Two a penny

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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prompted a rare walk-out at the United Nations when he called Israel a “cruel and repressive racist regime” in his remarks to a conference on race.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deplored the address which prompted dozens of delegates to leave their seats, further undermining the summit which some Western powers including the United States are boycotting.

“It was a very troubling experience for me as secretary-general,” he told a news conference at the day’s end. It was a totally unacceptable situation. “I have not seen, experienced, this kind of disruptive proceedings of the assembly, the conference, by any one member state. Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands then followed suit.”

Washington announced on Saturday it would sit out the Geneva forum on fears it would be dominated by unfair criticism against Israel.

Their boycott left Ahmadinejad, who has in the past cast doubt on the Nazi Holocaust, in the spotlight as the only head of state at the conference.

“Following World War 2 they resorted to military aggressions to make an entire nation homeless under the pretext of Jewish suffering,” Ahmadinejad told the conference, on the day that Jewish communities commemorate the Holocaust.

His speech produced exactly the kind of language that they feared, which had also caused Canada and Israel to announce months ago they would stay away.

“And in fact, in compensation for the dire consequences of racism in Europe, they helped bring to power the most cruel and repressive racist regime in Palestine.

“And they sent migrants from Europe, the United States and other parts of the world in order to establish a totally racist government in the occupied Palestine,” he said, according to the official translation. Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called the address both “unsavoury” and “obnoxious.”

Washington decried Ahmadinejad’s speech as “vile and hateful”, while the Vatican called it “extremist and unacceptable”.”

“I was shocked and deeply saddened by everything he said,” she told journalists. . While most returned when Ahmadinejad finished speaking, the Czech Republic said its delegation would no longer take part in the conference.”

Dozens of diplomats in the audience promptly got up and left the hall for the duration of the speech.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store told the plenary after Ahmadinejad’s speech that Iran had isolated itself.

“Such outrageous anti-Semitic remarks should have no place in a UN anti-racism forum,” said British ambassador Peter Gooderham, whose country chose not to send a minister to Geneva.

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However, a number of the delegations that remained behind applauded Ahmadinejad.

“Norway will not accept that the odd man out hijacks the collective efforts of the many,” he said.

“I deplore the use of this platform by the Iranian President to accuse, divide and even incite,” he said.

Ban, who had held a meeting with Ahmadinejad before the address, said it was “deeply regrettable” that the Iranian leader had ignored his plea to avoid resulting in upset.”

Earlier on Monday, Israel recalled its ambassador to Switzerland in protest about the conference and Israeli officials also voiced anger at a meeting that Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz held on Sunday with Ahmadinejad. “We must all turn away from such a message in both form and substance.

Although a declaration prepared for the follow-up conference does not refer explicitly to Israel or the Middle East, its first paragraph “reaffirms” a text adopted at the 2001 meeting which includes six paragraphs on those sensitive issues.

Although a declaration prepared for the follow-up conference does not refer explicitly to Israel or the Middle East, its first paragraph “reaffirms” a text adopted at the 2001 meeting which includes six paragraphs on those sensitive issues.

REACTION:

OFFICE OF FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY

“The speech pronounced by Iran’s president is … an intolerable call for racist hatred that flouts the ideals and the values inscribed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“The president … totally condemns this speech of hatred. He calls for an extremely firm reaction by the European Union.”

UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

“I deplore the use of this platform by the Iranian President to accuse, divide and even incite. We must all turn away from such a message in both form and substance.”

UN HIGH COMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS NAVI PILLAY

“There’s no room for political posturing by some states because somebody who traditionally makes obnoxious statements once again does.”

ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU

“We will not allow Holocaust deniers to carry out another Holocaust against the Jewish people. That is the supreme obligation of the state of Israel, and that is my supreme obligation as prime minister of Israel.”

US DEPUTY AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS ALEJANDRO WOLFF

“I can’t think of any other word than shameful.”

“It does a grave injustice to the Iranian nation and the Iranian people, and we call on the Iranian leadership to show much more measured, moderate, honest and constructive rhetoric when dealing with issues in the region.”

BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY DAVID MILIBAND

“President Ahmadinejad’s remarks … were offensive, inflammatory and utterly unacceptable. That such remarks were made using the platform of the UN’s anti-racism conference is all the more reprehensible.”

CZECH FOREIGN MINISTRY (HOLDER OF EU PRESIDENCY)

“… We cannot allow, through our presence, the legitimisation of absolutely unacceptable anti-Israeli attacks … The Czech delegation will not return to the conference at all, as a consequence to Ahmadinejad’s speech.”

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER

“To the extent that the reaction demonstrated vocal opposition to what President Ahmadinejad stands for and has to say, I think that’s a very positive thing.

CHIEF VATICAN SPOKESMAN FATHER FEDERICO LOMBARDI

“Naturally, speeches like that of the Iranian president do not go in the right direction, because, even if he did not deny the Holocaust or Israel’s right to exist, his expressions were extremist and unacceptable.”

EUROPEAN JEWISH CONGRESS PRESIDENT MOSHE KANTOR

“If Hitler himself had addressed this forum, would UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sit as politely as he did for the lies and hatred spewed forth by Ahmadinejad? Shame on him, and shame on anyone who stayed in the room to hear – or applaud – his evil rants.”

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE/HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR ELIE WIESEL

“Ahmadinejad had been denying the Holocaust and issuing mortal threats to the State of Israel from the beginning.”

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The heads of the country’s State-owned enterprises have been told to increase their performance and tighten their belts.

The chairs of 13 of the 15 SOE boards met with senior Government ministers in Wellington Thursday evening after being summonsed to explain what the Government says is under-performance in the sector.

Prime Minister John Key has said the Crown receives a rate of return of around 3 per cent for its multi-billion dollar investment in the SOEs, and National does not think that is high enough.

State-owned enterprises minister Simon Power said the Government had been involved in “value-for-money exercises” across the economy.

Besides asking boards to find greater cost savings and deliver higher profits, the Government also wants the SOEs to avoid big pay rises or bonus payments to staff or senior management.

“In the current economic environment we expect them to take attention of the broader economic climate. “The SOE companies make up about 20 per cent of the Crown’s balance sheet and we just want to pass a similar message onto them.”

Finance Minister Bill English said the SOEs had to do a better job “just like everyone else has to”.

“They’ve had a number of good years under a government that didn’t put that much pressure on them.

“The public deserve good public services, they should be trying to get the costs down, do it efficiently – in a recession everyone has that responsibility.

“They need to get better returns than they’ve got. That’s changed – we’ve got a recession, and we’ve got a government who wants value for the taxpayers’ dollar. They’ve got to look at their own costs, make sure pay expectations are in line, that they understand their business and can do a better job. They’re not going to be able to do that just by putting prices up.”

English said the Government was not telling SOEs to cut staff to save money.”

English said the Government was not telling SOEs to cut staff to save money. We’re just making the expectations clear. It’s up to them to work out how to do that. “There is some concern about that but in the end they decide about the pay and salaries.”

Whether bonuses were paid was up to each SOE, English said. That’s what the rest of the public sector’s having to do and certainly the private sector. But I think they do deserve to have clarity about the government’s expectations that like everyone else in the economy they tighten their belts, they buckle down, they try to do more with less.

Among them, former National leader Don Brash becomes a director of Transpower, former Labour MP Jim Sutton retained his role as chairman at Landcorp and Paula Rebstock, who recently stood down as Commerce Commission chairwoman, was been appointed deputy chairwoman of New Zealand Railways Corporation with former National PM Jim Bolger reappointed as chairman.”

Power this week announced 22 new appointments, one elevation of a deputy chair to chair, three elevations of a director to deputy chair, and 20 reappointments.

Former Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen was appointed to the board of New Zealand Post, and is expected to become deputy chairman in October.

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Joan Withers, who recently resigned as chief executive of , and Keith Smith were appointed directors of Mighty River Power.

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The Warriors have received another massive injury blow in the lead-up to Sunday’s clash with South Sydney – captain Steve Price has been ruled out with a throat injury.

The 35-year-old prop received an accidental blow to his throat making a tackle on Manly forward Jason King early in the second half of the Warriors’ 26-24 win over the defending premiers at Brookvale Oval on March 22.

Although he fronted in the loss to the Broncos last Saturday night, the Warriors have decided against risking him against the Rabbitohs at Mt Smart Stadium this weekend.

“A scan revealed Steve has a haematoma to his throat and the area is still swollen,” said Warriors doctor John Mayhew.

Price was named on Tuesday to captain the Warriors but was advised to miss the South Sydney match after visiting a specialist on Wednesday.”

Price’s absence means nine players from the Warriors are now unavailable for Sunday’s encounter.

“He needs to rest this week to allow the swelling to ease before he is reviewed next week with a view to being able to return in round five (against Newcastle).

On the injured list are centre Brent Tate (knee), wing Manu Vatuvei (knee), utility Lance Hohaia (knee) and second rower Ben Matulino (ankle) plus props Leeson Ah Mau (shoulder), Mataupu Poching (ankle), Evarn Tuimavave (neck) and now Price (throat) as well as second rower Epalahame Lauaki.

Tate is out for the season after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee playing against his old Brisbane club last Saturday night. Lauaki has been prevented from playing for the Vodafone Warriors after signing with Hull FC.

“It’s a big dent in our resources but there’s nothing we can do about that except back other players to step in and do the job, which is exactly what we’re doing,” said coach Ivan Cleary. Tuimavave is out indefinitely at this stage but Vatuvei, Hohaia, Matulino and Poching are all expected to be available for selection soon, possibly for round five.”

On Tuesday 39-game NRL utility Patrick Ah Van was confirmed as Tate’s replacement in the centres for this fourth round match.

“While we’ve lost two of our most experienced players this week in Brent and Steve, we have boys in our squad who are busting themselves for an opportunity and now they have it.

With Price out, Cleary said Sam Rapira and Russell Packer would be the starting props against South Sydney while he has brought in new signing, 22-year-old Lewis Brown, and 2008 Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Daniel O’Regan (21) to create a five-man bench.

With Price out, Cleary said Sam Rapira and Russell Packer would be the starting props against South Sydney while he has brought in new signing, 22-year-old Lewis Brown, and 2008 Vodafone Junior Warriors captain Daniel O’Regan (21) to create a five-man bench.

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– DUNCAN JOHNSTONE,

Can the Warriors overcome their serious injury problems? below.

Cleary said he wouldn’t confirm the final make-up of the interchange bench until closer to game time.

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Two men injured when their motorcycles slammed into a turning police car will seek reparations after the former officer was found guilty of dangerous driving.

Wellington motorcyclists Brent Russell and Martin Collins suffered severe injuries when their bikes hit the side of then sergeant Anthony Bridgman’s patrol car as he did a three-point turn near a sweeping bend in the Buller Gorge in September 2007.

In the Nelson District Court yesterday, a jury of eight women and four men found Blenheim-based Bridgman guilty of dangerous driving.

Russell said yesterday the verdict was “fantastic”.

Their verdict came after an hour’s deliberation.

Russell said he had lost his business; his wife was now the sole breadwinner and the family’s bank account was drained.

The pair, who were both self-employed, would seek reparations for lost income and costs, he said. …

“And it has made us determined not to be victims and get on with our lives. but, as they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

During his trial last week, his defence was that he was turning to chase another motorcyclist, who was speeding, and Russell and Collins were travelling too fast to stop.”

Bridgman, who retired last December, had pleaded not guilty.

However, prosecutors said the pair first saw the turning patrol car as they rounded a bend, 120 metres away, and had only 4.

However, prosecutors said the pair first saw the turning patrol car as they rounded a bend, 120 metres away, and had only 4.

“It was a bit like saying `even if this guy is found not guilty, I am not going to be affected by this any more’,” Russell said of the trip.

Russell and Collins left part-way through last week’s trial to do a 1700-kilometre three-day motorcycle tour of the North Island’s East Cape with friends.

Investigating officer Detective Senior Sergeant Tony Bernards said the verdict was “satisfying”.

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He called for traffic officers to undergo regular training.

The police manual required officers to be prudent and competent drivers and not put other motorists at risk, he said.

He believed the crash was an “aberration” and would not prompt regular officer training.

“There are many times a day when officers make the decision to turn and do not because it is unsafe.

“This was a very unusual event.

New Zealand Police Association president Greg O’Connor said the question of who would pay Bridgman’s legal costs was under negotiation.”

The issue of reparations would be dealt with in the sentencing process, he said.

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TAB chiefs face inquiry as bribe claims surface

By TONY WALL and STEVE KILGALLON – Sunday, 15 February 2009

Senior TAB employees are under investigation over allegations they used community money to bribe publicans to secure poker machine money for horse racing. .
The racing board is an independent statutory body which runs the TAB throughout New Zealand, is politically appointed and reports to the minister of racing, John Carter.
He appealed for the Sunday Star-Times' sources to assist their investigation.
Internal Affairs' national manager of investigations, Geoff Owen, confirmed they were investigating racing board employees, Rotorua-based pokie trust First Sovereign and the Waikato Racing Club, and "irregularities in the [racing board] invoicing system".
It is alleged that in some of those cases TAB and pokie trust staff or agents have approached pubs with in-house TABs and offered inducements -including full refurbishments of the premises -if they switch allegiance to the racing-friendly trust.
While the latest inquiry focuses on the Waikato, the Star-Times understands Internal Affairs has spent months investigating cases around the country involving senior TAB figures and other racing-friendly pokie trusts.
A leading pokie industry source said he witnessed such a conversation involving a senior TAB employee.
Sources familiar with the Waikato investigation say it will focus on grants by First Sovereign to the Waikato Racing Club.
Such attempts to influence the flow of pokie money are illegal under the Gambling Act.
The chief executive of the NZRB, Graeme Hansen, said the board discovered a "transaction that looked as though it was out of the ordinary" several months ago and alerted Internal Affairs.
It is understood the inquiry will also look at at least one Hamilton pub, which switched to First Sovereign in 2007 and gained a refit of its TAB. "We're keeping out of the way to allow [Internal Affairs] to go through the proper process, and if there has been anything by our employees we'll respond accordingly.
He said no staff had been stood down."
Hansen said it would be concerning if staff were trying to bribe publicans, but he had seen no evidence of a wider problem."
Hansen said it would be concerning if staff were trying to bribe publicans, but he had seen no evidence of a wider problem."
There is fierce competition between pokie trusts to secure as many pub venues as possible so they can award more grants. I am very keen to determine whether or not there has been any improper application of gaming funds in this case. In that time First Sovereign gave more than $9m -over 50 percent of its total grants -to racing.
Problem Gambling Foundation research shows the racing industry has benefited from $58 million of poker machine grants since 2006.
Mike Brosnan, of Bendigo Valley, said two of his trust's biggest venues, both with TABs, were approached by a a senior TAB employee and a representative of a racing-friendly trust (not First Sovereign) and offered rebuilds, complete with plasma screen TVs, as well as increased commission.
In Otago, two pokie trusts, the Southern Trust and the Bendigo Valley Foundation, have laid complaints with Internal Affairs about approaches to their publicans.
He said the publicans were reluctant to testify about the incident.
"They were quoting refits worth $100,000," said Brosnan."
He said the benefit for a rival trust of taking over a venue could be huge. "The TAB is such a powerful organisation, the publicans are running scared because they could lose their TABs. If the TAB gets four or five of those venues, that's a lot of income going into racing, which in the long run means the schools miss out, the kindies miss out, other sports miss out. If the TAB gets four or five of those venues, that's a lot of income going into racing, which in the long run means the schools miss out, the kindies miss out, other sports miss out."

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Booze laws not working

Shame drivers and crush cars, say police

Saturday, 14 February 2009

Desperate police are proposing radical measures to curb an increase in drink-driving, including publicly shaming repeat offenders and crushing cars. .
Details of the proposals are included in documents obtained by The under the Official Information Act and hint at an expected crackdown on motorists who continue to drive drunk.
The steps emerged from a police brainstorming session, and come alongside calls by police to lower the drink-driving limit, raise the driving age and increase sentences for drink-drivers.
The strategy is designed to improve road safety, setting out an action plan for reducing the number of deaths and injuries.
The proposals will be considered as the Transport Ministry moves to write a new road safety strategy for the next decade, ready for implementation next year.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce said all potential solutions were on the table "all these things have got to be thought through". It will look at the major causes of serious road trauma, including drink-driving, speed and unsafe roads. "It's appropriate to consider as many things as we can.
He was aware of the proposals stemming from the brainstorming session. They are the people on the frontline. We've got to listen to what the enforcement officers think.
Justice Minister Simon Power said last week the strategy would review the legal limit of 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood."
The Government is tipped to lower the blood-alcohol limit for drivers as part of the strategy.
They also support a zero-tolerance drinking policy for drivers aged under 20 on learner and restricted licences.
Police support lowering the limit to 50mg of alcohol for every 100ml of blood, the same as many other countries, including Australia, Argentina, France, Germany, South Africa and the Netherlands. " I think we need to have a debate.
Mr Joyce said he had an open mind about whether the alcohol limit should change.
Police brass are concerned that the drink-driving message is not getting through."
A discussion document is expected to go to the public this year.
A Transport Ministry report last year painted a picture of more crashes, more casualties and a drink-drive culture that continues unabated despite millions of dollars being poured into enforcement and education. The number of alcohol or drug-related road deaths increased for the third year running in 2007. "As a wealth of research demonstrates, one of the chief mechanisms by which the goal of improved road safety can be achieved is through a reduction of existing blood alcohol content levels," he wrote in a 2007 report.
Road policing researcher John Locker recommends lowering the alcohol limit.

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Smelly attacker detained man at house

The Wednesday, 21 January 2009

Police search for sex attacker with BO, bad breath

Detectives believe the man who attempted to abduct an Australian tourist in broad daylight has targeted other men and women walking along Nelson's Haven Rd in recent weeks, and also held another man against his will at a close toby house.
Detective Aaron Kennaway said a man contacted police yesterday and said that on Saturday evening, he had been approached by a man who matched the description of the man who attacked the tourist.
The offender has been described ashaving foul breath and bad body odour.
Mr Kennaway said the man who contacted police had voluntarily agreed to go to a close toby house with the other man, but he would not comment on whether police knew where the house was. .
Mr Kennaway would not say how the man was stopped from leaving, but said he escaped a short time later by jumping off a porch, which was about 2 metres from the ground.
Once there, the man tried to leave, but Mr Kennaway said he was prevented from leaving.
Mr Kennaway said the man had been able to give police valuable information that had now become the focus of their investigation.
Police were concerned that those people had not come forward at the time those approaches were made.
He said at least two other people had come forward and told police that they had been approached by a man in the same area in recent weeks.
Police had been "inundated" with information from the public since Sunday's attempted abduction of the Australian tourist.
He urged people in Nelson to be cautious but not frightened when walking in the Haven Rd area.
Mr Kennaway said there had been "sexual overtones" to the attempted abduction of the tourist.
Mr Kennaway said there had been reports of the man being seen around Nelson, Havelock, Kaikoura and Timaru, and these were also being investigated.
Police yesterday interviewed another man in relation to the attack, but he was no longer the focus of the investigation, Mr Kennaway said.
Police yesterday interviewed another man in relation to the attack, but he was no longer the focus of the investigation, Mr Kennaway said.

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Gang show of force at court

By LYN HUMPHREYS – Friday, 16 January 2009

BRADLEY AMBROSE/
BACKED IN BLACK: More than 30 Taranaki Black Power members turned out in support of five of their gang members facing charges of murder.

Five Black Power gang members accused of murder will stay behind bars because of fears of witness intimidation.
The five have been in custody since being arrested in December.
Peri Niwa, 31, a scaffolder, was stabbed to death on November 16 in the New Plymouth suburb of Moturoa.
Judge Roberts said that on the night of the alleged murder, the five had travelled across town, as members of Black Power, literally to confront another group.
In the New Plymouth District Court yesterday, Judge Allan Roberts declined Adrian Fenton and Rangi Rick Brown release on 24-hour electronic bail, saying the risks to witnesses were too great.
It would be much easier for the gang members to track down and intimidate witnesses if they were out on bail, the judge said.
"There was a shotgun and a knife or other sharp object utilised to stab Mr Niwa," he said.
The judge replied, "Won't that intensify activity to find out who they are?"
Judge Roberts said police had now charged Fenton with illegal possession of a sawn-off 12-gauge pump action shotgun and a knife.
For the two men, defence lawyer Barry Henderson argued that there could be no fear that his clients would intimidate witnesses because they had no idea who the witnesses were.
"I do not consider e-bail will prevent this person (Fenton) from avoiding his obligations.
There was also a risk that Fenton and Brown would not turn up to court if released on bail, the judge said."
"(Brown) can walk out the door. I'm not prepared to grant bail even on the most stringent terms. E-bail doesn't keep him there. If he walks out and scoots he's gone.
All five faced new charges yesterday, including possession of weapons and participating in a criminal group that was reckless in their criminal activity. It doesn't act as a GPS," the judge said.
The five gang members return to court on March 10 for a hearing during which the Crown will argue for the court to give full anonymity to prosecution witnesses. .
Outside court, Taranaki Black Power turned up in force to support the five accused.
All four defence lawyers stated yesterday that they intend to challenge the Crown's application.
During the court hearing, large numbers of police filled the courtroom after the front benches of the public gallery were cleared. Many wore patches and blue bandannas covering the lower part of their faces.

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Controversial fundraiser returns

– Tuesday, 06 January 2009

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON
CONTROVERSIAL: Fundraiser John Peters in Christchurch.

A controversial professional fundraiser is back selling pens on Christchurch streets for a little-known Canterbury charity that has not spent a dollar of the $20,000 raised.
Since first appearing in in May 2006, he had featured in other newspapers and was criticised in Parliament for his fundraising methods which included sitting in a chair, his legs apparently useless, to give the impression he was disabled.
Former ACT candidate John Peters travels New Zealand selling $20 pens, of which $5 from each goes to charity.
He would not give a card or contact number for the trust's director, saying it could be found on the internet.
When approached by in City Mall on Friday, he said his current charity was the Disabled Children's Trust, for which he had raised $20,000 over the past year.
Williamson has another charitable trust registered under his name called the Hope for Children Charitable Foundation.
However, internet searches found no trace of the trust except on the Companies Office website, which said it had been registered to Christchurch man David Williamson since 2002.
None of the money had been spent and it was sitting in a bank account, he said.
Williamson confirmed Peters' claim that he had raised $20,000 for the Disabled Children's Trust over the past year.
Ferndale School chairwoman Annie Barnes said she had never heard of Williamson and, to her knowledge, the school had never received a donation from him.
He planned to use it to buy wheelchair swings for Ferndale Special School in Merivale, which he said he had donated to in the past through a person he knew there.
"This has just come out of the blue. .
Williamson said he had no problem with receiving just 25 per cent of donations made to the trust and did not have any other way of fundraising before Peters started doing the work. If he's planning to do that, that would be very nice," she said."
He said his other charity, the Hope for Children Charitable Foundation, raised money from local businesses and donated it to several causes, including the Canterbury Charity Hospital and buying "kids laptops".
"He (Peters) came and saw me one day and told me his background and I thought why not give the man a second chance and that's what I'm doing.
Peters said all the negative publicity over the past couple of years was giving people the wrong idea about him.
Hospital manager Lorraine Proffit said she could recall Williamson making a donation, but could not say the amount.
In 2006, Peters was reported as owning a property portfolio worth between $1 million and $1.
One man had physically attacked him after reading an article in the paper, he said.
He confirmed to the in July that his turnover from fundraising was more than $40,000 a year, which required him to register for GST.5m.

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‘Air NZ family’ gathers at Canet beach

– Wednesday, 03 December 2008

Fairfax
SAD GATHERING: Families of the crash victims and Air New Zealand staff hold a simple ceremony, including a waiata, on Canet beach. ‘This will be a special place for the rest of our lives,’ airline chief executive Rob Fyfe said.

Wait for answers may take years

It wasa poignant piece of New Zealand on a Mediterranean beach. All seven people on board died, five of them New Zealanders.
Just five days earlier, an Air New Zealand Airbus A320 had smashed into the Mediterranean Sea seven kilometres off the coast of France. For a short time it was ours.
Canet beach, beneath the snow capped Pyrenees, is better known for its summer influx of the rich and famous.
Relatives of the crash victims and Air New Zealand officials arrived at the beach by bus yesterday afternoon. Citizens paused along the foreshore and on the breakwater to respectfully watch the sad huddle of people. A big squad of gendarmes were there. Remains of three people have been recovered, but hope is slim that the others will be found.
In an eerie moment, an A320 plane flew across, going over the site on the horizon in which the remains of the aircraft, and most of the dead, lie. "This will be a special place for the rest of our lives.
Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe told the gathering they would all now be connected to the beach."
Cultural adviser Andrew Baker spoke briefly in Maori and then, alone, sang a waiata."
Cultural adviser Andrew Baker spoke briefly in Maori and then, alone, sang a waiata.
As the "Air New Zealand family", as they now like to call themselves, moved from the beach up to the port, some scooped Canet sand into bags. We were all tangata whenua on that beach. The lifeboat crews had been among the first to reach the wreckage last week.
They boarded two volunteer lifeboats and were taken out to sea, to the spot that is now officially a crime scene, to cast flowers on the water.
Earlier, Mr Fyfe and two family members spoke of the losses.
Air New Zealand staff members performed a haka at the site. "I feel I really needed to do it for myself and him, I wanted to bring Murray home," she said, and then her voice trailed away, "but perhaps not".
Emma Gould, of Auckland, who lost her partner Murray White, began to say how important it was to bring Murray home. "I have come to that reality.
Bill Marsh, of Invercargill, whose engineer son Noel Marsh died, said he was accepting that they may return to New Zealand with nothing."
His son had just built a new home in Christchurch and Mr Marsh and his wife were ready last Friday to help the family move."
His son had just built a new home in Christchurch and Mr Marsh and his wife were ready last Friday to help the family move. Then they heard of the air crash and knew Noel had probably gone.
Now their main aim was to take their son home if they could.
Noel's pregnant wife, Tracey, was examining after the couple's two young children and could not come to Canet beach.
"It was her wish that we visit the site."
Mr Marsh said the flight to France had been the longest of his life. It was comfortable and he slept, but like other members of the families "you still have your moments, and at one point we all woke up blubbing our eyes out".
Often, in the past, as others experienced tragedy, he had reflected on how lucky his family was. Then this.
"Losing a son is something different again – you never expect to bury your own children, and that is the hardest thing in our lives."
Last year, Noel had written a long list of things that needed to be done before his family was ready to move into their new home.
At the top he wrote that when he died he wanted his organs donated and his body to be cremated.
Mr Marsh praised the way Air New Zealand had looked after the families.
Ms Gould said she had not hesitated about getting on a plane and coming to France. "What's happened to our guys is a freak accident. On our journey, we did have a few laughs. That was important to me because Murray and I felt the funny side of life. Murray was always smiling."
Most of the photos she had of Murray and herself had been on his laptop computer which went down with the plane.
"As my brother pointed out, the photos have gone with Murray. .
Like the Marsh family, she and her partner had been building a home and were close toly ready to move in.
"I've lost parents, but I did not expect to be on my own at 34 like this. I've got a long and lonely road ahead … I am gutted that I've lost my soul mate, that my stepson has lost his father, who was his ultimate, my kids have lost out on a step father.
"Murray's parents have lost a special part of their unit. I am not angry, yet. I probably will be, at some stage."