Two a penny

.

The Maori Party plans to have 18 seats in Parliament
by 2017, which will include all the Maori seats, its president told
a group of Maori Party supporters today.

About 200 leaders and supporters attended the Maori Party’s annual general meeting in Auckland today.

Maori Party president Professor Whatarangi Winata said the party had been active in Parliament to date and had delivered 180 speeches since the beginning of the term.

Leaders, members and MPs discussed the party’s role in Parliament to date and its future plans. .

The party wanted to increase its membership to have more influence in legislation, but co-leader Tariana Turia said for this to be done, more people needed to “cough up” more funds, particually those who were “well heeled”.

“We do have a respectful relationship (but) we don’t have to agree with one another,” she said.

She said she expected the party to be able to see out its term with National and had a good relationship with Prime Minister John Key and his party.”

The leaders discussed the climate change and the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), and while Mrs Turia said she was personally opposed to the ETS, because it would effect forestry, fishing and farming, three areas essential to the Maori economy, the Maori Party supported the bill because that was what their supporters wanted.

“The most important thing is the Maori Party is sitting at the same table as whoever is in Government.

.

Fonterra has emerged from dairying’s toughest year in living memory in a buoyant mood.

The cooperative was yesterday praising its management of a year in which commodity prices plummeted as farmers produced more milk.20 a kg of milksolids, well down on the $7.

It confirmed the payout to farmers for the year to July 31 would be $5.

But it also pointed to a stronger balance sheet, reduced stockpiles and improved performance in adding value to its basic products.90 record high of the year before.10, the company’s leadership was upbeat.

With a recovery in commodity prices now underway and a lift in the payout forecast for this year to $5.

He said the company had weathered business challenges and market volatility that were probably unique in the lifetimes of anyone involved in dairying.

Chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden said Fonterra’s strategy of “combining a broad business footprint, a powerful sales network, strong customer relationships and valued brands” was delivering more profit to farmers.

On top of this, the market turmoil occurred as many farmers were emerging from the worst drought in more than a century.

Commodity prices fell from record highs, the exchange rate was a roller coaster, much of the world plunged into a deep recession and the global financial meltdown rewrote the rules about how companies obtained finance. This had come momentarily early this year when exchange rates took a brief favourable turn.

However, the company had decided to hold onto stocks and wait for a lift in the market.5 per cent in January to 52. Now inventories were down and the debt ratio had fallen from a high of 61.

Chief executive Andrew Ferrier said a solid performance in both the consumer brands and ingredients businesses had driven a strong growth in profits and had lifted the value-added proportion of the payout, from 31c to 49c.7 per cent at July 31. Overall, more than $6.

This had added $603 million to the distributable profit, compared with $364m the previous year.

The company increased sales of infant formula to global customers, held margins above falling commodity prices for ingredients products in the large developed markets, and achieved some early success with the commercialisation of products developed by Fonterra researchers.3 billion would be distributed to farmers. .

These included specialised proteins for sports bars, beverages and medical nutrition, special yoghurt texturisers, and unique processed cheeses for the foodservices sector

.

A second night of drunken disorder has rocked Dunedin following the arrival of the annual Undie 500 car rally
in the city.

Again facing off against a mob of about 600 people in North Dunedin’s Castle St area, police in riot gear used pepper spray to subdue and disperse the hordes. Students again lit fires and pelted police with bottles.

“Many students were pepper sprayed and officers had to call for more supplies as some had emptied their canisters on those students,” Mr Campbell said.

The crowd advanced on officers, “challenging the police line”, after police officers tried to grab a man, Inspector Dave Campbell said.

“Officers were forced to put on helmets and other protective clothing,” said Campbell.

One officer collapsed to the ground after being hit in the head with a bottle, but his helmet saved him from serious injury.

Two or three members of the public were also injured by flying bottles and had to be taken away by ambulance for treatment.

Police arrested between 50 and 60 people. It is understood one 18-year-old student was in hospital with burns after a sofa fire. The weekend’s violence and disorder saw the highest number of arrests in recent years. This follows the 20 arrests made on Friday night.

The event has previously caused headaches for Dunedin police left to control riotous behaviour at the end of the trip. .

Last year’s official Undie 500 was cancelled after rioting in the city resulted in 69 arrests the previous year.

Last year’s official Undie 500 was cancelled after rioting in the city resulted in 69 arrests the previous year.

Despite promises of better behaviour from students, “nothing has changed”.

Those arrested would be charged with breaching the temporary liquor ban, disorderly behaviour, obstruction and wilfully setting fire to property, and would appear in Dunedin District Court at the end of the week, Campbell said.”

Dunedin mayor Peter Chin, who has called repeatedly for the Undie 500 to be cancelled, said yesterday that Friday night’s riot had only served to reinforce his view that it was nothing but a “drunken pub crawl” from Christchurch to Dunedin.

“The event has once again shown that when large numbers of young adults gather and drink to excess mass disorder is inevitable.

“The University of Otago, the Dunedin City Council and the Dunedin police are all of one mind in terms of this event.

“The organisers have no control over those who attach themselves to the event,” Chin said.”

.

“We have said openly that this event is not welcome and we would prefer it did not happen

.

Many National Party supporters in Mt Albert didn’t bother to vote on Saturday, Prime Minister John Key says.

Labour candidate David Shearer won the by-election with a 12,613 landslide, with National’s gaffe-prone candidate, list MP Melissa Lee, trailing a distant second with 3426 votes.

Mr Key said National voters had not bothered to turn out.

Polls before the election roughly reflected the result.

“I mean it’s quite clear our base just didn’t go out and vote.

“Of course you’d like to do better but I think also there was a very low turnout, 48 per cent of people voted,” he told reporters.

The fact that the motorway will see local houses bulldozed also went against her.”

Ms Lee made some clangers during the campaign, including saying she only earned $2 an hour when she is on a $131,000 salary plus extras and that a new motorway would divert south Auckland criminals from the Mt Albert electorate.

Ms Lee’s performance did not bar her from future advancement in the party including Cabinet, Mr Key said, and lessons would be learned.

“I was always of the view it would be a very difficult seat to win and that proved to be the case,” Mr Key said.”

Mr Key did not attend election night as a result of a long-standing family engagement.

“There are always lessons you can learn from these kinds of things and only a fool does not learn from their experiences, good and bad, so there will be some lessons we take away from that.

“I was in contact with Melissa on a number of occasions during the day.

“I made it quite clear right before we even announced the date that it wouldn’t be possible for me to be there on that particular night, win or lose.”

He could not comment on why other senior party figures failed to show, saying that he had not organised the event. If I could have been there, I would have liked to have been.

–

Immigration service a ‘shambles’

– National Homepage -

.

The teenager accused of robbing several Auckland banks at gun-point has appeared in court.

Police allege the 18-year-old boy is responsible for stealing over $11,000 from three banks in less than a week.

He is charged with stealing $2385 from the Kiwi Bank and Post Shop on Dominion Road last Tuesday, $4400 from St Lukes ASB banks on Saturday and $4890 from the National Bank in Newmarket yesterday. .

Judge Field remanded the boy in custody until June 29 so his mental fitness to enter a plea could be ascertained.

Police say he was armed with something which appeared to be a gun for all three bank hold-ups.

– Next Crime story: –
Man admits stabbing partner to death

– National Homepage –

.

Auckland has been hit with spate of bank robberies in the last week – including separate armed hold-ups at ASB bank in Mt Roskill, the ASB bank in Blockhouse Bay and the National bank in Queen Street

.
Green bins saved: Council U-turn on recycling

Saturday, 21 February 2009

SAVED: Wellington City Council has backed down on its plan to scrap plastic recycling bins after a public backlash over plans to introduce a user-pays system.

Wellington City Council has backed down on its plan to scrap plastic recycling bins after a public backlash over plans to introduce a user-pays system.
Introducing user-pays bags was to bridge a $1.
The council said two weeks ago it would recommend that recycling bags, bought at supermarkets for about $1 each, should replace the 45-litre green bins.
Outraged ratepayers sent about 1000 emails to the council demanding that the bins be retained.1 annual funding deficit in the council's recycling services. "All I can say is the signatures speak for themselves," he said.
A "save the bins" petition, set up by Jonathan Smith, has been signed by more than 7200 people."
Now the council has reverted to the status quo and is recommending keeping the bins in use. "Wellingtonians have spoken.
Councillor Jo Coughlan told the strategy and policy committee that the decision was "looking pretty dodgy".
But even though it proposes no change to kerbside services, it still plans to consult the public."
The consultation will also seek feedback on replacing bins with recycling bags, recycling stations, wheelie bins, pre-paid stickers on recycling containers, and even dumping the service altogether. "How can it look good to go out and consult on the status quo?
"We don't think we should change anything but we will go out and spend all this money asking people anyway.
Mayor Kerry Prendergast said retaining the bins was financially unsustainable, but public feedback showed people wanted recycling funded entirely through rates.
The council now recommends that the service should remain funded through a recycling levy charged on waste disposed of at the tip. They don't want their rates to go up but they do want it considered as part of their rates .
"They see recycling, like the rubbish [collection], as a core service by the council…"
The council is in the process of deciding which projects and services should be axed or deferred so it can save $50 million over 10 years and keep rates increases to the rate of inflation. they say find it [funding] somewhere else.1 million from its budget.
Ditching the user-pays proposal without increasing rates means the council will have to cut another $1.
Recycling is collected and delivered to Transpacific AllBrite in Seaview where it is sorted and shipped to mainly Chinese markets. . This will continue if the bins are retained.

.
Stingrays bask in Wellington shallows

– Monday, 09 February 2009

CATHERINE WALKER
SUN SOAKER: Six stingrays took time out to bask in the warm water of Wellington’s Frant Kitts Lagoon at the weekend.

Stingray barb ‘felt like a knife’

Wellington's Frank Kitts lagoonwas home to six stingrays at the weekend as the sea creatures take advantage of the lagoons shallows to bask in the sun.
Wellington woman Catherine Walker spotted six rays as she walked alongside the lagoon on Saturday.
"At first we thought they were dead because they weren't doing anything, but the next day when we walked past we saw other people swimming and there was definitely a big one swimming around in there," she said.
Ms Walker said they lay docile near the lagoons entrance.
Ms Walker said around 12 people were standing at the edge of the lagoon and examining at the animals while a number of passers-by also stopped to see what all the fuss was about.
She thought the biggest was about a metre wide, though it was hard to tell with the distortion created by the water.
One young man from a group dressed as mummies, presumably on their way to the sevens, decided to jump in for a swim before he was warned about the rays.
Several people sat with their feet in the water but removed them once they saw the rays.
"They didn't believe it and it started to swim towards him, I don't know if anything was going to happen but he got out really quick," she said.
NIWA scientist Michael Manning told the they liked to bask in warm shallows.
In January a number of stingrays were spotted in the shallows at Oriental Bay, prompting calls for swimmers to be cautious when swimming there. . The risk of attack was low, and they would only attack if they were threatened, he said.
Motueka man Mike French, 46, received two serious wounds in his back after being attacked while swimming at Kina beach between Motueka and Nelson on Saturday.
Motueka man Mike French, 46, received two serious wounds in his back after being attacked while swimming at Kina beach between Motueka and Nelson on Saturday.

.
In December, a 48-year-old woman was attacked in Golden Bay

.
Wellington support for super-city Auckland

Friday, 16 January 2009

New Zealand's largest and third-largest cities are at odds on amalgamating as part of an Auckland super-city.
Auckland Mayor John Banks said yesterday that he was highly supportive of one city replacing the current seven on the isthmus, but Manukau Mayor Len Brown said his people would be "buried" by it.
However, Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast said the idea had merit, signalling the concept would eventually have to be looked at in the Wellington region.
North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams was more critical, saying the possibility was horrifying. It's not just about the economic but also the social wellbeing of the country.
"Something has to be done about Auckland.
It was reported yesterday that the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance would recommend a bold shakeup of the region, compressing seven councils into one city of 1."
Ms Prendergast said though the Wellington region's councils had benefited from working jointly on a regional strategy, a gradual merger of the four councils was likely.
The move would make the Auckland super-city the biggest single municipal city in New Zealand and Australia, just ahead of Brisbane, with 1.4 million people.
The royal commission said talk of a super-city was speculative and chairman Peter Salmon dismissed the media reports.2 million."
Mr Banks said he regretted that as an opposition National Party MP in 1989 he opposed Labour's plan for greater amalgamation, and he wanted it fixed now. "Articles of this nature, which purport to reveal the commission's decisions, are unhelpful, and disturb council staff throughout the region.
"We need to sing from the same song sheet and the same tune.
The seven-city structure made the isthmus dysfunctional."
The devil would be in the super-city detail, he said, and it would be critical to keep the "local" in local government. "This is the way forward. Auckland has never been so dysfunctional as it has been today because there are seven councils, seven leaders, seven district plans, seven sets of rules and seven bureaucracies, all different, singing from their own song sheets.
"That is the critical architecture of any amalgamation.
"We are singing from the same song sheet," he said."
But Mr Brown denied the region was dysfunctional and pointed to the regional "One Plan" on infrastructure and transport."
Manukau had other big challenges and did not want to have to constantly focus on governance issues. "We are working extraordinarily collaboratively. "We would get buried, and I think our community is a unique community. "We would get buried, and I think our community is a unique community. .5 million people and a massive bureaucracy.
"If people are looking for economic efficiencies in this type of structure, they are looking in the wrong place."
The royal commission received 3500 submissions and will produce a report on March 31.

.
Petrol price present on cards

By NICK CHURCHOUSE Friday, 26 December 2008

Fallingoil prices have yet to ripple through to petrol pumps, but oil companies say they are on standby to deliver a late Christmas present to motorists if they can.
Shell held a special meeting on Tuesday to look at the international indicators and how they might play out after Christmas and through the New Year period.
Spokeswoman Jackie Maitland said Shell was surprised that lower crude oil prices and a fluctuating New Zealand-United States exchange rate had not brought a dip in refined fuel prices, which dictated retail pump prices.
Petrol is now close toly 80 cents a litre cheaper than when prices peaked in mid-2008 in line with record crude oil prices.
International oil prices settled at about $35 yesterday as new consumer activity data showed demand was continuing to ease.
Local oil companies are working through the Christmas break to monitor volatile international fuel markets.
The kiwi dollar climbed to US60c late last week but has settled at a lower level this week.
BP spokeswoman Diana Stretch said the company would continue to monitor prices on working days through the holiday period.
Members of the oil producer group Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or Opec, have tried to bolster the oil price by cutting their production by 5 percent, but it has had little effect.
Ms Maitland said Shell was constantly watching the situation.
Significant falls in consumer spending, energy demand and other economic indicators have been confirmed around the world, with some drops the biggest in decades.
Opec is now considering calling an urgent meeting before March to look at the rapidly declining value of its crucial export.
Oil consumption in China fell by 3.
The US Energy Information Administration predicted world oil demand would shrink during 2009 because of the financial turmoil, the first decline since 1983.2 percent in November from a year ago, the first decline in close toly three years.2 percent in November from a year ago, the first decline in close toly three years

.
Kiwi badly beaten on stag night in Britain

Tuesday, 23 December 2008

Todaywas meant to be the happiest of Tony George's life as he tied the knot with his fiancee in a Caribbean beach wedding.
Instead, the 39-year-old expatriate New Zealander is slowly recovering from a brutal beating while celebrating his stag night in the British city of Leeds. .
The attack, which police say was unprovoked, happened on December 6.
He travelled the world before settling in Yorkshire and met Miss Atkins in January 2006.
Mr George was to have married Adele Atkins today in St Lucia after a luxury cruise from Acapulco, taking in the Panama Canal and Barbados.
Police said he was walking with his stag party in central Leeds about 1. The pair now live in Skipton with Miss Atkins' two children and their nine-month-old daughter, Elodie. One of a group of passing men punched him to the ground.30am when he was attacked.
His terrified fiancee learned of the attack when a friend phoned with the news from Mr George's mobile phone.
He suffered serious head injuries and was taken to Leeds General Infirmary in a critical condition.
"I kept feeling he would be all right, even when he had a CT scan and they said he had a fractured skull, a bleed in his head and swollen brain.
"When I got to hospital his head was in a brace and was very swollen and he was on a ventilator," Miss Atkins said. The doctor said it could go either way and he could die.
"It was the next day that it hit me."
Though Mr George's condition has improved, doctors say he faces a long recovery. That Saturday was the worst day of my life.
"When he first woke up he could not speak, had no memory and could not move about. "He has made a lot of progress in a relatively short space of time," Miss Atkins said. But he finds some things he used to find simple, such as texting, more difficult.
"Now, though he is sometimes confused, he is up and about. Hopefully it will all come back, but there is no guarantee.
But it is early days."

."