.
Second arrest over tourist robbery
– Tuesday, 04 November 2008
Police have arrested a second man in connection with the gunpoint robbery of four tourists in the Far North last week.
A 23-year-old Auckland man was arrested in Dargaville yesterday, and will face a charge of aggravated robbery.
The rental van belonging to the Irish tourists was stolen in Dargaville by two men allegedly armed with a long-barrelled firearm, and possibly a pistol at about 12.
A 26-year-old man was arrested in Auckland last Thursday, and appeared in the Manukau District Court on charges of aggravated robbery and arson on Friday.
Police said the Irish men were "absolutely terrified" when the weapons were produced and their van was taken.30am on October 27.
The two male offenders drove off in the van which had a substantial amount of property inside, including generators and water blasters.
Sergeant Jonathon Tier said the four men initially refused to hand over the keys but changed their minds when the weapons were produced.
Police said an attempt to destroy the rental van by igniting the driver's seat was made, but the fire failed to take hold. .
The New Zealand Herald reported that the Irishmen may have been connected with Australian-based traders selling questionable goods from rental vans
The tourists have left New Zealand.
Police say some of the property has been found, and they are not examining for anyone else in relation to the robbery.
.
Trust trying to sell Centrepoint’s soul say critics
By KAREN ARNOLD – Sunday, 26 October 2008
The lastremaining land once owned by the Centrepoint Community Trust is for sale, raising fears it could be bought by developers.
Felicity Goodyear-Smith, a spokeswoman for former members and residents, says the 7.
The Public Trust has administered the property for the past seven years as trustee of the New Zealand Community Growth Trust which was established after the Centrepoint Trust and commune fell apart.6ha bush-clad Albany property – which had a $4 million valuation in 2005 – was a jewel on the North Shore that could fall into private ownership.
Bayleys Realty Group sales consultant Nigel McNeill said the nature of the property and buildings opened up a huge range of potential uses.
At its height, more than 200 people lived there but it closed in 2000, soon after founder Bert Potter was released from a nine-year jail sentence for child abuse.
"Substantial infrastructure such as roading and bridges, have been installed over the years to create the basis of a very well serviced communal living setting.
Less than 40% of the land area had been cleared and the site included a large kitchen and dining area, recreational building, swimming pool complex, full-scale professional pottery studio with gas- fired kilns, dance/music/art studios, six wood and metal workshops, a creche and residential accommodation blocks.
"Alternatively, we envisage the land could be developed into a luxury hotel, health centre or retirement village."
McNeill said target market buyers included tertiary education providers, cultural groups, art patrons, adult education organisations, religious groups, larger community organisations, and environmental groups.
The site was the last remaining "exquisite" piece of land on the North Shore."
Goodyear-Smith said that would be the worst outcome, not only for those who had lived there, but for the wider Auckland community.
Former members had sold all their possessions and gifted the money to the Centrepoint community trust which was set up in 1977. Apart from its environmental value, it also had an emotional value for the people who had been part of the Centrepoint community, she said."
About 70 babies had been born there and their placentas had been buried in a special area. "They expected to live there forever.
"For the last couple of years our group [the Mills Lane stakeholders] has tried to get this land into public ownership. Other people had had their ashes spread at Centrepoint.
Public Trust spokesman Simon Dixie said several potential private buyers had inquired about Centrepoint during the past year, prompting it to promote the property to a wider market "to ensure a robust process aimed at achieving the best result for the trust". . "Ethically, this land belongs to New Zealand.
But Goodyear-Smith said her group was "disturbed" the Public Trust wanted to sell the property for the highest price although she acknowledged it had the legal right to do so.
."
Tenders close on December 4
.
Thousands of teachers get police checks
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Thousandsof teachers whose registration is due to lapse this year are undergoing police vetting checks and renewing practising certificates to prove they are still fit to work.
But the Teachers Council cannot be sure how many are working illegally, without proper registration, till a new data-sharing arrangement with the Education Ministry becomes law.
The three-year practising certificates of about 10,000 teachers are expected to lapse between the start of this month and January. This meant they had not been police vetted or satisfied school leaders that they were still competent to lead classrooms – as required by law every three years.
The Teachers Council estimated last year that up to 3500 unregistered teachers were working illegally.
About 10,000 teachers have already applied for registration or to renew practising certificates in the three months to October 1.
But council director Peter Lind believed a campaign to remind teachers, principals and school boards of their legal requirements had cut the number of unregistered teachers significantly.
Council officials have been working with teachers and their employers to ensure all have proper police and competency checks through the registration process.
"Boards of trustees and professional leaders have renewed their efforts to make sure systems are in place," Dr Lind said.
There are about 90,000 New Zealand registered teachers. . "They have a responsibility to ensure that all teachers are lawfully employed.
School boards or parents concerned about a teacher's registration status can make personal checks on the council's online public register.
The Education Amendment Bill has been tabled in Parliament and is thought likely to become law next year.
The Education Amendment Bill proposes to reveal "an unknown number of unqualified people" teaching in primary and secondary schools.
The Education Amendment Bill proposes to reveal "an unknown number of unqualified people" teaching in primary and secondary schools."
The bill, introduced by Education Minister Chris Carter, says that unregistered teachers are undermining the profession.
"This will provide health and safety benefits for students while ensuring that all students are taught by suitably qualified teachers.
.
‘Boys groomed for sex’ court told
Thursday, 18 September 2008
A bus driver who met two intellectually-challenged boys on his bus allegedly groomed them for sex, a court has been told.
In the Christchurch District Court, Robert James Ferguson, 59, denied two charges of grooming a young person for sex, doing an indecent act on a young person, and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection or, in the alternative, sexual connection with a person under 16.
They alleged that what was originally a friendship progressed to sexual activity during a holiday.
Opening the Crown case, prosecutor Kathryn Dalziel said Ferguson met the two brothers on his bus.
Ferguson had befriended the boys over time, giving them his telephone number and showing them where he lived.
"The Crown says it will become apparent they are telling the truth about what the accused did to them in that week of the school holidays," Dalziel said.
Ferguson took leave and arranged to meet the brothers, buying them treats, taking them for drives and back to his flat to watch videos.
In April last year, one of the boys let Ferguson know his parents would be away on holiday.
Ferguson admitted paying the boys to massage his thigh.
He told them he had a steel rod in his thigh, which was painful, and asked them to massage his thigh with baby oil.
Both boys had a mental age much younger than their actual age and received learning support, Dalziel said. He said it was a silly thing to do and he should have known better, but he denied any sexual offending.
Ferguson denied any improper intention towards the boys, or that any sexual contact or touching occurred.
Opening for the defence, lawyer David Bunce asked the jury not to jump to any premature conclusions.
.
The trial is expected to take about three days