Two a penny

.

Rugby sevens and golf have been added to the Olympic schedule from the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, the International Olympic Committee voted today.

The two sports were added to the Summer Games line-up after a vote of members at the IOC session in Copenhagen.

They are guaranteed an appearance for two consecutive Games. Golf last featured in an Olympics in 1904 while rugby was taken off the Olympic schedule after the 1924 Games in Paris.

The 2012 London Games will have 26 sports after baseball and softball were taken off the programme in 2005.

The IOC, eager to revamp its sports programme to attract younger viewers, voted to raise the number of sports to 28 for the Rio Olympics, including the fast-paced version of rugby played with seven players instead of 15 and men’s and women’s 72-hole stroke play for golf.

Golf earned 63 votes for inclusion and 27 against, while rugby sevens attracted 81 for and eight against. .

Analysts have estimated that rugby sevens will easily double its current sponsorship money of about $US15-20 million ($NZ20-27 million) by joining the Olympics.

The two sports are guaranteed global expansion and cash with funding from the IOC, increased broadcast rights deals and, in some countries, automatic national funding as an Olympic sport.

Earlier in the day, Jacques Rogge was re-elected as IOC president until 2013.

.

Industrial action by bus drivers which threatened to disrupt up to 80,000 Auckland commuters tomorrow has been cancelled.

A threatened lockout of almost 900 bus drivers and cleaners in response to a planned work to rule programme has been called off after mediation between the union and their employer.

However, mediation talks today saw the notice of strike action lifted and an amended offer will be presented to the union on Friday.

The Auckland Combined Union gave notice of their planned action last week and their employer, NZ Bus responded by saying it would lock them out. .

Bus services will be temporarily affected on Friday between 11am and 1pm as the offer is considered.

The work to rule action was to involve drivers taking scheduled 10 minutes breaks between routes to complete tasks such as lost property inspections and recommended stretching exercises, even if they were running late.

Both sides had earlier said they were unwilling to back down.8 percent this year, taking the starting wage from $14.

The drivers were seeking an increase of 6.05 more than the minimum wage, to $15 an hour, the union said.05, only $1.30 after three months employment before peaking at $16.

Presently, the pay rate climbs to $15.

NZ Bus operations manager Zane Fulljames said they had offered a 9.75 after nine months of service.

Mr Fulljames said the lockout had been put in place as the company could not operate safely or reliably if the workers were working to rule.9 percent increase over three years which he said was exceptionally fair in this economy.

.

The country’s land transport network will have $8.7 billion spent on it during the next three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) announced today.

The funding will be managed through the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

“This is the largest land transport investment in New Zealand’s history, and it represents a 17 per cent increase from the previous three-year period,” NZTA chairman Brian Roche said. Projects which boost economic growth, productivity and employment have been targeted.”

The programme invested in projects in all regions, providing guaranteed funding levels for each region over the next three years.

“This additional investment will deliver significant benefits for New Zealand now and in the future.

Most activities had funding increases, including:

* a 21 per cent increase for public transport ($899 million over the next three years);

* a 19 per cent increase for New Zealand’s state highway network ($4.9b over the next three years).5b over the next three years);

* a 14 per cent increase for local roads ($1.

Improving the efficiency of key routes, public transport, and easing severe congestion in key urban areas, as well as upgrading important freight and tourism routes, improving safety and access to markets, and to employment would contribute to economic growth, he said.

The programme would help to address the important challenges New Zealand faced with land transport, Mr Roche said.

Sixteen regional transport committees and the Auckland Regional Transport Authority were involved in developing the programme. .

“This collaborative process has allowed us to build an overview of land transport requirements across New Zealand and to balance regional and national priorities in deciding on the best investment programme to maximise value for money across the country,” Mr Roche said.

“This collaborative process has allowed us to build an overview of land transport requirements across New Zealand and to balance regional and national priorities in deciding on the best investment programme to maximise value for money across the country,” Mr Roche said.”

Labour’s transport spokesman, Darren Hughes, said local roads could deteriorate.

“This targeted investment will deliver real gains both in the short term – as we move out of recession – and in the longer term by boosting the productivity we need to support prolonged economic growth.

“It’s nonsensical that we allow increased heavy haulage on our roads but don’t back that up with a programme of maintenance.

“Hidden away in the detail of the programme is National’s plan to freeze spending on the maintenance of local roads in the NLTP’s second and third years,” he said.”

.

People wanting to build a new home may have to purchase a warranty to cover the risk involved.

The option is one being considered under a review of the Building Act and the builder licensing scheme.

Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson announced the review and changes to the licensed building practitioners scheme.

“Restricted building work” would be limited to foundations, framing and external moisture management systems, such as the roof and cladding.

Under a “new approach” only licensed builders will be, from March 2012, able to carry out specific work critical to construction and weather-tightness. .

Do it yourself (DIY) work will be exempt if it is declared to the local council and meets certain conditions.

The assessment process for licensing builders will be based on examples of projects that an applicant has worked on, trade qualifications and discussion with the applicant and referees.”

Consumers were more likely to hire licensed builders and the consents process would be easier for them, Mr Williamson said.

“Good builders will have nothing to fear from these changes.

The liability for building currently landed on local councils and that needed to change, Mr Williamson said.

It would also be cheaper and faster, he said.

Home Owners and Buyers Association president John Gray said there needed to be an “under-pining” of an insurance warranty programme in case a builder did a bad job and then went bankrupt, leaving the consumer with nowhere to turn for compensation.

He preferred home warranties, the cost of which was likely to be less than the savings made from the reduced consent process, he said.

However, under a licensing scheme “we will see that over time they (builders) will take that responsibility”.

However, under a licensing scheme “we will see that over time they (builders) will take that responsibility”.”

Registered Master Builders chief executive Warwick Quinn said the liability was likely to be spread across plumbers, engineers, architects and other qualified people who worked on a build.

“I think there’ll be a positive outcome in terms of attracting more people to the industry as well because it’s about restoring pride and quality in the building industry.”

.

“All builders might not want to be licensed anyway, they are quite able to be used on a labour only contract, or work for a licensed practitioner, or they might specialise in the areas of work that isn’t restricted

.

The Government and the ACT Party are denying that a crisis has developed over whether there should be reserved Maori seats on Auckland’s new city council.

It was revealed last night that a senior National MP – believed to be Tau Henare – sent an email to his caucus colleagues telling them ACT had threatened to end its relationship with the Government if it “gave in to Maori” and agreed to having special Maori seats on the council.

“We’ve certainly never threatened to end the relationship,” he said.

But ACT leader and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said the email was wrong.”

Speaking on Radio New Zealand this morning, Mr Hide said they were waiting to hear back from the results from the select committee but conceded there was discussion around the issue.

“What we have done is state our position very clearly and we are opposed to any reservation of seats for a particular group.”

Mr Hide said he would have to resign as minister if the Maori seats were enshrined.

“We’ll get the report, we’ll see what the select committee recommends and then we’ll see what Parliament decides.

“I can’t in good conscience as leader of the Act Party accept legislation that to me is so fundamentally against the culture of New Zealand and the principle of the Act Party as the separate Maori seats are.

He said he had told Mr Key about his stance on seperate Maori seats when talks about a confidence and supply agreement began.

NOT CONFIDENCE AND SUPPLY CLAUSE

Mr Hide said National MP Tau Henare had the wrong impression around his intention and said ACT would continue to support National in a confidence and supply agreement.”

He said it was a matter of principle – one person one vote and seats should be contestable by all comers.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister John Key said ACT’s views were well known.

He said it had never occurred to him that a National government would be even contemplating having separate Maori seats, “so I didn’t write it in our confidence and supply agreement,” he told Radio New Zealand. We have all sorts of discussions with support parties, we’re not about to start conducting those in the media,” the spokesperson said.

“We are working through arrangements for the super city.”

The Royal Commission which reported on Auckland’s local government structure recommended reserved Maori seats but the Government scrapped that when it set out its plans for the city. .

.

The Maori Party has been lobbying to overturn the Government’s decision and both sides have been looking for a compromise

.

The Government will today shift from trying to contain swine flu to managing outbreaks of the virus, it has been reported.

Radio New Zealand reported that trying to contain the virus had become too much of a burden, and testing labs in particular had been overworked.

However, the approach – which RNZ reported would be formally announced later earlier today – will vary between regions.Regional pockets -including Northland, Otago and Southland -which have no confirmed cases will not implement the same measures.

Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, which have the highest number of cases, are expected to change their approach.

Dr Huang saidthe Government’s strategy changewould mean the centre would switch focus to testing only samples from the mostserious cases. .

“We will focus on people with chronic illness or people who are at risk of influenza complications,” she said.

WELLINGTON RESTRICTIONS

Wellington’s public health authorities were first cab off the rank last night, announcing they were restricting the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to severely ill patients – the first region in the country to do so – as burgeoning numbers of cases threatened to overload services. This approach wouldhelp identify any mutations or more virulent strains. Border controls and quarantines remained in force.

The number of confirmed swine flu cases jumped by 26 to 153 yesterday, including 12 new cases around Wellington.

From today, only patients exhibiting serious symptoms or those with additional health issues, such as heart problems, would receive Tamiflu in Wellington.

Wellington Regional Public Health medical officer Stephen Palmer said last night that -with 51 cases confirmed in the region, 16 in 48 hours -health services had been “over-inundated” with calls from people reporting suspected cases of the virus.

“We have been humungously busy, under enormous pressure and over-inundated with calls.

“We have been humungously busy, under enormous pressure and over-inundated with calls.

“The situation is changing rapidly, we are only going to be able to contain it to a certain extent,” Dr Palmer said.

“We have had to get additional GPs and, because of the pressure, have not even had time to train them properly and supervise them.

.

LATEST

Health officials are setting up specialist swine flu centres as the number of cases soars.

Health Minister Tony Ryall confirmed yesterday that Capital and Coast District Health Board had set up one of New Zealand’s first swine flu assessment centres at Wellington Hospital. Other district health boards were likely to follow.”

The number of nationwide swine flu cases doubled over the weekend, from 35 on Friday to 71 yesterday.

“It diverts people away who may have flu symptoms from hospital and emergency departments and GP clinics.

Darren Hunt, the Health Ministry’s deputy director of public health, said the weekend’s rise signalled a new phase of the pandemic and the number of cases was expected to rise steeply. Meanwhile, the UK has reported its first death from swine flu.

The ministry has moved its response to phase six, one of the highest health alert levels, opening the door for radical measures including the declaration of a national state of emergency. During the Mexican outbreak, big football matches were played in empty stadiums. Restrictions could be placed on public gatherings, including sports events. However, anyone with flu symptoms should stay away.

There were no plans to cancel Saturday’s second rugby test between the All Blacks and France, Dr Hunt said.”

Wellington City Council will outline plans today to deal with the growing number of cases. “It’s a prime opportunity for coughing and sneezing over a lot of people. Mayor Kerry Prendergast said options included closing buildings where large crowds gathered, such as libraries and swimming pools. Mayor Kerry Prendergast said options included closing buildings where large crowds gathered, such as libraries and swimming pools.”

Challenges included keeping essential services such as water supply and sewerage systems going if large numbers of people are off sick or stuck at home.

“Senior council managers have been working out how we will cope if Wellington is greatly affected by swine flu.

“If swine flu takes hold as is expected, that means a whole lot more people have flu, which means a whole lot more people might be turning up at emergency departments and GP clinics.

Mr Ryall said that, although New Zealand’s swine flu cases had been mild and most people recovered at home, there was still potential for it to swamp hospitals and clinics.”

Swine flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Every day that we can delay it is another day that we might not grind the health system to a halt.

Seventy-four countries have reported 29,669 cases and 145 deaths. Some people also have diarrhoea and vomiting.

WEEKEND DEVELOPMENTS:

Swine flu cases doubled over the weekend, from 35 on Friday, to 71 yesterday. Up to 30 per cent of the population might eventually contract swine flu, Dr Hunt said.

In Wellington, 12 new cases were reported, including a recruit at the Police College in Porirua.

In Wellington, 12 new cases were reported, including a recruit at the Police College in Porirua. Other recruits were being treated with Tamiflu and isolated.

The Health Ministry moved its response to phase six, opening the door for radical measures such as declaring a national state of emergency.

Tamiflu given to 50 pupils at Burnside High School, Christchurch, after a 13-year-old confirmed with swine flu.

Year 12s at Auckland’s Westlake Girls’ High School told to stay home after a fellow pupil is diagnosed.

Australia has 1458 cases, with more than 1100 in Victoria.

Health officials are also stressing the need for people who suspect they have flu to seek medical advice over the phone. Call Healthline 0800 611 116.

OFFICIALS HANDLING OUTBREAK WELL – PM

Prime Minister John Key today praised the actions of health officials in dealing with swine flu and emphasised the importance of people staying home if they have symptoms.

Mr Key said this morning the health ministry had done a “tremendous job” coping with swine flu so far, though it may have to change tack slightly because of the community spread. .

The messages the department were putting out were the right ones to help contain the spread, he said.

“We don’t have immunity and at one level it’s reasonably easy to spread,” he said.

“. . .If you’re not feeling well stay home, cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze, wash your hands regularly.”

– Next Health story: –
Fears over spread of flu at church

– National Homepage -

.

Banks in New Zealand could come under pressure to match a deal done across the Tasman offering homeowners who lose their jobs up to 12 months’ mortgage relief.

Prime Minister John Key said yesterday he would seek further information on the scheme, as the Government exerts more pressure on banks over its taxpayer-backed government guarantees. . But it sounded interesting and he would look into it.
Mr Key said he was yet to see the details of the scheme. So .
“What I would say is the New Zealand Government has offered the same level of support to the Australian banks as the Australian Government has provided.. the New Zealand branches, or New Zealand subsidiaries, might take into consideration what is required..
The banks would also be prepared to consider interest-only repayment options, including car loans, where appropriate, Mr Rudd said.”
Under an agreement with Australia’s four big banks, borrowers would be supported through times of temporary hardship by banks postponing mortgage repayments for up to 12 months, at the banks’ discretion.
The Australian deal comes as the New Zealand Government ramps up its rhetoric over banks.
But the sting in the tail was that accrued interest would be rolled back into the loan to be repaid once borrowers were back on their feet. Finance Minister Bill English warned last week that they could not expect to continue making big profits while taxpayers took on their business risk. Finance Minister Bill English warned last week that they could not expect to continue making big profits while taxpayers took on their business risk.
Mr Key said that, although there had been a moderate rise in mortgagee sales, they had come off “an extremely low base”. January figures showed there were 150 forced sales throughout the country, a fivefold increase from January 2007.”
But he said there had been discussions with banks about how they would handle homeowners who lost their jobs.
“In absolute numbers, it’s still a small number of homes relative to the stock of housing.
Mr Key said he had an assurance from banks that mortgagee sales were the last resort. There are expected to be 50,000 more jobless people within 18 months.
“Generally speaking, it’s their preference that some small payments continue to be made not so much because of the monetary value of them, but to continue the process of making payments. Many banks were already offering mortgage holidays and other monetary relief.”

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

.

LATEST

Police want to hear from a woman whom a 13-year-old girl begged for help shortly before she was raped in Auckland at the weekend.

Despite receiving a number of calls from the public, police have still not heard from the woman.

Detective Sergeant Andy King said she was a prime witness and police were very keen to talk to her. We received quite a number of calls from the public as a result of the publicity last night and this morning.

“We’re working through a number of enquiries.

“We have a lot of information which we have to sift through to work out what is priority and what is not,” Mr King said.

“There’s plenty to follow up on, plus our normal enquiries as well.

He added that police were with the victim this morning. It’s a very distressing time for them,” Mr King said.

“She’s with her family, and hopefully she’s had a reasonable night.

The man had verbally harassed her while he followed her from a group of shops in suburban Point Chevalier to a BP service station on Great North Road about 10am, Mr King said.

A man yesterday raped the girl at Oakley Creek Reserve in Waterview after following her for about a kilometre.

The man made a purchase at the service station where police obtained CCTV footage of him.

Police said the girl approached a woman filling her car at the station and begged for help, but the woman told her to keep away from the man and drove off.

Mr King said he bought a few “bits and pieces”, but did not want to elaborate.

Mr King said he bought a few “bits and pieces”, but did not want to elaborate.

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

The girl was eventually let go and went home to tell her mother.

“He ended up grabbing her by the arm and dragging her into some nearby bush area and raping her,” Mr King said.

“This is a real blitz attack, for want of a better word, on a very vulnerable young girl.

Mr King said the man posed a huge risk to the community and could strike again.

Mr King said the attack was unusual.”

Police warned women and children not to walk alone in the area until the offender was caught.”

The girl described the man as Polynesian or Maori, aged between 20 and 30 years-old, with a bushy pony tail and facial hair.

“Stranger attacks on women are unusual but for it to happen in broad daylight like this and to a young girl makes it incredibly scary.

Police want anyone with information about the attack to contact them.

He was wearing khaki coloured shorts, white shoes and socks, a dark cap, sunglasses and a `Puma’ t-shirt and had a white stretchy athletic bandage on his left elbow. .

-

.
Kiwis hooked on unhealthy food

By ESTHER HARWARD – Sunday, 22 February 2009

Sunday Star-Times
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The New Zealand supermarket top ten: Coca-Cola 1.5l, Wattie’s spaghetti 420g, Coca-Cola 2.25l, QB Nature’s Fresh white toast 700g, Wattie’s baked beans 420g, Dole bobby bananas (850g), Tip Top super soft white toast 700g, Sprite lemonade 1.5l

Despite years of warnings about the perils of a poor diet, Kiwi shoppers are piling supermarket baskets high with soft drink, white bread and other unhealthy foods laden with sugar, salt and fat.5l, QB Molenberg original toast 700g, Coke Zero 1.5-litre bottle of Coke.
And our favourite product of all is a 1.
Confidential data leaked to the Sunday Star-Times reveals the top 10 food and drink items sold in supermarkets nationwide in the year to January include four soft drinks (Sprite, Coke Zero and two different-sized bottles of Coca-Cola) and two brands of white bread. (The figures exclude alcohol, tobacco and non-packaged fruit and vegetables.
The full list of the 40 top-sellers tells a similar story, as buyers choose soft drinks, snack foods and confectionery. "The things the companies say are occasional foods are becoming everyday foods, and are replacing traditional core foods.)
Public health nutritionist Bronwen King said the data shows the Kiwi diet has become too refined." Greens food spokeswoman Sue Kedgley said the figures show the Advertising Code of Practice, which demands responsible marketing of food in the media, should be extended to apply inside shops.
We're having a diet that's full of kilojoules, but deficient in the essential nutrients that keep us well and prevent disease.
Kedgley said the packaging and placement of foods could exert a powerful influence on shoppers buying decisions.
Kedgley said the packaging and placement of foods could exert a powerful influence on shoppers buying decisions. Core foods such as wholegrain cereals, legumes, milk, fruit and vegetables don't have the marketing budgets of refined products such as Coca-Cola, so can't compete.
King said sophisticated marketing techniques fuel human beings' innate addiction to fatty, sugary and salty foods. It's a product that wouldn't exist if it wasn't for marketing.
"If you or I were to make a brown sugary water we wouldn't have any traction. Fizzy drinks appear nine times, and white bread four times."
The top 40 foods and drinks compiled by market research company Nielsen from national supermarket data over the 12 months to January ranks Coca-Cola in first, third, 10th and 28th place.
New Zealanders have the sixth-highest rates of obesity in the developed world.
The few nutritionally valuable items include baked beans (ranked fifth), packaged bananas (sixth), Molenberg bread (ninth), Weetbix (23 and 24), milk (29 and 39th), wheatmeal bread (36) and Vogels bread (37). Two-thirds of Pacific Island New Zealanders are obese. One in four adults are obese, and one in 12 children are obese….
1. Coca-Cola 1.5l2. Wattie's spaghetti 420g3. Coca-Cola 2.25l 4. QB Nature's Fresh white toast 700g5. Wattie's baked beans 420g6. Dole bobby bananas (850g)7. Tip Top super soft white toast 700g8. Sprite lemonade 1.5l 9. QB Molenberg original toast 700g10. Coke Zero 1.5l
…And what they'll do to you Nutritionist Jacquie Dale analyses the top five supermarket sellers
1. Coca-Cola (1.5l bottles): One litre of Coke contains over 1800 empty kilojoules you would have to walk fast for more than two hours to work off. A litre of Coke contains 106g of sugar more than 26 teaspoons. I call Coke naked carbs lots of empty calories with no nutrients. Drinking a lot of Coke is a sure way to develop problems such as type 2 diabetes.
2. Wattie's spaghetti 420g: This food is low in fat but high in sodium. A better meal would be to make spaghetti from scratch and add plenty of vegetables and canned tomatoes.
3. Coke again (2.25l): Cheaper than milk how sad. I don't classify Coke as a food it offers no worthy nutrients.
4. QB Nature's Fresh White Toast: Oh no! Naked carbs again. Not so bad if you're going to pack two slices with lots of salad and some lean protein but if this is going to be a toast, jam or Nutella feast then white bread is not a healthy option. Wholegrain loaves are more expensive, but are filling and much more nutritious, so you use less. Hopefully all this white bread isn't going under the spaghetti, because the tomato sauce doesn't count as a vege serve in my book.
5. . This is a low fat product and high in fibre, but does it require 1890mg of salt and 29g of sugar to make it taste good? Choose the reduced salt version.