Two a penny

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Fiji’s coup leader and self-appointed Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has complained to other nations that his country’s troops have been barred from joining any new United Nations peacekeeping force.

He darkly hinted that his critics are the dupes of twisted politicians who are in league with terrorists to push “racial supremacy” and a “corrupt agenda.N.”In his speech to the General Assembly, Bainimarama did not name Australia or New Zealand as Fiji’s nemeses in the region, but he made clear who he blamed for being blackballed from U.”In all of this, they have used their extensive diplomatic and financial resources to deny Fiji to participate in new peacekeeping operations,” he complained. peacekeeping:”Our people pose no threat to anyone, least of all to the big powers of the South Pacific who have arrogated to themselves the right to dictate to us our future and the way we govern ourselves,” Bainimarama said.”Fiji has participated in peacekeeping operations since 1978 and is proud of its association with the United Nations, in particular the Department of Peacekeeping Operations,” Bainimarama said. Fiji still participates in other long-standing peacekeeping patrols, such as in Iraq. To this day, we have not been able to receive a clear and satisfactory reply on this matter from the United Nations,” he said.”Fiji has been disappointed by what appears to be a unilateral decision on the part of the United Nations to debar our country from any new peacekeeping operations. .When Britain granted Fiji independence in 1970, the Fijian army had only about 200 active troops. peacekeeping operations, building a robust military culture in the nation of fewer than 950,000 people.N. His government had promised elections earlier this year, but Bainimarama said in Saturday’s speech that they will not be held until 2014.Fiji has been under military rule since Bainimarama, the country’s armed forces chief, seized power in a 2006 coup, its fourth since 1987. The first coup in 1987 followed the election of an Indian majority government.Fiji’s population is split between the indigenous Fijian majority and ethnic Indians, introduced by former colonial power Britain in the 19th century to work on sugar cane plantations.”I believe that these critics are largely unaware of the extent to which politicians, in league with those who employ terror as a tactic to push a racial supremacy and corrupt agenda, had become a threat to the safety and security of our people,” he warned.Bainimarama did not conceal his contempt for his critics, at home or elsewhere in the South Pacific:”There have been critics of the events in Fiji since December 2006, when the military, with great reluctance, was forced to remove the then government of Fiji,” he said.

.Nowhere in his speech did he specifically name India, Australia or New Zealand

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Consumer resistance to paying for plastic bags has spread north, with New World and Four Square supermarkets in the upper North Island today removing a 5c charge.

The move follows the axing of the same fee at the same supermarkets in the lower North Island three days ago.

Foodstuffs Auckland’s general manager of retail sales and performance, Murray Jordan, said the charge had been removed in response to customer feedback.

It comes just four weeks after the stores, which are part of the Foodstuffs chain, introduced the levy in an attempt to get people to reduce their reliance on plastic bags.

“Our owner operators, who know their customers, have been receiving a lot of feedback on the floor and this feedback has been confirmed by a customer survey.

“Our customers have spoken and we have listened,” he said.

However, the 5c levy is remaining at New World and Four Square supermarkets in the South Island.”

Mr Jordan said there had been an “exceptional increase” in people using reusable bags and Foodstuffs would continue to put measures in place that recognised those customers.

As a result of the fee, $50,000 would be donated to five South Island environmental projects identified by the Department of Conservation.

Foodstuffs South Island’s general manager for retail operations, Alan Malcolmson, said there had been great support from customers and plastic bag use had dropped 60 percent over the past month.

“It’s a win-win for the environment – bags being saved and projects benefiting.

“This is just the first of what we envisage will be ongoing support for environmental projects,” Mr Malcolmson said. .

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All Blacks coach Graham Henry has refused to condemn French rugby player Mathieu Bastareaud for his deceitful claim he had been attacked in the streets of Wellington by a group of New Zealanders.

Henry was today philosophical about the whole unfortunate affair involving the Frenchman and his tall tale of woe following last weekend’s second test in the capital.

“It’s just young guys making bad decisions isn’t it,” said Henry’s at today’s captain’s's press conference at AMI Stadium in Christchurch. . These things happen whether you’re a Frenchman, an Australian or a New Zealander from time to time with young people.

“In this case they made a very bad decision.”

Henry also felt it was not up to the All Blacks to point any fingers, despite the fact that they too had been duped by Bastareaud’s false accusations. They make bad decisions, and they’ve copped it. It’s a difficult situation, and I feel for French rugby people.

“We’ve been in similar situations in the past where our guys have made decisions. But let’s be honest about this, we’re not all squeaky clean all the time. There is some relief that it wasn’t New Zealanders involved. But sometimes they don’t.

“We hope our young guys do make good decisions most of the time.

He returned to France after the incident to recover from his injuries.”

Bastareaud told police he was attacked from behind, leaving him with a serious eye injury, but his recollection was patchy. However, it seems he has only owned up following police pressure.

He has now admitted he lied about the attack and instead says he injured himself by falling over a table in his hotel room.

“I owe the truth to everybody.

“I have to return to the events in New Zealand,” said Bastareaud in a statement.

“I fell in my bedroom and scarred my cheekbone on the table in the room.

“On Saturday evening, I returned to the hotel after having drunk too much.

“I recounted the original story because I thought it would be believed, but given the coverage it has subsequently received I thought it would be better to tell the truth,” added Bastareaud.

“I was ashamed and panicked and I thought I would be sent packing by the team management.

“I did not want my family to be ashamed,” he said.

“I did not want my family to be ashamed,” he said.

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Desperate criminals may kill police and victims in order to avoid arrest under hard-line “life sentences without parole” policies, officials have warned.

Confidential papers issued under the Official Information Act show that the Government was told the policies could also breach human rights, cause misbehaviour in prisons, clog courts, and lead to judges giving shorter sentences to avoid the no-parole policy. Justice Minister Simon Power has conceded it may not make it to law.

ACT’s “three strikes” policy, introduced as part of the Government’s support agreement, has been widely criticised for breaching human rights.

Both measures are before Parliament in the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill.

But officials also advised in the Cabinet papers that National’s “no parole for the worst murderers” policy, an election promise, breached the Bill of Rights and several international human rights treaties.

National plans to abolish parole for repeat violent offenders, meaning murderers with previous serious convictions would never be freed unless it was “manifestly unjust”. The policies aim to improve public safety through deterrence and by locking up serious recidivists for longer.

The Justice Ministry also said that the list of violent offences that would result in no parole on a subsequent serious charge was “problematic” if the aim was to target the most serious violent offenders.

But the Cabinet was told that exception was “unlikely to prevent disproportionate sentences from being imposed”.

Several government departments also warned of unintended consequences of the no-parole and the three-strikes policies:

Te Puni Kokiri said violence may increase under three strikes.

For example, aggravated burglary involves having a weapon but may not involve violence, and indecent assault often involved minor touching and no force.”

Corrections said judges may try to avoid the policy by reducing sentences to under five years in borderline cases. “Criminals may seek to mitigate the risk of arrest by more seriously injuring or murdering their victims and police officers. .

The Treasury said sentences could increase overall, even in less serious cases, as judges brought them in line with increased penalties for repeat violent offenders.

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Mr Power said the Government had strived to deal with issues raised over the no-parole policy.

And life sentences with no parole would result in poor behaviour of prisoners who had no incentive to behave or undertake rehabilitative programmes.”

Regarding three strikes, the Government would enter the select committee process with an open mind. “We’re happy with the balance achieved.

-National’s ‘no parole for worst offenders’ policy

-The worst repeat violent offenders and the worst murderers will not be granted parole.

ON THE TABLE

The following measures are before Parliament in the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill.

-ACT’s ‘three strikes’ policy

-This would see those convicted of a third serious offence sentenced to life imprisonment with a 25-year non-parole period. This means anyone convicted of murder who has previously been sentenced to five years or more will spend the rest of their lives in jail with no chance of release…. Such sentences appear to breach the NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990 and several international human rights treaties … because they do not provide for any consideration of a change in the offenders’ circumstances.’

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Charges over Alexandra bashing

By JOANNE CARROLL – Tuesday, 24 February 2009

A 43-year-old man has been charged with assaulting awoman following an incident at a rural address just outsideAlexandraon Saturday. .
He was remanded in custody to reappear on March 3.
The37-year-old Alexandra woman remains comatose in a serious condition in Dunedin Hospital.
His occupation and details of his alleged victim were also suppressed.
The man was found a short time later and was taken by police to be assessed in a mental health unit at Wakari Hospital.
She was found unconscious with head injuries at her home on Saturday morning and airlifted to Dunedin Hospital.
Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Blackie, heading the investigation, said police and forensic staff had completeda scene examination. This decision maybe some days away," he said.
"A decision of what, if any, further charges will be made when all of the evidence has been obtained and analysed.

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Two children at the address at the time of the incident are being well cared for by next of kin

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Itinerant’s secret nest-egg under scrutiny

The Thursday, 19 February 2009

An occasional itinerant thought to have nearly $1 million invested under an alias risks losing his grip on his tightly held nest-egg.
Robert Erwood, also known as McDonald and perhaps Wood, was declared bankrupt not because he could not pay his debts, but because he would not.
Now thought to be living in Auckland, but having stayed in Nelson and Wellington, Mr Erwood had sometimes claimed he was destitute with only a welfare benefit as income.
While Mr Erwood dug in his heels over paying about $220,000 to a family member and his former lawyer, two more creditors have stepped up saying he also owes them $100,000.
Mr Erwood was one of the investors who lost money in the collapse due to fraud of Upper Hutt law firm Renshaw Edwards in 1992.
"The extent of the assets that he apparently owns might come as something of a surprise to those who have been dealing with him," a Court of Appeal judgment said this week.
He still disputes he owes his former lawyer and that case is back before the High Court next month. It led to lengthy court action with the Law Society and eventually his own lawyer. .
The Official Assignee, which administered bankruptcies, had collected or identified more than $900,000 apparently belonging to Mr Erwood, though it was held under the name Robert Wood, the court said.
His failure to pay and the emergence of the two new creditors meant the public interest now required that the bankruptcy follow the usual course so any other creditors could be identified, the Court of Appeal said. It was previously thought he had only two creditors and if he had paid his debt to them about $220,000 the bankruptcy would have been annulled.

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Injured Kiwis ready for more Aussie fires

and Tuesday, 10 February 2009

BACK INTO THE BREACH: Nelson fireman Nick McCabe suffered in 2006 after his group had to hide in a ditch as a wall of flames swept over them. He remembers the pain but will volunteer to go again. .
Both men said yesterday they would gladly return if their services were needed.
Memories of being in hospital with bad burns to their hands, arms and faces have not stopped Nelson fireman Nick McCabe and his Wairoa colleague Tim Allan from volunteering to return to the tinder-dry Australian bush. Yesterday Mr Rudd accepted the offer, but Mr Key did not think they would leave for a week or two.
Prime Minister John Key offered his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd the use of 100 firefighters.
"We have the manpower and the military capability to get them there immediately," he said. They have still got quite a lot of backup in Australia at this point but they anticipate that, down the track, they will require it. "It's at the request of the Australians that they don't go immediately. "We're standing ready, willing and able."
He said timing was in the hands of the Australian authorities. Until that happened, Mr Dudfield could not confirm who could be called upon."
National Rural Fire Officer Murray Dudfield said Australian firefighters had not formally requested Kiwi support at this stage.
However, Mr McCabe said: "If they call for volunteers I'll be putting my hand up.
However, Mr McCabe said: "If they call for volunteers I'll be putting my hand up.
"We all just went into survival mode really.
They hid in a ditch as a wall of flames went over the top of them. It all happened so fast," Mr Allan said. We didn't have time to be scared. Six members of the group, who were all wearing protective gear, were taken to hospital, including Mr McCabe and Mr Allan.
The group suffered further burns when they ran toward a clearing.
Mr Key said he had expressed his sympathies to Mr Rudd, who was "pretty cut up" by the fatal bushfires. Both have recovered from burns, mostly to their hands and faces.
New Zealand also faces an extreme fire risk problem in areas such as Central Otago, Canterbury, Hawke's Bay and the East Coast of the North Island. He was "touched" by New Zealand's offer of assistance.
MetService spokesperson Bob McDavitt said there had been reports of a pinkish smoke haze over New Zealand on Sunday and Monday caused by bushfire smoke pushed across the Tasman by westerly winds.
MetService spokesperson Bob McDavitt said there had been reports of a pinkish smoke haze over New Zealand on Sunday and Monday caused by bushfire smoke pushed across the Tasman by westerly winds. The haze had dissipated as a result of winds turning southeasterly over Victoria and South Australia yesterday.

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Killer beat 17-year-old before Aim murder

The Friday, 06 February 2009

TRACEY ROBINSON
GUILTY PLEA: Jahche Broughton initially denied any involvement in the death of Karen Aim, but yesterday he admitted murdering the Scottish tourist.

FAMILIES’ NIGHTMARE: The mother of the killer of Karen Aim, pictured, said it was a nightmare for her family and the Aim family and she was finding it hard to understand what had happened. It’s not something a family should go through . ‘It’s like D-Day for us, and it would be like that for the Aim family as well…
Two weeks before he bashed 26-year-old Miss Aim to death, the 14-year-old attacked and seriously injured another young woman by hitting her on the head with a rock.’

Security guard helped protect Aim’s killer

Teen pleads guilty to Karen Aim murder

Scottish tourist Karen Aim was not Jahche Broughton's only victim.
He faces life imprisonment when he appears for sentencing in Rotorua on March 6.
This was revealed publicly for the first time at a pre-trial hearing in the High Court at Auckland yesterday where Broughton entered an unexpected guilty plea to both offences murdering Mis Aim, and injuring the 17-year-old with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He was "very well loved" as a child, she said.
His mother, Eugenie Broughton, who arrived at court too late for the brief hearing, is struggling to understand what happened.
It was a nightmare for her family and the Aim family and she was finding it hard to understand what had happened. He had a good upbringing and was not spoilt. It's not something a family should go through .
"It's like D-Day for us, and it would be like that for the Aim family as well…"
As for her son, she said: "He will be trying to comprehend what has happened. yes, it's a bit of a nightmare."
Lawyer Bill Lawson said Broughton pleaded guilty because "it was the right thing to do". He is so young, he is only a child and children often don't fully understand.
"Part of the process of being able to carry on is to find out exactly what happened that night.
Miss Aim's father, Brian, was relieved he did not have to sit through a long trial but he still had questions he wanted answered."
Mr Aim praised the work of detectives involved in the case."
Mr Aim praised the work of detectives involved in the case.
The murder of Miss Aim on January 17 last year shocked two communities half a world apart Taupo and her home town of Holm, in the Orkney Islands. Police said she had farewelled friends at a Taupo bar to walk home and was just 50 metres from her flat when she was bashed twice on the head by Broughton.
The last sighting of her was a closed-circuit television image showing her walking out of a service station eating a pie.
Miss Aim was found critically injured by a security guard and police investigating vandalism of smashed windows at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College.
She died before reaching Taupo Hospital.
Police say she had walked close to or through the school, about the time the school windows were being smashed.
Within an hour of her death police had identified Broughton as a prime suspect, based on the attack of the 17-year-old girl a fortnight earlier.
Details of this assault have been legally suppressed until now.
The victim had been walking home from a party when she was attacked from behind.
Broughton hit her 10 times on the back of the head before she staggered to a house to call for help.
Broughton had been evicted from the party earlier in the night because he was drunk.
After the attack he went to the house of a friend, Leigh Herewini, to wash off the blood.
Broughton told Mr Herewini he had been in a fight and was taken back home.
By coincidence, Mr Herewini was working as a security guard at Taupo nui-a-Tia College the night Miss Aim was killed. .
Broughton's arrest came after police watched closed-circuit television footage from the college leading up to the murder.
It showed a young male riding a chopper-style bike, and wearing a diamond earring similar to one described by his first victim. He was arrested a fortnight later.
Police later searched the house where he lived with his grandparents and found a bloodied baseball bat and Miss Aim's black handbag and camera.

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Tot found wandering alone in Kaikoura

Mum left 16-month-old home alone to go ‘socialising’

Sunday, 01 February 2009

A 16-month old toddler has been found on the frontyard of a Kaikoura property after being left home alone overnight.
The boy was found outside a Beach Rd business property by members of the public about 2.45am.
He was placed into Child Youth and Family care until a family member could be found. Inspector Michael Coulter said the boy was taken to the Kaikoura medical centre for a check-up and was found to be in good health.
"The mother admitted leaving the child unattended for approximately four hours while she went out socialising.
"At approximately 4:12am, police were contacted by the distressed mother, who was visiting Kaikoura from the North Island," Mr Coulter said."
Mr Coulter said the boy had woken overnight and left the house he was staying in, possibly through the front door being left open.

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The child will remain in care until the matter has been fully investigated

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Cell death inquiry finds 17 breaches

The Thursday, 29 January 2009

Policebreached procedure 17 times when processing a man who was later found dead in his cell, an internal investigation found.
Anthony McGuire, 33, a chef, died in his cell on May 26 last year. .
Investigation head Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Anderson told an inquest at Rotorua yesterday that there were 17 breaches of procedure.
He was inadequately monitored by police staff, and had not been searched, fingerprinted or photographed, the internal police investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death found. It was common police policy to remove any items from prisoners that could be used to harm themselves or others. Mr McGuire was not searched, fingerprinted or photographed and was locked up fully clothed with items such as shoelaces and jewellery.
Mr McGuire was found hanging by his shoelaces from his cell door. "They don't deny what happened. His sister, Belinda McGuire, said the family did not hold any animosity toward police.
"The family is satisfied with the events of his death that have come out in the inquest and it will bring closure for all of us. In the end, Anthony must be responsible for his own actions."