Two a penny

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Helen Clark’s UN job interview

By ANTHONY HUBBARD – Sunday, 08 February 2009

Former Primeminister Helen Clark is in the running for a top United Nations job, and the National government is supporting her bid.
Clark is a candidate for the post of administrator of the UN Development Programme, third behind UN secretary-general and deputy secretary-general.
It was too early yet to predict whether she would be successful, Key told the Sunday Star-Times.
Prime Minister John Key confirmed yesterday that Clark was a candidate, "and she has all the support of the New Zealand government".
If Clark was successful her appointment would be comparable with former Labour leader Mike Moore's job as director-general of the World Trade Organisation or former National foreign affairs minister Don McKinnon's post as secretary-general of the Commonwealth.
Auckland University foreign policy expert Steve Hoadley said the UNDP post was one of "major international importance".
The present administrator, former Turkish economic affairs minister Kemal Dervis, is due to retire at the end of his four-year term in August this year.
The UNDP had the largest budget of any UN agency, Hoadley said, and was a major presence throughout the world. A government source said she would be "a very strong candidate".
It has long been expected that Clark, a foreign affairs specialist all her adult life and with a wide international network, would try for an international post. It's a very senior position and will be hotly contested by a number of candidates.
Clark said: "This position came up at short notice. Hoadley said the government would have to lobby General Assembly members for the job. .
The UNDC is the UN's global development network, overseeing a budget of $US5 billion. It would be interesting to see how much it was prepared to spend in supporting the Clark candidacy in a time of financial stringency.
The Clark-led government in its final term increased its aid budget to $400 million, about 0. Its head office is in New York, and it has 140 offices around the world.

.3 percentof gross national income

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Helen Clark’s UN job interview

By ANTHONY HUBBARD – Sunday, 08 February 2009

Former Primeminister Helen Clark is in the running for a top United Nations job, and the National government is supporting her bid.
Clark is a candidate for the post of administrator of the UN Development Programme, third behind UN secretary-general and deputy secretary-general.
It was too early yet to predict whether she would be successful, Key told the Sunday Star-Times.
Prime Minister John Key confirmed yesterday that Clark was a candidate, "and she has all the support of the New Zealand government".
If Clark was successful her appointment would be comparable with former Labour leader Mike Moore's job as director-general of the World Trade Organisation or former National foreign affairs minister Don McKinnon's post as secretary-general of the Commonwealth.
Auckland University foreign policy expert Steve Hoadley said the UNDP post was one of "major international importance".
The present administrator, former Turkish economic affairs minister Kemal Dervis, is due to retire at the end of his four-year term in August this year.
The UNDP had the largest budget of any UN agency, Hoadley said, and was a major presence throughout the world. A government source said she would be "a very strong candidate".
It has long been expected that Clark, a foreign affairs specialist all her adult life and with a wide international network, would try for an international post. It's a very senior position and will be hotly contested by a number of candidates.
Clark said: "This position came up at short notice. Hoadley said the government would have to lobby General Assembly members for the job. .
The UNDC is the UN's global development network, overseeing a budget of $US5 billion. It would be interesting to see how much it was prepared to spend in supporting the Clark candidacy in a time of financial stringency.
The Clark-led government in its final term increased its aid budget to $400 million, about 0. Its head office is in New York, and it has 140 offices around the world.

.3 percentof gross national income

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BOP businessman accused of drugging, raping woman

Friday, 06 February 2009

A Bay of Plenty businessman has been accused of raping a woman after allegedly stupefying her with the party drug ketamine.
The Tauranga man, in his early 40s, who was granted interim suppression of his name and that of his business, faced two charges in Tauranga District Court yesterday of sexual violation by rape.
The man was granted bail by Judge Thomas Ingram despite strong objections from police, the Bay of Plenty Times reported.
He also faced a further charge of trying to intimidate the complainant the day prior to his arrest on February 4, after she was allegedly threatened by a woman known to the accused.
He said without more substantiative evidence to support the allegation, he was prepared to grant bail on the basis that the accused observed a 24-hour curfew to live outside the Bay of Plenty.
The judge said he had real concerns over any allegation involving intimidation of a witness but at this stage there was no evidence linking the defendant to the alleged threat.
Police allege that last weekend the accused and the his alleged victim met at a Tauranga address where she was plied with alcoholic drinks and stupefied with ketamine – a prescription-only sedative – then raped.
The man is also also barred from having any contact with his alleged victim and other police witnesses.
During a search of the man's address police allegedly found a small amount of ketamine. .
Judge Ingram said the issue of bail and the suppression order would be revisited on February 11 when the man is due back in court.
But the accused's lawyer told Judge Ingram the allegations were absolutely denied.
Judge Ingram said on that day he wanted to see a sworn statement by the complainant to substantiate her claim of intimidation, plus an affidavit from the accused setting out the grounds why suppression should continue.

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Emotional funeral for teen shot by police

Pregnant mother to be taken to hospital after burial

Friday, 30 January 2009

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TRAGIC LOSS: Halatau’s little sister Lupe Teputepu at the casket before the funeral.

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FAREWELL: A local South Auckland police officer bends over the casket of 17-year-old Halatau Naitoko as thousands of mourners, police representatives and local dignataries amongst them, paid their respects to the slain teenager at his home in Mangere.

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GRIEVING: Halatau’s sister Sekola Naitoko with her daughter Jurnee Brown, aged five months.

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A MOTHER’S TEARS: Ivoni Naitoko, centre, sitting, with family members ahead of the funeral service for her son.

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SAYING GOODBYE: Mourners pay their respects to Halatau Naitoko at the start of his funeral.
"A week ago the blood of an innocent boy was shed," one of five ministers officiating at the service told mourners.

Photo 5 of 5

Funeral for shot teenager

Halatau Naitoko, the teenager accidentally shot dead by police last week, was farewelled by more than 1000 mourners at his funeral today.
"He's dead but he is still speaking to us today."
The words were met by applause at the makeshift chapel where the service was held at the back of the family home in the suburb of Mangere East.
"Let that be a message to the government officials, and dignitaries, minister of police and police officers, even to the beloved policeman who fired that fatal shot.
The 17-year-old courier driver died last Friday when he was caught in police crossfire during the motorway chase by police of an armed man.
Mourners were told Halatau worked hard to help feed his brothers and sisters.
At the traditional Tonga funeral more than 1000 mourners, including police minister Judith Collins, police commissioner Howard Broad and numerous politicians, were told he was a hard-working, loyal, faithful, truthful, respectful and a loving child.
He was a loving and devoted father to his two-year-old daughter, mourners heard.
He was killed in the line of duty as his life was just starting to unfold, an aunt said.
He was killed in the line of duty as his life was just starting to unfold, an aunt said.
The traditional Tonga funeral in Tongan and in English began several hours after the first mourners arrived and after an early morning prayer session over his open casket. He had a loving heart and much compassion and hope for the future, she said.
Shewas to be taken to hospital to give birth immediately after her son's burial today.
It was a day of almost unbearable emotion as Mr Naitoko's mother Ivonifarewelled him, just hours before she was due to give birth to his baby brother.
The high emotion of her decision to name her new baby – her 10th child – Halatau after his dead brother, was not lost on mourners.
Family spokesperson Peter Sykes said the visit was a check-up but it Mrs Naitoko believed she would give birth.
Hundreds gathered around the silver hearse as the large, white casket topped with white flowers departed for Halatau's final resting place.
She cried out as she walked down the family's driveway as 13 pallbearers, including one member of New Zealand Police, carried her son'scoffinto the hearse.
For Paea Fangu Fangu, the 16-year-old brother of Halatau, it was a day of sadness.
The hundreds of floral wreaths left by mourners were packed into Kiwi Express courier van, the compnay both Halatau and his parents worked for. I just want to speak to the person that killed my brother and asked him why he took my brother away from us," he said as traditional hymns of farewell were sung at the family home. I just want to speak to the person that killed my brother and asked him why he took my brother away from us," he said as traditional hymns of farewell were sung at the family home.
Mr Naitoko's body, dressed in white, has been at the family home since Sunday night, accompanied around the clock by family members, relatives and friends.
Many mourners wore traditional ta'ovala, a woven Tongan flax dress, and black T-shirts. . May he rest in peace."
On the back was a picture of him with the words: "May he rest in Paradise, 1991-2009."
West Auckland man Stephen McDonald, 50, was arrested after the shootout. He faces 29 charges relating to events leading up to Mr Naitoko's shooting.
His alleged accomplice, Margaret Mann, 19, faces three charges. They will both reappear in court next week.
– and

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Mother plans to stalk rapist

– Friday, 23 January 2009

A Christchurch woman has been staking out Rolleston Prison as she prepares to follow the man who raped her daughter.
The woman, who cannot be named as it would identify her daughter, intends to follow Jack Michael Harris, 46, when he is released on Monday.
She also plans to deliver leaflets in the neighbourhood to which he will be released. He was sentenced to six years jail.
Harris was convicted in 2004 for indecent assaults and rapes on the woman's daughter, then aged 12 and 13, over an 18-month period.
The mother said she had three cars of volunteers ready to "stake out" the prison and follow any vehicles leaving.
Rehabilitative experts have condemned the actions, saying this type of "vigilante" action had been shown to have the opposite effects to those sought and increased the rates of reoffending. .
Rather than include his picture, they were thinking of providing the web address of Harris's profile on the trust's sex-offender register.
The mother had been advised by the Sensible Sentencing Trust on how to legally go about alerting the man's new neighbourhood to his presence.
New Zealand Parole Board chairman Judge David Carruthers said Harris would be supported on release.
She had contacted the Parole Board to contest Harris's release but had not made submissions on where he was to be released to.
"In addition, it has imposed conditions to continue for six months beyond his sentence end date.
"In this case, the release is to Salvation Army-supported accommodation, and the board requires the offender to attend an ongoing support programme," he said."
Safe Network chief executive Robert Ford, who works on rehabilitating sex offenders, said leaflet drops were based on the assumption that paedophiles were frequent reoffenders when, in fact, sexual offending had one of the lowest rates of recidivism."
Safe Network chief executive Robert Ford, who works on rehabilitating sex offenders, said leaflet drops were based on the assumption that paedophiles were frequent reoffenders when, in fact, sexual offending had one of the lowest rates of recidivism.
Leaflet drops placed the offender under stress and, under stress, reoffending was more likely, he said.
"A lot of these vigilante concerns are based on a false assumption," Ford said.

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Fiji heads for the hills, again

Tuesday, 13 January 2009

GREG FOWLER/Supplied
Locals survey the flooded streets in Fiji.

GREG FOWLER/Supplied
A photo sent in by Stuff reader Greg Fowler shows a flooded bridge outside Nadi.
The warning comes as authorities say the death toll from the storm earlier this week has reached seven.

Fiji floods strand Kiwis

Fiji declares state of disaster

NZ helps Fiji despite shaky relations

Fijians are being told to urgently head to higher ground as another severe storm begins to hit the island nation.
He is also warning of strong winds.
But Fiji Meteorological Service head Rajendra Prasad says severe flooding will take place throughout the whole country.
Meanwhile Nadi Airport was nearly empty this afternoon as flights got away to Australia and New Zealand.
Many of the areas already badly affected are expected to be hit again.
However Air Pacific is warning future flights today and tomorrow could be delayed or cancelled as severe thunderstorms prevented refuelling of aircraft.
An official at the airport said two more flights, including one to Samoa, were expected to leave this afternoon.
The latest confirmed deaths are of a 19-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy who drowned in separate incidents near Lautoka.
Earlier the Fiji National Emergency Operation Centre three people died in landslides while four from drowning in the earlier storm.
The officepredicts heavy rain and strong winds across Fiji from tonight.
The Nadi Weather Office says although water levels have receded in many areas, strong wind warnings and flood warnings remain in force for much of the main island of Viti Levu.
New Zealand, which yesterday gave $100,000, is giving its aid through the independent Fiji Red Cross.
Meanwhile as economic losses mount, military coup leader and self appointed prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama launched an international appeal for money to be paid into a bank account he controls.
"Commodore Bainimarama said any amount could be deposited and all contributions would be acknowledged," the government statement said.
Commodore Bainimarama yesterday appealed for funds worldwide and cited his "National Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation" account as the place to deposit it."
New Zealand and most regional governments refuse to recognise the Bainimarama regime which seized power in a military coup in December 2006.
"The funds collected will supplement Government's contribution under the National Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Programme.
Hundreds of New Zealand tourists remain stuck in tourist resorts.
Fiji's sugar crop, the third major export income earner behind tourism and international mercenary and security work, is believed to have suffered severely with the storm as much of the crop was waterlogged.
Since the floods started last week at least eight people have been killed and 9000 forced from their homes.
Keen golfers Stu Pedley and Murray Kuzman from Wanganui said their evacuation from Fiji's flood-struck Denarau Island at the weekend was like a "mini Dunkirk".
"There was no way anyone could get through on the road, even in a four-wheel-drive truck.
"There was no way anyone could get through on the road, even in a four-wheel-drive truck."
The island resort, mostly built on reclaimed land, was under two metres of water.
"It was a huge brown sea of water. .
Overnight on Wednesday, the rain started, and it fell solidly without a stop for two and a-half days.
The heavy rain flooded the roads and there was no way local staff could get to work in the hotels and resorts.
The men said Nadi Airport was chaotic, with thousands of tourists trying to arrange flights out of Fiji.
Only when in the air did they both fully realise the enormity of the devastation.
But despite everything the Fijian people kept smiling, Mr Pedley said.
"They just smiled through it all. They said the rain will stop," he said.
The Fiji government has declared a state of emergency in the western districts that were the hardest hit and are also home to most of the country's international resorts.
Tourists still at resorts were advised by the National Disaster Office to hunker down in preparation for more rough weather.
"There's another depression heading toward Fiji within the next two days and that will bring an additional threat," Aisea Qumihajelo, the acting chief of disaster management, told Associated Press.
– with

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Festival of light

The Saturday, 20 December 2008

ROSS GIBLIN/
PIECES OF EIGHT: As lights went up on Christmas trees around New Zealand, Moriah Kindergarten children Hamish Simcock, Solomon Emet and Miya Dring-Thorpe, all 3, were mesmerised by the candles on a menorah as part of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.

The Jewish kindergarten in central Wellington lit the menorah as part of celebrations for Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.
The kindergarten's children, Jewish and non-Jewish, had been examining forward to Hanukkah for weeks, principal Heidi Greenwood said.
The festival celebrates the rededication of the temple of Jerusalem, where oil meant to last one day kept the temple flame burning for eight."
Traditionally, one candle is lit on each of the eight days of Hanukkah. "We do all the festivals and this one is an absolute highlight. . But as it begins tomorrow – after the last day of school – the kindergarten lit them all yesterday."

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"You often get feedback from the non-Jewish parents saying how their children have brought all these little things home and want to talk about it

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Extent of Bay DHB’s animosity revealed

Saturday, 20 December 2008

The animosity between Hawke's Bay District Health Board members and their chief executive revealed in court documents suggests a rocky road ahead as they work together to run the region's health services.
The board has been reinstated by Health Minister Tony Ryall after being sacked by predecessor David Cunliffe in February.
The judicial review was discontinued after the board was reinstated this month.
But evidence and affidavits lodged with the High Court for a judicial review into the sacking contain claim and counter-claim by both sides and reveal a high level of distrust between the board and chief executive Chris Clarke.
The board claimed Mr Clarke began trying to "create a conflict" in late 2007 after board members held a forensic audit of the board's computer system.
In the documents, obtained by The yesterday, former board chairman Kevin Atkinson said the board had long-standing performance concerns with Mr Clarke and had meetings with an employment lawyer as early as mid-2007 for advice on addressing these. .
Board members believe the audit revealed "clear and inappropriate behaviour" by Mr Clarke in a conflict of interest concerning service contracts.
The board started "actively seeking my dismissal" late last year, he said.
But Mr Clarke claims the relationship between the board and senior management began deteriorating in 2004 after he had been in the job for a year.
"I was appalled at this suggestion .
The board was surprised that anonymous staff had told the review panel they felt "bullied, battered and bruised" by the board and asked Mr Clarke to arrange meetings with management to discuss the matter…
The board was unhappy with Mr Clarke's reluctance to support the meetings and threatened disciplinary proceedings last November. This was particularly inappropriate given that staff members' disclosures clearly indicate that some felt intimidated and bullied," Mr Clarke said. Any normal relationship ceased soon after. At this point Mr Clarke employed his own employment lawyer, he said.
The harshest criticism of Mr Clarke is in the affidavit by John Newland, a professional business mentor and former chief executive of Farmlands, who was employed by Mr Clarke to review board and management processes.
"All of the seven-strong management team regarded the situation as intolerable" and five said they would resign unless governance was changed, Mr Clarke said.

. He said he considered Mr Clarke was poor at managing his team

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Funeral held for South Korean backpacker

By KIRAN CHUG Thursday, 04 December 2008

The brother of Jae Hyeon Kim has thanked the people of New Zealand for the love they showed the Korean backpacker before he was killed.
Jaekyung Kim spoke only a few words at an emotional funeral service he attended with his mother Leebun Kim in Nelson today.
The funeral service, held in English and Korean, was also attended by members of Nelson's Korean community, detectives who investigated Mr Kim's disappearance, representatives from the Korean Consulate, and other community members.
Mr Kim's body was recovered by police in dense bush close to Charleston in October, five years after his disappearance.
Tasman police district crime manager Detective Inspector John Winter said it had been an emotional week for Mr Kim's mother and brother, who arrived in Nelson on Monday. .
Tomorrow they will attend the sentencing in Wellington of a man who has admitted murdering Mr Kim.
On Wednesday they visited the site close to Charleston where police recovered Mr Kim's body.
Nelson fisherman Shannon Brent Flewellen, 29, has denied a charge of murdering Mr Kim and will stand trial in the High Court at Greymouth next June. His name is suppressed.

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Warship docks after Gulf duties

on HMNZS Te Mana Monday, 08 September 2008

/The
DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL: Ingrid Gerritsen, 7, greets her father, Commander Blair Gerritsen, aboard the warship Te Mana, which docked after five months in the Persian Gulf as part of Enduring Freedom, a multinational operation to defeat the Taleban in Afghanistan.

Frontline warship Te Mana has suffered potentially life-shortening damage after five months sailing in the sandstorm-swept Arabian Gulf. The nearly $700 million Anzac frigate returned to Devonport yesterday after five months in the Gulf as part of Enduring Freedom, a multinational operation to defeat the Taleban in Afghanistan.
Its Seasprite helicopter was also sandblasted, with avionics, blades and engines showing signs of damage.
"We prepared as best we could by improving all the air-conditioning performance on board.
Te Mana, which was launched in 1997, now needed to go into scheduled maintenance, Commander Blair Gerritsen told The ."
Crew were astonished at how sand infiltrated much of the ship and the helicopter. At the end of the day, you've got to operate there and put up with the conditions.
It did not rain while they were in the Gulf and crew had fought a running battle to keep sand out. Its main radar bearings have heavy sand buildup, limiting the radar's range, and the ship's weapon systems must now be cleaned.
When the ship was washed, the runoff looked like mud. Their first real chance was on the way home, when they ran into monsoon rains going into Mumbai, India.
The extent of the problem is unlikely to be known till engineers have investigated the interior, but experts on board say the ship's operational life may have been shortened. Even the helicopter engines produced "sewage-looking water".
"Welcome home and enjoy tomorrow when you embrace family and friends and those you love.
Navy chief Admiral David Ledson flew to the ship near Waitangi to give each member of the company a general service medal and the Afghanistan medal in recognition of their role in Enduring Freedom."
The ship sailed into Devonport yesterday to a Father's Day welcome. We can all take a great deal of pride in a job well done. They ran up to the flightdeck, where Commander Gerritsen hugged them for the first time in five months. First on board for a tearful hug from dad were Commander Gerritsen's children Liam, 5, and Ingrid, 7.
On the dock a crowd of about 400 had turned up to welcome friends and family home.
"I've been looking forward to this," he said.