high winds. The vessel is now anchored in Point Jerningham. The Interislander will review its evening sailings later this morning.
Swells of up to 10 metres have been reported in Cook Strait and significant amounts of debris have been thrown on to roads on Wellington’s south coast.
While snow covered most of the South Island yesterday, it has been falling in the central North Island overnight.
State Highway 1 between Rangipo and Taihape has been closed due to snow, along with State Highway 48 in Tongariro National Park.
MetService predicts snow showers to affect the Desert Rd until Saturday morning.
Auckland faced severe gales, thunder, lightning and hail overnight, damaging 12 houses in Stanmore Bay. One person was injured when lightning hit a tree, knocking it over and into two homes.
Parts of the North Island are still set for strong gales this morning and a MetService severe weather warning remains in place for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Taranaki and Whanganui. Winds could reach up to 150km/h in exposed areas.
NZTA North Island road closures:
  • SH48 Tongariro National Park – closed, snow
  • SH46 Rangipo to Tongariro – closed, snow
  • SH47 Turangi to National Park – closed, snow
  • SH4 and 49 National park to Waiouru – closed, snow
  • SH1 Rangipo to Taihape – closed, snow
3 News will update weather conditions throughout the day. Send your weather photos to news@tv3.co.nz.

Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/Wellington-storm-worst-in-45-years/tabid/423/articleID/302202/Default.aspx#ixzz2X1VEGZVa

Fri, 21 Jun 2013 5:45a.m
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Thursday, June 13, 2013

Bracanov warned about Royal protest

Anti-royalist Sam Bracanov was arrested during a royal visit (AAP)

A 77-year-old anti-royalist who planned to throw "shit" at Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall while they were on their royal visit in Auckland last year says he only wanted to "give them what they deserve".
Pensioner Catislav "Sam" Bracanov denied planning to commit a crime, appearing in the Auckland District Court today for a defended hearing before Judge Anne Kiernan.
Judge Kiernan found him guilty and fined him $200 and court costs. The maximum penalty is a $2000 fine.
Bracanov, who represented himself and needed the aid of special headphones to hear the proceedings properly, said in a DVD interview with police the royal family did not deserve their positions because they were born into their roles rather than using their brains to get them.
He said he would have carried out his plan of throwing manure at the couple if he had not been caught by police.
Bracanov was arrested on November 12 while sitting on a bench near Britomart, Auckland, ahead of a public meet-and-greet with Prince Charles and wife Camilla.
Acting Sergeant Loren Clements said a plain clothes officer had spotted Bracanov, who was known to police, on the bench with a green bag underneath him.
Bracanov became agitated after police approached him and called them "fascists".
He was arrested and his bag was searched. Police found a white bucket containing about 2.5 inches of "dark brown mixture", with an ice cream container inside, possibly to be used as a scoop, Mr Clements said.
"I believe it was horse manure, but at the time I didn't know what it was. It was crumbly, wet and sloshed around a bit. It was not solid."
The contents were not analysed because the police prosecutor was happy with what Bracanov said and because of the cost of analysis.
The day before the Auckland visit, Detective John Mathieson, who works in the police threat assessment unit, and another officer visited Bracanov at his Mangere home because he was known to have "strong anti-royalist views". He had also been arrested before during previous royal visits.
Mr Mathieson was at the house to ask Bracanov what he had planned for the upcoming royal visit.
When police entered the house, Bracanov was lying on a couch with a white bucket on the floor next to him with about an inch of "yellow liquid" in it, Mr Mathieson said.
Bracanov showed police a tube running up his leg connected to a plastic bag he believed was urine.
"He [Bracanov] said if he got the chance he would 'throw shit at them [Prince Charles and wife Camilla]'."
In the 30 minute DVD police interview played to the court, Bracanov said: "[Everyone] has known Charlie [Prince Charles] since he was born and had done nothing to earn his position.
"Charlie didn't become special because of his brain. He did not qualify because of his brain, only his body and the body produces shit."
The royals "deserve what they produce", he said.
"Politicians use money and their brains to become special. If you want to be special just wait your turn like the rest of us."
Respect needed to be earned, not passed on, he said.
Bracanov said he had held anti-royalist views for about 30 years, and he was arrested about 20 years ago at another royal visit in Auckland. He tried to spray air freshener on Prince Charles and spent three days in jail.
He denied the charge of planning to commit a crime because he did not think what he planned was a crime.
The royal family were criminals because they "stole money" and said he would "rather rot in jail than pay the fine", he said.
He said it was wrong for the taxpayers to pay for royal visits and vowed to continue his fight against the royal family until his death.
3 News Mon, 20 May 2013 3:04p.m.
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Reopened track a stone's throw from crater

The Tongariro Crossing was fully re-opened today and takes trampers close to the Te Maari crater which erupted last year (File)

Trampers walking the now fully opened Tongariro Crossing can get so close to the thermal vent that erupted "it's almost like you can throw a stone in it," a Tongariro tourism spokesperson says.
The full crossing was officially opened at a ceremony this morning.
A section of the crossing up until the Blue Lake Saddle had been open since December following an eruption at the Te Maari crater in November last year.
The track is now open all the way to the Ketetahi car park.
Chairman of tourism industry group Tongariro Concessionaires, Stew Barclay, says the reopening of the track is exciting for trampers, tourist operators and accommodation providers.
Trampers can now get up close to the Te Maari crater though they are advised "not to dilly dally" and spend no longer than about 45 minutes there, to mitigate a small risk the crater may erupt again.
The spectacular eruption last year was good promotion for the crossing because it showed it was still an active volcano, he says.
The Department of Conservation says the decision to fully open the track was made after a risk assessment was completed and peer-reviewed by scientists in Hawaii.
Programme manager for the Ruapehu area Bhrent Guy also says the risk of any further volcanic activity declines the longer the area stays dormant.
The Te Maari crater erupted on November 21 last year, spewing ash and causing the crossing to close.
Mr Guy says about 400 people were walking the track today and about 150 attended the opening ceremony.
About 7000 people were expected to walk the crossing this winter, mostly with guides because of snow and ice on the track.
Mr Guy says the number of people doing the partial Tongariro Crossing and the Tama Lakes walk last summer was higher than the previous summer.
Mr Barclay says during the partial closure tourism operators directly involved with the crossing, including transportation and guiding, fared better than accommodation providers.
The perfect summer conditions still meant people were willing to do at least part of the walk. But accommodation and food providers suffered more because people could complete the open part of the track in less time than normal so did not spend as much time in the area.
Skotel Alpine Lodge general manager Wayne Sheard does not anticipate a huge rush of international winter bookings for the full walk, but expects bookings for this summer will increase. Many tour companies book accommodation and the walk about three years in advance.
3 News  Wed, 08 May 2013 2:47p.m.
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Winston Peters labels Auckland 'Super City of Sin'

By
Online Reporter
NZ First leader Winston Peters has labelled Auckland a "Super City of Sin" following the fast-tracking of visas for Chinese tourists into the country.
In a speech made to Grey Power on Auckland's North Short this afternoon, Mr Peters said the recent deal allowing China Southern Airline passengers through a "half-baked, fast-tracked special visa scheme" was an opportunity for the Government to bring in rich Chinese tourists.
The topic was one of several Mr Peters covered in the speech, which also included overseas investment, superannuation and overseas pensions.
Last year Mr Peters revealed Sky City had helped negotiate a deal with the Government and the airline for easier visa processing for Chinese tourists.
"Fraudsters use this system because there is less scrutiny of them personally. And when the so-called rich tourists have finished at the blackjack tables or the pokie machines there’s another attraction nearby."
Mr Peters was referring to the Chow brothers' yet-to-be-built 15-storey brothel across the street from the Sky City casino.
The brothers would be able to provide "home-grown sex workers" for their customers "thanks to our generous student and worker schemes", he said.
"It makes you wonder if the City of Sails is becoming the Super City of Sin."
"What is really happening to Auckland? The seven deadly sins are apparently alive and well here."
These included a Chinese exam cheating service, drug importation and a "slave trade" and "backyard industries" providing unfair competition for tradespeople.
Despite the comments, Mr Peters said NZ First was not anti-immigrant, or against immigrants who bring specialised skills or "genuine" foreign investment.
He said the Government's economic plan was to "hitch New Zealand to the tail of the dragon".
China was now New Zealand's largest trading partner and was extending its reach into the South Pacific.
3 News
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Police search for missing man

By
Online Reporter
The police dive squad have searched part of the Mahurangi River north of Auckland for a 73-year-old man missing from his boat.
Warkworth Police say Donald Ravenscroft was last heard from at about 7.40pm on Sunday when he rang his wife to say he planned to drive home to Wellsford.
He had moored his ketch, named Rakiah, at the mouth of the Mahurangi River.
The alarm was raised yesterday when Mr Ravenscroft did not return home.
His 3-metre inflatable was found tied to a tree on the western side of Mahurangi Harbour with the oars missing.  
Mr Ravenscroft's personal belongings were found on the yacht, including his car keys and cell phone. His vehicle was parked at Scott's Landing.
He is described as being about 190.5cm tall, of medium build and clean shaven with grey hair. It is not known what clothing he was wearing at the time.
Police suspect that Mr Ravenscroft may have attempted to swim after his RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) after it drifted away from the launch.
Sergeant Bede Haughey, of Warkworth Police, is urging anyone who may have seen Mr Ravenscroft or the inflatable RHIB boat to contact the Warkworth Police on   (09) 425 8109 .
3 News
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Women becoming more money-savvy - study

Women are more confident than men when it comes to paying off their credit - a sign the fairer sex is becoming savvier with money, according to a new study.
Dun and Bradstreet’s latest Consumer Credit Expectations survey shows a reversal of historical findings, which normally showed men being more assured of meeting their repayments.
The survey revealed 63 percent of women did not anticipate difficulties meeting their credit obligations in the June quarter this year, compared to 57 percent of men.
Overall 60 percent of Kiwis believe they will find it easier to meet their debt repayments.
Dun and Bradstreet's New Zealand general manager Lance Crooks says the figures show women are being smarter with their money.
“A significant proportion of women are improving their ability to manage their debt and credit obligations, indicating they are becoming more responsible than men when it comes to taking charge of their financial position,” he says.
The figures show women surpassed men for the first time in almost two years when it came to finding it easy to pay off their credit cards, loans and mortgages.
The survey of 909 consumers measured expectations for savings, credit usage, spending and debt performance.
It shows a five percent quarter-on-quarter improvement in the credit repayments outlook for women.
Meanwhile among Kiwi men the number has dropped nine percent.
Only 14 percent of women expected their debt levels to rise compared to 17 percent of men.
Overall national data was also positive with nearly half of Kiwis not planning to use credit cards to pay for otherwise unaffordable purchases, and more than 40 percent indicating they are more likely to save money in the current economic conditions.
3 News Thu, 04 Apr 2013 7:37a.m.
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False assault claim after strip show

By
Online Reporter
By 3 News online staff
A woman who said she'd been sexually assaulted outside a male strip show has been charged with making a false statement.
Masterton police are disappointed the woman wasted their time and the time of other organisations.
A police spokesperson says the 25-year-old woman told police a man she met during a male strip show held at the Greytown Rugby Club approached her soon after she left the venue.
She claimed the man sexually assaulted her, but waited two days before confessing she made up the story.
As a result, Wairarapa Police began an extensive, time-consuming and fruitless investigation.
Detective Mike Smith says sexual assault complaints "inevitably tie up a lot of resources and leave the community very concerned and doubting their own safety".
"It is always very disappointing to discover that people will waste a lot of police time, including time of support agencies and medical services, knowing that information they give to us is completely fabricated," he says.
Mr Smith says police take all complaints seriously, but reminded the public they could face charges if they knowingly provide false information.
3 News
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Hone Heke's remains to get final burial

Hone Heke

By 3 News online staff
The remains of 19th century warrior chief Hone Heke will be reburied near Kaikohe next month, an iwi spokesman says.
His remains were removed from a cave near Pakaraka, in Northland, two years ago because the site was "under risk of development", says Ngapuhi leader David Rankin.
The bones had been buried in the cave since 1850 when Hone Heke died. Since their removal, the remains have been held at another sacred site, awaiting a decision was made on a final burial place.
There is no risk of having to move the remains again, because the chosen site was on top of a mountain surrounded by Maori land says Mr Rankin, a descendent of Hone Heke.
A dawn ceremony has been planned for June, and an announcement on the specific date will be made in the next few weeks. There are some details left to be finalised.
The iwi expects hundreds of people to gather for the ceremony.
3 News
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