Beyond the HuttRiver - New Zealand today..

Could be 2015 before Pike River mine bodies are recovered...

2012-01-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

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Could be 2015 before the 29 Pike River mine bodies are recovered...

Authorities claim it could take until 2015 to recover the 29 bodies from the Pike River mine on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. A lot of excuses have been made, but why such a long delay? It is obviously safer to go down the mine now. I personally think it is disgusting! The families just cannot get any closure for the tragic loss of their male members.
http://news.msn.co.nz/nationalnews/8410097/pike-river-body-recovery-by-2015-review
http://communitybloggersevolve.blog.co.uk

Ngai Tahu guardians of NZ greenstone or pounamu...

2012-01-26T00:25:00.000-08:00

Image by Broken Piggy Bank via Flickr

Pounamu. Free UK Delivery on Amazon Orders

Amazon.co.uk/books

Ngāi Tahu are an indigenous Māori people of New Zealand's South Island
Ngāi Tahu are the kaitiaki (guardians) of New Zealand greenstone or jade, which is found in Te Waipounamu (South Island of New Zealand). Ngāi Tahu people refer to New Zealand greenstone as pounamu. In 1997 the New Zealand government returned to the Ngāi Tahu elected tribal council – Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, ownership of all naturally occurring pounamu within their tribal area.

http://www.authenticgreenstone.com/

http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk

Its a small world after all...

2012-01-25T21:25:00.000-08:00

Image by Nathan Wind as Cochese via Flickr

The Nutters Club NZ

For some silly reason I found myself humming this today, oh what the heck, thought I'd post the lyrics :) kindest, Boris

"it's a world of laughter, a world or tears
its a world of hopes, its a world of fear
theres so much that we share
... that its time we're aware
its a small world after all

CHORUS:
its a small world after all
its a small world after all
its a small world after all
its a small, small world

There is just one moon and one golden sun
And a smile means friendship to everyone.
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide
It's a small small world"

Investigate the Kim Dotcom controversy, says Winston Peters...

2012-01-23T00:57:00.000-08:00

Expand

While Winston Peters has called for an investigation, John Key has defended the decision to allow Kim Dotcom (who lived at the above property) into the country. Photo / Natalie Slade

Prime Minister John Key is defending the Government's decision to allow Kim Dotcom into the country.
His comments come after New Zealand First leader Winston Peters called for an "immediate inquiry" into the decision to grant Mr Dotcom - previous Kim Schmitz - residency.
The native German was granted residency in 2010 under the "high-investment category", after putting $10 million into government bonds and making a large donation to the Christchurch earthquake fund.
However Mr Peters said it is hard to understand how Mr Dotcom passed the "good character" requirements for New Zealand residency, given he had previous convictions.
Mr Dotcom told the Herald on Sunday last year he was convicted for "hacking" under juvenile law and for insider trading because of ignorance about a share-trading law. Both convictions were more than 10 years ago and had been wiped by Germany's clean-slate law, he said.
"The prime minister should order an immediate inquiry by a qualified person to see who was involved in this immigration scandal and ensure that it doesn't happen again," Mr Peters said.
Mr Key defended the decision to allow Mr Dotcom into the country.
"He had a clean slate because those convictions happened many years earlier under German law, so the New Zealand officials contacted the German police, they confirmed that I guess on the balance they decided to let him in without reference to the ministers," he told Newstalk ZB's Susan Wood.
Mr Key said the fact that he declared them, meant he passed the test of good character.
"I think because they deemed under the clean slate legislation he effectively didn't have a record and he wasn't trying to hide anything, those convictions were a long time ago, so they let him through," he said.
Mr Key said this case does not necessarily mean the law needs to be changed.
Dotcom and three others appear again in the North Shore District Court today, fighting a bid by the FBI to extradite them.
Acknowledgements and thanks - Newstalk ZB, Herald Online

Anzac rugby players preparing for 2012 season...

2012-01-21T19:48:00.000-08:00

With their Christmas break behind them, rugby footballers on both sides of the Tasman are finishing their last weeks of training - preparing for pre-season or early season games, whether rugby union or rugby league.

Super 15 squad members in both NZ and Australia will be playing amongst their own franchises, while NRL players will be playing in special games in Australia - the All Stars v the All Legends. The new concept is very well conceived, very popular and well supported.

Rugby in NZ will be different in future years with the bogeyman of the RWC gone from their collective shoulders.The AB's have joined the Australian Wallabies and South African Springboks as dual winners of the RWC. While England won one RWC through a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal in the final in Australia, it seems inconceivable that the talented, skilful and ever-emotional French have never won a final. Two runners-up medals in NZ in both 1987 and 2011. Anybody can win in 2015, but it won't be England. Just a reminder - NZ beat France 8-7 in the final at Eden Park in Auckland. Four more years for Les Blues!

The Crusaders must be licking their lips in anticipation of two super-fit icons - skipper and No 7 Richie McCaw (who played most of the RWC campaign on one leg) and playmaker No 10 Dan Carter invalided out of the finals because of serious groin injuries. Last year's winners the Queensland Reds will be thinking just a little more and longer when they meet in a couple of months or so. I predict the Crusaders will make the top four playoffs again. They will be playing at their new home-ground at Rugby League Park in Christchurch within a few weeks of the start of the season.

I'll also predict that the Melbourne Storm and the NZ Warriors have a great chance of making the play-offs again in 2012.

http://www.warriors.co.nz/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=46377&title=vatuvei-one-of-most-popular-all-stars-picks

http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=33358 Crusaders

http://www.superxv.com/news/super15_rugby_news.asp?id=33488 Queensland Reds

http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk

The Story of Hemp in New Zealand...

2012-01-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Hemp

Pot poster

Mother Aubert’s remedies

Hemp is the fibre of the cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa). Cannabis varieties grown legally in New Zealand for their fibre are known as industrial hemp and have a much lower narcotic content than the illicit varieties (which are about 75 times as strong). More potent varieties are cultivated illegally for drug use.
Hemp fibres are very long, making them desirable for manufacturing rope, fabric and other products. The seed oil contains essential fatty acids, and has similar health-giving properties to fish and flax-seed oils.

History of use

In the 1900s hemp-seed oil was a common ingredient in imported patent medicines, being prescribed for ailments such as gastric illnesses, rheumatism, headaches, and menstrual cramps. In the 1890s, the nun and nurse Suzanne Aubert reputedly grew hemp up the Whanganui River at Jerusalem and made her own remedies. Hemp was also recommended for natural insect control in orchards, but it was never grown intensively as a crop in New Zealand. Confusingly, native flax (Phormium tenax) was sometimes also called hemp.
In 1941 the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research planted 1 hectare of hemp as a trial crop, and the fibre was cut for processing into rope. Towards the end of the war the Ministry of Agriculture planted 4 hectares at Foxton. Then, in 1948, the question was raised about what the ministry was growing. The trials ceased soon after when they realised that cannabis had narcotic properties.

Criminalisation

Around the First World War, hemp was stigmatised as a moral and physical danger, and the Dangerous Drugs Act 1927 brought it under strict control. During and after the Second World War, cannabis was associated – in the official mind particularly – with the jazz scene and, later, the bodgie and widgie youth culture of the 1950s.
Cannabis use and cultivation attracted much more attention from the late 1960s. Most cannabis was imported until the 1970s, when illegal growing expanded. The underground and alternative press of the early 1970s included advice on growing the plant, and legalisation was debated.
It is impossible to assess the extent of illegal cultivation of cannabis, but in the early 2000s it was undoubtedly widespread, and a major part of the unofficial economy and culture in some regions, such as Northland, Golden Bay, the East Coast and the Coromandel. In annual cannabis recovery operations in the 1990s, the police regularly seized over 200,000 plants. Cannabis is the third most commonly used recreational drug in New Zealand (after alcohol and tobacco) and the most commonly used illegal drug. A 1990s survey found that 43% of respondents had used cannabis at least once, though only 3% were regular users.

Industrial hemp

From the late 1990s, a small but vocal lobby promoted the cultivation of non-narcotic industrial hemp, emphasising that it could be grown without pesticides or sprays. Undoubtedly, many of the crop’s advocates have also campaigned for decriminalisation of the more potent variety. However, the New Zealand Hemp Association, which represents industrial hemp growers, has stated that it has no interest in the cannabis drug use debate, except where it impedes development of the hemp industry.

Trials

From 2001 the government allowed trial plantings of industrial hemp, and in 2006 the cultivation of industrial hemp was permitted under licence. Only specified low-narcotic types of the plant were allowed. Industrial hemp varieties have such low concentrations of THC (the active ingredient in cannabis) that they are of no use as a recreational drug. In the United Kingdom and Canada, trials of industrial hemp have led to the establishment of successful hemp industries.

http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=industrial+hemp&hl=en&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4ADFA_enNZ455NZ455&site=webhp&prmd=imvnsb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=_egPT-a2Fu-hmQWS09X3Aw&sqi=2&ved=0CEwQsAQ&biw=1353&bih=530

http://www.thehia.org/facts.html

http://huttriver.blog.co.uk

Indigenous All Stars youth summit at the Gold Coast in 2012

2012-01-11T22:52:00.000-08:00

A group of indigenous students from across New South Wales and Queensland will get a special opportunity to meet some of the biggest names in rugby league when they travel to the Gold Coast this month http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk

Food Bill backlash stuns NZ government...

2012-01-06T01:47:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Open: Sue Kedgley, below, says there's room for amendments in the Food Bill.

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Politicians and government officials appear to have been blindsided by a backlash to new food safety laws, with nearly 4000 people signing a petition demanding change.
The petition argues that the sharing of food is a basic human right.
"The Food Bill ... will seriously impede initiatives like community gardens, food co-ops, heritage seed banks, farmers markets, bake sales, and roadside fruit and vegetable stalls," say the organisers of the petition, nzfoodsecurity.org.
Opponents of the law claim free trade agreement negotiations and the long arm of multinational genetically modified seed giant Monsanto are among the drivers of the new law. They also cite changes to US food laws that have seen armed raids conducted against organic food producers and distributors.
However, Green MP Sue Kedgley and Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson have said the bill has inadvertently captured activities it should not have and they are open to make amendments.
Kedgley told the Sunday Star-Times she would support an amendment to the law similar to one passed in the US to exempt small food-producing businesses.
Wilkinson has also signalled that she is seeking advice on amendments to ensure seed banks and an employment system used by organic food producers, Willing Workers on Organic Farms (Wwoofers), are not disrupted.
"It is certainly not my intention to impose food safety regulatory requirements on those hosting Wwoofers or those who provide food to boarders or guests in exchange for money, work or assistance," she wrote to Kedgley last month.
Kedgley has criticised the people who are now opposing the bill for not making their voices heard before.
"These concerns, unfortunately, were never raised during the submission stage of the bill, when they can be examined in depth. Nor were any submissions sent in from any food groups raising these concerns," she wrote on the Green Party's Frogblog last month.
Foodsecurity.org responded describing her response as a "sanctimonious treatment of NZers who are too tired to be
eternally vigilant".
On Friday, Kedgley told the Sunday Star-Times about a recent meeting with officials and signalled she would push for more changes.
Kedgley said there is no malevolent intent behind the bill and she would be the first to be alarmed if the bill was being driven by international free trade agreements.
While there are provisions for whole categories of activity to be exempted by officials, she would now like these to be explicitly exempted in the law.
Kedgley said she proposed that bartering be removed from the bill, but pointed out that bartering is already covered under existing legislation. These provisions in the new Food Bill have essentially been carried forward from existing law.
Wilkinson in her August letter to Kedgley said if bartering was excluded it could "perversely incentivise large scale or commercial food producers to avoid regulatory requirements through setting up some sort of bartering system".

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Kedgley said if small producers are covered by the new law they need only to adhere to food handler guidelines. Problems do arise, however, when they employ someone or sell produce to retailers for resale.
One model could be a pragmatic compromise similar to one previously reached for small egg producers, she said. A threshhold of 100 hens was set before producers were required to implement a risk management programme.
Kedgley said she would be pushing for explicit exemptions and a threshold either based on GST registration or a turnover figure.
Source- © Fairfax NZ News

Very delicious McDonaldsNZ...

2012-01-06T01:27:00.000-08:00

Very delicious from McDonaldsNZ...

http://www.facebook.com/McDonaldsNZ?sk=app_318111098207320#!/McDonaldsNZ?sk=app_57675755167

Are stoned kiwi grandparents really a national problem...

2012-01-03T21:38:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

There's evidence New Zealand could be experiencing a problem that's alarming German officials, the so-called "stoned grandparent'' phenomenon.

Germany has seen the number of pensioners convicted of drug offences double in the last decade in some regions.

But in the same period in New Zealand, crime statistics showed the number of over-51s arrested for drug possession tripled.

The Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Education's executive director, Colin Bramfitt, said it was a worrying international trend.

He said that older people were often on medications which, combined with illegal drug use, may cause problems.

Mr Bramfitt said a government-led publicity campaign could be beneficial.

But as a Kiwi grandfather myself, I haven't heard about or been aware of grandparents having any particular problem in this area. Maybe it is still really a German problem. But it is possible some Christchurch grandparents could be experiencing problems with continuous quakes.
Source: - NewstalkZB

Melbourne Storm Under 18 SG Ball squad 2012...

2012-01-02T21:43:00.000-08:00

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2012 Melbourne Storm SG BALL...

The Melbourne Storm SG Ball squad have just completed an introductory 5 week training phase in preparation for the 2012 season. A squad of around 40 players aged 15-17 have been training throughout late August and September with a focus on core skills, technique in the gym and conditioning. This training phase culminated in a tour to the Gold Coast last week for 22 of the young Storm hopefuls.
The tour to the Gold Coast consisted of 3 games against Queensland Cup Academy sides from Burleigh Bears, Redcliffe Dolphins and Brisbane Easts Tigers. The Storm boys came away with 2 wins from the 3 games, but more importantly the standard of play throughout the whole tour was of very high quality and enabled the coaching staff to get a greater understanding of all players involved. All players were also a credit to the Storm with their behaviour off the field also matching their excellent performances on the field.
The players that went away on tour are listed below:
Jackson Brenchley (Waverley) Hayden Butler (Waverley)
Romia Matangaro (Waverley) Nicholas Lafaele (Titans)
Brandon Manase (Waverley) Aaron Presnell (Altona)
Dillan Brittain (Waverley) Steve Pesamino (Titans)
Aaron Teroi (Thunder) Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Altona)
Logan Haughton (Thunder) Ben Halfpenny (Group 16)
Xavier Siola’a (Altona) Pride Petterson-Robati (Waverley)
Joseph Watene (Casey) John Filipo (Thunder)
Apelu Semu (Thunder) Henry Sang-Yum (Altona)
Stevie Taurua (Altona) James Warr (Qld)
Billy Walters (Qld) Naseri Seve (Thunder)
The squad is on a break during October and return in the 1st week of November to commence training again. The final squad of 40 will be announced in late October.

Have a very happy New Year from NZ

2011-12-31T22:42:00.000-08:00

Image via CrunchBase

deals on guitars. Buy it. Sell it. Love it. eBay.

www.ebay.co.uk/guitars

Have a Very Happy New Year from NZ...

http://by152w.bay152.mail.live.com/default.aspx?fid=1&fav=1&n=218300858&rru=inbox&mid=0c9d6ac3-2064-11e1-8277-00215ad7ab6a&fv=1#!/?rru=inbox!n=451848723&rru=inbox&fid=1&fav=1&mid=bacdaafe-3431-11e1-bfd0-002264c24798&fv=1

http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to my blogging friends around NZ and the world...

2011-12-22T23:15:00.000-08:00

I wish all my blogging friends and readers around New Zealand and the world a very Merry Christmas and a most Happy New Year

http://www.ruthann1.com/MerryChristmasMyFriend.htm

Happy Christmas to you all...

2011-12-20T23:28:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Image by jarek69 & evelyn via Flickr

It is just a few days to Christmas here in New Zealand. We are hoping for a fine Christmas as many of us here eat outdoors, whether its an outdoor dinner or barbeque. We are having the former, though I expect the latter will come into use later. I'm a traditionalist and still like my roasts, vegetables and trappings, and puddings and things. A few drinks later when my food has settled down.

We expect most of the family to be here in Taita, Lower Hutt, though one of our younger members, 16 year old grandson, Pride will be back in Melbourne, Australia, as he is a recruit for the Melbourne Storm NRL club's Under 18 squad in the SG Ball competion. I'm not sure exactly where he is having his Christmas; somewhere in Victoria or NSW I'm sure. He'll be back in the Hutt Valley late in January. But everybody else should be here. Our four grown up children, partners, and the other eleven grandchildren, and some other family members. But I believe most of the hard work will be taken away from me this year; my sons taking over after I have organised things for 40 odd years. So it should be a great day for our family on Sunday.

We hope you have a great day too and enjoy the time with family and friends. Merry Christmas from the Hutt Valley, Wellington, New Zealand.

http://www.ruthann1.com/MerryChristmasMyFriend.htm

Richie McCaw to receive honorary doctorate to honour his leadership qualities...

2011-12-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

RWC winning All Blacks captain Richie McCaw will receive an honorary doctorate from Lincoln University in Canterbury, New Zealand, despite having only three years completion in an agricultural science degree he started back as an 18 year old. He has had to fit his studies around his professional rugby career.He will receive his honorary doctorate next April.

Richie turned down a knighthood during the last week, claiming it was not yet the right time while he was still playing rugby for New Zealand.He is still only 30 yrs old and has a couple of years left for NZ and perhaps three more with the Crusaders super 15 franchise in Canterbury.
He actually holds a glider pilot's licence and is a grandson of a former WW2 Kiwi fighter ace Jim McCaw.

Lincoln University has stated the honorary doctorate is to recognise his hugely impressive leadership of the All Blacks over many years, and the recent Rugby World Cup a couple of months ago.He will undoubtably finish his degree once he has retired from his rugby career.

http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk

Kiwi yachting legend Sir Peter Blake the best there was...

2011-12-09T20:21:00.001-08:00

Kiwi yachting legend Sir Peter Blake the best there was...

Round the world race boss Knut Frostad has paid tribute to Kiwi yachting legend Sir Peter Blake as the latest fleet gets ready for the second leg to start from Cape Town this weekend.
Frostad chose to speak on the 10th anniversary of Sir Peter's tragic death at the hands of pirates in the Amazon on December 6, 2001.
Frostad labelled Sir Peter "the best there was in terms of seamanship".
Sir Peter was a major figure in blue water sailing contesting the first five round the world races and winning aboard Steinlager 2 in 1989-90. Blake's success on Steinlager 2 was total - winning all six legs on both handicap and line honours.
He then went on to help mastermind New Zealand's America's Cup success and work at environmental awareness.
"He was an inspiration to me personally and to so many other sailors who have taken part in this race," said Knut Frostad, the Volvo Ocean Race CEO, in Cape Town.
"He had incredible determination and was such a remarkable leader. It was not just the fact that he won so much, it was the way he did it. In terms of seamanship, he was the best there was, and he was a real gentleman."
Sir Peter's widow Lady Pippa Blake was named as an ambassador for the first Volvo Ocean Race Legends Regatta this year and the main trophy was named in his honour.
"I was privileged to spend time with Lady Pippa Blake during the Legends Regatta," said Frostad. "Peter was fondly remembered by the many sailors and friends who gathered in Alicante for what was a celebration of a race history he played such a big part in.
"As well as being one of the true greats of our sport, he was also a terrific ambassador and campaigner for the preservation of the oceans, which is something that is close to our hearts too.
"I am pleased that we are returning to Peter's home turf of Auckland in this race. It seems fitting to be going back there as we remember him now."
Camper, the Team New Zealand entry in the latest race, is second after the opening leg.
The small fleet leaves Cape Town on Sunday to contest the second leg to Abu Dhabi over 5,430 nautical miles away.

Acknowledgements: http://stuff.co.nz
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/6101301/Sir-Peter-best-there-was-Ocean-Race-boss

http://blogging-along-with-pete.wallinside.com

A golden mystery for New Zealand...

2011-12-09T02:28:00.001-08:00

Mystery over huge gold imports: Two massive shipments of gold coins, worth up to $64 million in total, have been imported into New Zealand from Canada in recent months, but the owner or owners remain a mystery. The shipments came to light in the September trade figures, which showed imports from Canada were up $64m, led by gold coins. Imports of collector pieces and antiques were up $67m, also mainly because of gold coins. After querying the shipments with Customs, Statistics NZ put the coins into the "collectable" rather than investment category. However, well-known Otaki antiques dealer John Mowbray says it is highly unlikely that any collector would have imported such a valuable cache. "If you said to me on a year's basis, I would say yeah, that sounds probable. But for one month? "In my mind it's not conceivable that a collection of coins for collectors would be coming into the country at that value."
The Reserve Bank said it did not import gold, but the country's two biggest traders of commemorative gold coins do. However, John Hunter of NZ Gold Merchants said he had heard nothing about a very large amount of gold coin being brought in for minting purposes. He agreed the coins were almost certainly destined for investors. "If it's come from the Canadian mint, it's unlikely it's collectable, it's a bullion coin," he said. Mike O'Kane of New Zealand Mint suggested it could be an overseas buyer storing their gold in this country. "We are seeing a lot of offshore clients wanting to store here in New Zealand because we've got a nice stable government . . . "You've got to pay to get it shipped here, which does add a very large margin to most buyers. But if you're looking to buy and hold a large amount, then we do tick a lot of boxes." An answer may lie with the Customs Department. Although officials have been unable to supply an answer so far, it is understood that the shipments have highlighted a rare discrepancy between Customs and Statistics NZ as to how gold coins should be categorised, and further research is under way. Sources said "pure" or investment-grade gold did not incur duty when it came into the country and generally was treated as a financial transaction by Statistics NZ. Coins such as gold sovereigns, which were less than 99.5 per cent pure, did incur GST and in this case, showed up in the trade figures.
Acknowledgements: The Dominion Post
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/6114653/Mystery-over-huge-gold-imports

Do we have to do this AGAIN - protest to stop mining on the conservation estate...

2011-12-03T23:14:00.001-08:00

copy and paste below from the Forest and Bird website:

Ask John Key to keep his government’s promise about mining our conservation land

This week the new government signalled that mining on public conservation land is again on its agenda. It has broken the promise made last year to give all New Zealanders a say about significant mining projects on conservation land.
On Monday, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson sent a letter to Forest & Bird saying the government will not publicly notify the access arrangement for a planned 160-hectare open-cast coal mine on the Denniston Plateau. This would allow all New Zealanders to have a say on whether the mine should go ahead.
The Denniston Plateau is an extraordinary and wild part of New Zealand, with a unique ecosystem that is home to great spotted kiwi, kaka, West Coast geckos, giant land snails, bonsai rata and many other special plants and animals.
For more information, see here.
You can help. Please send this e-card to Prime Minister John Key today to ask him to keep his government’s promise. Thank you very much from Forest & Bird.
Photos: Top, 50,000 Kiwis marching in Queen Street last year against mining national parks; left, the Denniston Plateau; right, neighbouring Stockton mine/Craig Potton

When A City Falls - official trailer of a new documentary film about Christchurch earthquakes

2011-12-02T22:39:00.001-08:00

When A City Falls - official trailer about a new documentary movie about Christchurch earthquakes being shown in cinemas now.From the streets of Christchurch(The People Story).
When I was watching this video...we had a short sharp earthquake in Wellington.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIlxoV6uG3Q

Death of a village...

2011-12-02T00:21:00.001-08:00

Death of a village...

This article was written by Tony Wall and originally featured in the Sunday Star Times on Sunday, November 27th, 2011.

The death notices arrived by special delivery.
November 17 – doomsday for residents of Brooklands, the sleepy fishing and lifestyle village 10 minutes north of Christchurch – had begun ordinarily enough, although there was an odd interlude that morning. A bus had pulled up outside the community centre and out hopped Christchurch mayor Bob Parker and some of his senior staff and councillors.
They spoke to residents about their concerns, ate morning tea, then went on a tour of some of the earthquake damage. It all seemed quite jovial – someone even mentioned locals could apply to the mayor’s fund for repairs. There was certainly no mention of any bad news. People were told they could expect a decision on land zoning for Brooklands “very, very soon”.
That afternoon the radio began broadcasting startling news: Brooklands was to be zoned red, meaning the whole village would be condemned. The news spread like wildfire but was met with disbelief by many, especially those whose homes were virtually untouched.

Just a few weeks ago a number of my family members and I drove through Brooklands to the beach there, to scatter the ashes of my late brother. I noticed some of the signs relating to the earthquake damage that has condemned this little village for ever. For somebody born and raised in Christchurch this sort of thing pulls at my heartstrings.
Peter Petterson
Lower Hutt

David Parker pulls out of Labour leadership race - now backs David Shearer

2011-11-30T22:02:00.001-08:00

David Cunliffe (L) David Shearer and David Parker

View Video

3 Davids, no Goliath as Labour looks for leader

'Rumour mongering, backstabbing' - Choosing Labour's new leader

Lack of Camp Shearer shows Labour's problems

Phil Goff gets ready to bow out today

David Parker has pulled out of the candidacy race for Labour leadership.
He is now throwing his support behind David Shearer.
The decision leaves David Cunliffe and Mr Shearer in contention for the leader role.
Shane Jones is yet to decide whether or not he will put his hand up for the job.
Mr Parker says he remains committed to Labour ideals and will endeavour to work hard to achieve them for New Zealanders and the country.
"There is growing support for a new face to lead the Labour Party. I intend to support David Shearer in his bid."
3 News

Kiwi born rugby player dies of methanol poisoning in Bali...

2011-11-29T22:56:00.001-08:00

Image by mstephens7 via Flickr

A former Dunedin man died in Bali after drinking a local cocktail which contained methanol, an autopsy has found.
Michael Denton, 29, who became a prominent player in Perth's Western Force A-side, was in Bali in September for an international rugby tournament.
He had been drinking at his hotel when he complained of feeling ill.
He went to his room and when teammates checked on him he was unconscious. He could not be revived and died at Sanglah Hospital.
The hospital's coroner investigated his death and found it was from methanol poisoning, the West Australian newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The methanol was in an incorrectly distilled batch of the local drink arak.
Just 10ml of the poison is enough to make a person blind and any more than 100ml is almost always fatal.
At least four foreigners were among the 25 people who died from methanol poisoning during a two-week period in Bali and Lombok in 2009.
Authorities say that following a crackdown on illegal importation of alcohol, a number of rogue producers set up small factories which produced the sometimes poisonous arak.
Originally from Dunedin, Mr Denton moved to Perth in 2006.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/6061296/Kiwi-rugby-player-died-from-fatal-Bali-brew
http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk

Christmas 2011 - a birth of a New Tradition for Aussies and kiwis...

2011-11-27T23:19:00.001-08:00

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Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition for Aussies and Kiwis - the Australasians...

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into
high gear to provide Australasians with monstrous piles of cheaply
produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of
Australasian labour.

This year will be different. This year Australasians will give the gift
of genuine concern for other Australasians There is no longer an excuse
that, at gift-giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by
Australasian hands.

Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to
fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift
certificates from your local Australasian hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about
some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small,
Australasian-owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a
gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of buying
a Chinese made products? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like
his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or games at the local
golf course.

There are a lots of Australasian owner-run restaurants -- all offering
gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort,
what about a half-dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint.
Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about
supporting your home town Australasians with their financial lives on
the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, done at a shop run by the Australian working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mum? Mum would LOVE the services
of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy
who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people
spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewellery,
and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner-operated restaurants and
how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand
Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of
light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those
kinds of bucks to burn, leave the postie, garbo or babysitter a nice BIG
tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining Austraaslian pockets so
that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about
caring about US, encouraging Australasian small businesses to keep
plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other
Australasians, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back
to us in ways we couldn't imagine .

THIS is the new Australasian Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion
groups -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio
stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring
about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Not junk

Empty

Was it a case of cultural bullying in NZ...

2011-11-22T23:32:00.001-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

James Takamore's widow and daughter.
Was it cultural bullying? His whanau(family) insist James Takamore's body stays where it is buried, after it was taken from his home, wife and children. That is cultural arrogance as well.
Custom cannot be allowed to circumvent the the decision of the immediate family. I don't support this, and I believe a majority of New Zealanders of many etnicities don't either.
"Denise Clarke, with daughter Jenna, is delighted with the judge's decision over the body of her husband, James Takamore, but uncertain about her next move. Photo / Simon Baker
Relatives who took the body of a man from his partner and children, claiming Maori custom, say they did nothing wrong and have no intention of returning it despite a court ruling against them.
The Tuhoe relatives are standing firm after the High Court ruled that they had no legal authority to take the body of James Takamore from his family in Christchurch in 2007 and bury him at Kutarere in the Bay of Plenty.
But although the court has determined that Mr Takamore's long-time Pakeha partner, Denise Clarke, has rights to bury his body where she sees fit, Justice John Fogarty did not order that the body be exhumed.
Instead, he invited Tuhoe to disinter it or to get together with the widow to try to reach a resolution.
Ms Clarke was ecstatic at the ruling after two years of what she described as bullying and manipulation, but uncertain about what would happen next.
"I really don't know what the [Takamore] family are going to do. I know they want discussions, but we really don't know whether they will appeal or not."
A Takamore family member who asked not to be named said the whanau had no regrets about their actions.
But she said they were willing to talk to Ms Clarke. "That's if she comes to talk with us."
The lawyer for the whanau, Moana Tuwhare, said they were disappointed by Justice Fogarty's ruling but had no plans to give back the body.
"As far as my clients are concerned they hold firm to the position that they have acted in accordance with their tikanga [customs] ... but they are willing to continue out-of-court dialogue with Ms Clarke," she said.
"[Both parties] are quite determined to stand their ground, which makes any resolution difficult."
Mr Takamore died in August 2007 and before he could be buried in Christchurch, where he had lived for almost 20 years with Ms Clarke and his two children, visiting whanau took him north.
He was buried at Kutarere alongside other relatives before police could serve an injunction.
Ms Clarke took a civil case to the High Court, which was heard this month.
In his ruling, Justice Fogarty said the family and Tuhoe had no legal right to take Mr Takamore's body and "so it is not properly buried".
If a resolution could not be reached, the judge said, he could make an order for the body to be disinterred.
"In this case, it is beyond doubt that the late Jim Takamore chose to live outside tribal life and the customs of the tribe," Justice Fogarty said.
"Under the common law he was entitled to expect the choices he made during his life to be respected by the executor of his will when it came to the decision as to his funeral. This is even more so because he chose as his executor of his will his life-long partner."
Ms Clarke said she still felt angry that the Takamore family did not consider her wishes, and those of her partner, who wanted to be buried in Christchurch.
She was prepared to go back to court to continue the fight if she had to.
Maori academic Rawiri Taonui said those who took Mr Takamore's body ought to apologise for the cultural bullying of Ms Clarke and her family."
The Riverman says: The body should be disinterred and taken back south to Christchurch and re-buried where his wife planned to bury it before the North Island whanau 'stole' it. This is not the first time a Maori whanau has forcibly taken a body away from a Pakeha wife and family and taken it north to its Tuhoe tribal area. This is cultural bullying.
The court came out against it but the judge didn't have the intestinal fortitude to order the body to be disinterred and reburied where the widow and family want it. It is after all the 21st century, not the 19th century of a couple centuries ago.
Another story here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/2592767/Takamore-couldn-t-have-been-buried-in-Chch
http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk

Shock look at NZ's child poverty...

2011-11-20T18:22:00.001-08:00

Could this be NZ too? Image via Wikipedia

by MICHELLE DUFF

More than 100 New Zealand children who died last year would probably have survived had they lived in Japan, Sweden or the Czech Republic, a new documentary shows.

In Inside Child Poverty: A Special Report, set to air this week, Wellington documentary maker Bryan Bruce shows a Swedish doctor footage of sick, scab-ridden schoolchildren suffering from preventable diseases in Porirua and asks if he saw similar situations in his country.

The doctor shakes his head: "In the 70s, maybe."

Last year, more than 25,000 children were admitted to hospital for respiratory infections. Doctors routinely treat cases of rheumatic fever and scabies – diseases now rare in Europe.

The reason behind these preventable diseases were appalling rates of child poverty that New Zealand could not afford to ignore, Mr Bruce said.

In the two years he spent researching the topic, he visited schools, doctors and low-income families in eastern Porirua. Cross-referencing world development indicators with mortality data, he found that 150 children who died in New Zealand last year would probably have survived had they lived in Japan, Sweden or the Czech Republic. New Zealand is second to last in child health and safety rankings of 30 OECD countries, with only Turkey worse.

As part of the study, Mr Bruce visited Sweden – a country once considered similar to New Zealand – and found that children there received free healthcare, were provided a free meal a day at school and were free from diseases associated with poverty.

Back in Porirua, he visited houses with walls blackened by mould, where families of five slept in the same room just to keep warm. Diseases like rheumatic fever, skin infections and respiratory illnesses spread quickly in the damp and overcrowded conditions.

In the documentary, Wellington Hospital paediatric surgeon Brendon Bowkett laments the huge sums of money spent on operating to save children with preventable diseases. "That would have paid for hundreds of child assessments."

Mr Bruce said New Zealand was now at a "moral crossroads" and he was calling for politicians to work out a long-term policy for the health of children. This could include redistributing parts of benefits to pay for free medical care and school lunches, introducing health regulations for rental housing, and appointing a children's minister.

"A nation with poor children is a poor excuse for a nation ... it's not a political question, it's an ethical question. No child should go hungry in this country, no child should have a preventable disease.

Health Minister Tony Ryall could not be contacted yesterday, and Social Development Minister Paula Bennett did not respond to a request to comment.

Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett said that, while most of the information was already known, anything that put child poverty in the spotlight was worthwhile.

"We want to build these kids into contributing citizens for tomorrow, and certainly whatever is being done at the moment isn't working and we have to work really hard to put services in place that actually meet their basic life needs.

"This is not the fault of any one government, it's actually a social responsibility."
Inside Child Poverty: A Special Report will air on TV3 at 7.30pm tomorrow.

Acknowledgements: - The Dominion Post

http://stuff.co.nz

National Homepage

Occupy Pomare in Taita North, Lower Hutt...

2011-11-17T23:49:00.001-08:00

Pomare residents to move into tents on land where state houses were demolished

Media release from Pomare Community;

Members of the Pomare community in Taita North will this weekend move to occupy the site of their demolished homes as a further protest at Housing New Zealand’s failure to act on their housing concerns.

Last week hundreds of residents and supporters attended a community rally to highlight the loss of their community and the community’s need for state housing.

From Saturday morning community members will move into tents erected on the demolition site surrounded by headstones and crosses representing the lost houses. Each headstone or cross shows the time the house had been lived in by local families, with some families being moved from houses they have lived in for over 40 years.

Korina Haua, Tolly Jackson and Yvonne Kapua lived next door to each other in Pomare for more than 30 years before being moved by Housing NZ. The three women are missing the support of their long term neighbours “We all looked after each other. I feel like I’ve moved from a community to a street where I don’t know anyone. We just want to be allowed to come back to Pomare when the redevelopment is done” said Ms Haua.

“This is not just about Pomare,” said community spokesperson Dina Awarau. “The same thing is happening in Glen Innes and it will be other communities next. Many low income families are already struggling to get affordable housing and Housing NZ selling land to private developers is only going to make that worse”.

Housing NZ called for tenders this week for developers to deliver a mix of private housing, social housing and corporation housing in Pomare with a maximum of 12 of the 72 proposed new homes to be owned by Housing NZ.

“This is asset sales by another name” said Ms Awarau. “If the National government get voted back in, low income families will end up living under the bridge”.

Who? Pomare Community Voice

What? Occupy Pomare

Where? Farmer Crescent, adjacent to Taita Drive intersection.

When? From 9am Saturday, 19 November 2011

Tomorrow it will be exactly one year since the Pike River mine tragedy claimed 29 lives...

2011-11-17T22:29:00.001-08:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Tomorrow it will be exactly one year since the Pike River mine tragedy on New Zealand's West Coast which claimed 29 miners and contractors employed by the company. They went to work in the morning and have never come home! An explosion ripped through the mine filling it with methane and other poisonous gases. The men wouldn't have survived the blast, let alone three more during the next few days. Children still cry for their fathers and widows still mourn for their men.
The whole country was stunned by the tragedy which was played out on television into the lounges of the nation. We all wanted rescuers to get into the mine and rescue the men, but knew it wasn't a reality under the circumstances. But why haven't the bodies been recovered, a year on? That's another story. A Royal Commission of Enquiry is under way to establish the cause of the tragedy. It will be a very emotional time for the families tomorrow! Please read the following news story below:
"A monument to the 29 men who died in the Pike River mine will be unveiled in Blackball on the West Coast today.
Most of the families of the miners are expected to attend the service as part of International Workers' Memorial Day.
The men died last November after a series of explosions at the coal mine.
Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn says it will be a day for people to reminisce and spare a thought for those loved ones who are still in the mountain, not far from Blackball.
President of the Council of Trade Unions Helen Kelly will also be at today's service and said the tragedy highlights a deeper problem with workplace safety.
"The Pike River mine was open for only a year before it exploded killing 29 people including a 17-year-old boy, and having a service in Blackball serves as a poignant reminder to us all of the tragedy of workplace accidents," she said."
Some have said the Pike River mine was an accident waiting to happen. Others say the mine should never have been allowed to happen.

http://communitybloggersevolve.blog.co.uk

Cameraman at the centre of teapot tape controversy takes own legal action...

2011-11-16T23:13:00.001-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

The lawyer for the cameraman at the centre of the 'tea party' controversy has filed civil proceedings in the high court in Auckland seeking a declaratory judgement against the National Party and John Key.

Bradley Ambrose says he unwittingly recorded the conversation between National Party leader John Key and ACT's John Banks.

He then handed it to the Herald on Sunday newspaper.
His lawyer, Ron Mansfield, says the legal action is being taken in the light of the allegations being made publicly against his client that his conduct was criminal or unethical.

Mr Mansfield says Mr Ambrose's reputation is important because journalism is his sole source of income and he is being used by a political party for its gain.

Timeline: David Bain - one of New Zealand's most controversial murderers to claim compensations...

2011-11-15T19:43:00.001-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Timeline: David Bain - One of New Zealand's most controversial indicted mass murders found not guilty, and now seeks compensation...

Timeline: David Bain...
One of New Zealand's most controversial mass murders found not guilty, and now seeks compensation..
June 20, 1994 - David Bain's parents, Robin and Margaret, two sisters, Laniet and Arawa, and brother, Stephen, are shot and killed in their Dunedin home. Bain calls emergency services in a distraught state.
* June 24, 1994 - Bain is charged with five counts of murder. The following day the rest of his family are farewelled by 1000 mourners.
* July 7, 1994 - Bain home is razed by Fire Service at request of family.
* October 1994 - Depositions hearing begins and Bain is committed for trial in May 1995.
* May 8, 1995 - Three-week-long murder trial begins in the High Court at Dunedin. Unprecedented public and media interest.
* May 29, 1995 - Jury finds Bain guilty on all five murder counts.
* June 21, 1995 - Bain sentenced to mandatory life term, with a minimum non-parole period of 16 years.
* December 19, 1995 - Court of Appeal dismisses Bain appeal.
* May, 1996 - A petition to Privy Council seeking leave to appeal fails.
* July 22, 1996 - Court of Appeal lifts suppression order covering defence witness Dean Cottle and evidence that was to have been presented at Bain's murder trial. It alleges Laniet told Cottle that her father was having an incestuous affair with her and she was going to confront the family.
* April 16, 1997 - Joe Karam launches his book, David and Goliath. It says Robin, not David, was the killer, and that police botched the investigation.
* May 5, 1997 - Police appoint Assistant Commissioner Brion Duncan to head an independent inquiry reviewing police handling of the murder investigation.
* June 23, 1997 - James McNeish releases his book, The Mask of Sanity, which concludes that David was the killer.
* November 25, 1997 - Police in the murder investigation are cleared by the joint police and Police Complaints Authority inquiry. It finds no serious flaws in the police investigation and says criticism that police were incompetent is unjustified.
* March 1998 - Police officers to sue Karam over claims in his book.
* June 1998 - Petition of 113 pages and 290-page supporting document seeking a pardon for Bain is lodged with the Governor-General.
* June 1999 - Former Dunedin pathologist Jim Gwynne presents petition to Governor-General seeking pardon for Bain. Dr Gwynne says evidence shows Robin Bain committed suicide.
* June 9, 2000 - Damages suit brought against Karam by two Dunedin detectives, one since retired, fails in the High Court at Auckland.
* December 19, 2000 - Bain has aspects of his case referred back to the Court of Appeal. Justice Minister Phil Goff said an investigation had shown that "a number of errors" may have occurred in the Crown's presentation of its case.
* October 2002 - Court of Appeal considers four aspects of the case referred to it by Mr Goff.
* December 20, 2002 - Mr Goff announces the case is to be reheard in full by Court of Appeal.
* September, 2003 - Court of Appeal hears case.
* December 13, 2003 - Court of Appeal decides a retrial was not needed on the grounds that the new evidence would not have changed the jury's verdict.
* June 7, 2006 - Bain's legal team wins right to a full Privy Council hearing.
* March 8, 2007 - Five-day Privy Council hearing in London begins.
* May 10, 2007 - Privy Council delivers decision, ordering a retrial.
* May 15, 2007 - Bain granted bail at hearing in Christchurch High Court
* June 21, 2007 - Solicitor-General rules that Bain will face a retrial
* March 6, 2009 - Retrial begins. Bain pleads not guilty to five charges of murder
* June 4, 2009 - Retrial ends, jury begin deliberations
* June 6, 2009 - David Bain found not guilty of all the murders
Consideration for seeking compensation from the Crown: Is David Bain actually innocent? Being found not guilty on the evidence of the last trial is not good enough. Now the debate in New Zealand society continues. It will have be up to Prime Minister, John Key, and his Cabinet to decide his innocence.

2010 - Canadian Judge appointed to hear David Bain's compensation claim.

Huttriver12

The controversial "teapot tape" to be released after the NZ elections...

2011-11-14T23:25:00.001-08:00

Image via WikipediaImage via Wikipedia
New Zealand's online predictions market, iPredict, has today launched new stocks asking about the content of the so-called "teapot tape".

Prime Minister John Key and Act Party Epsom candidate John Banks met for tea on Friday and their conversation was recorded by Bradley Ambrose, formerly known as Brad White. Act leader Don Brash did not attend the meeting.

The Herald on Sunday and TV3 have reported that they have obtained the recording but its contents remain unknown. Mr Key has asked the police to investigate the circumstances of the recording. The Deputy Editor of the Herald on Sunday, Jonathan Milne, says the contents of the recording are potentially a "game-changer" for the election. The Political Editor of TV3, Duncan Garner, disagrees but says the contents are "interesting and raise some questions for Key and Banks".

The new stocks launched by iPredict today are as follows:

Tea Pot Tape to NOT be released before Election Day: https://www.ipredict.co.nz/app.php?
do=contract_detail&contract=TAPE.NORELEASE

http://peteskiwiforum.blogspot.com

Whose hue in the car world...

2011-11-14T01:28:00.001-08:00

Whose hue in the car world...

By Peter Petterson

First published at Qondio

The British Royal Automobile Club came up with a list of what a car's color says about the owner. Here is what your vehicle could be telling you.
Black: You're ambitious and status seeking
Green: You're very traditional and an elitist
Blue: You're a team player and very sociable
White: You're aloof dutiful and methodical
Grey: You're understated and cautious
Silver: You have a sense of style, but you can be pompous
Red: You're outgoing, impulsive and easily bored.
Acknowledgements: Chicago Sun-Times
http//communitybloggersevolve.blog.co.uk

No decision made over Paula Bennet privacy complaint...

2011-11-11T19:46:00.001-08:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe Human Rights Commission says no decision has been made about whether a case will be taken against the Social Development Minister over a privacy complaint taken against her.

Paula Bennett.

Photo : Public Domain

The complaint centres on National MP Paula Bennett publicly releasing the details of state assistance given to a solo mother.

Last year, the Privacy Commissioner referred the complaint to the Human Rights Commission after failing to resolve it.

A spokesperson at the commission says director Robert Hesketh is assessing how best to resolve the case, saying it involves legal issues under the Privacy Act that have not been considered before.

Mr Hesketh is considering whether to take a case against Ms Bennett.

The spokesperson says legal discussions have been going back and forth between the parties, including Ms Bennett's lawyer.

Paula Bennett's office says she cannot comment while that process continues.

National Party leader John Key says he will contact the Human Rights Commission to find out why it is talking to the media and not his office about the investigation into Ms Bennett.

Pike River mine CEO charged with 11 alleged offences...

2011-11-10T21:18:00.001-08:00

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/The Press, Christchurch

CHARGED: Peter Whittall, Pike River's chief executive at the time of the explosions.

Pike River mine disaster

LATEST: Lawyers for former Pike River boss Peter Whittall have confirmed he is among those being charged by the Department of Labour in the wake of the tragic explosion at the West Coast mine a year ago.

Whittall was Pike River Coal chief executive, which is now in receivership, at the time of the explosion, which killed 29 men.

The Pike River receivers confirmed that a number of charges have been laid against the company by the department. The 25 charges, against Whittall, Pike River Coal and VLI Drilling, were served yesterday.

The receivers today asked the District Court to lift the existing suppression orders which had been previously sought by the department.

"The matter is now sub judice and the receivers will not be making any further comment at this time."

Whittall's lawyers said he had never sought suppression and denied the all charges against him. They alleged he failed to comply with the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.

"Rather he has been actively seeking to have that order obtained by the Department of Labour lifted as soon as possible so that he could be identified publicly," they said.

"Mr Whittall is a coal miner. He comes from a coal mining town and has worked in underground mines all his life. He maintains that he would never do anything to put men who worked with him at risk. And Mr Whittall will fight being scape goated now."

The charges alleged Whittall failed to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of workers at the mine, the lawyers said.

Charges related to operations at the mine at a time when Whittall was based in Wellington and handling corporate - not operational - matters, the lawyers said.

An Australian, Whittall had remained on in large part to assist with the department investigation, when he could have taken voluntary redundancy, or left the company and New Zealand.

"He is deeply saddened by the Department of Labour's actions and intends to vigorously defend all charges laid against him," the lawyers said of the man who was the public face of the tragedy, and whose actions in the weeks after the explosion elicited public sympathy.

"Mr Whittall took on this role because he believed it was the right thing to do, and he continued to front for Pike even though it greatly raised his profile at a time when criminal investigations were under way," the lawyers said.

He had been "fully co-operative" throughout the year-long investigation, and would like to comment further "but in the circumstances has been advised not to make any public statements, given that the matter comes within the jurisdiction of the district court".

The department confirmed all suppression orders had been lifted, following a teleconference between all parties late this afternoon convened by the Greymouth District Court.

It said Pike River Coal had been charged with four offences of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure employee safety; five of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its contractors, subcontractors and their employees; and one of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction of its employees harmed another person.

It said these charges related to, among other things, methane explosion and ventilation management, to lower the risk and impact of an explosion.

VLI Drilling Pty (Valley Longwall) has been charged with one offence of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure employee safety; one of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of contractors, subcontractors and their employees; and one of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction of its employees harmed another person.

Those failures related to the maintenance and operation of machinery.

Whittall was charged with four offences of acquiescing or participating in the failures of Pike River Coal Limited as an employer; four of acquiescing or participating in the failures of Pike River Coal as a principal; and four offences of failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction of his as an employee harmed another person.

The department's investigation took 357 days to complete and was the most complex in its history, the department said.

At its peak, a team of 15 was directly involved in the investigation and more than 200 interviews were conducted.

Acknowledgements: - The Press

Next Pike River mine disaster story:

Pike River families find reassurance in charges

29 men killed at the Pike River mine - 25 charges laid against three parties...

2011-11-10T01:17:00.001-08:00

The Department of Labour has laid 25 charges against three parties relating to health and safety failures at Pike River Coal Mine.

Twenty-nine miners died at Pike River after a series of explosions nearly a year ago.

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of $250,000 and they were laid at Greymouth District Court this morning.

The Department of Labour say they are currently unable to name the charged parties as they either have name suppression or the right to apply for name suppression.

They are also unable to identify specific charges as this may lead to identification of those involved.

Due to the high public interest in the case the Department of Labour say they are endeavouring to ensure names can be published where possible.

It has taken 357 days for the Department of Labour to conduct this investigation, an investigation they say is the most complex they have undertaken.

More than 200 interviews were conducted by a team of 15 people.

Acknowledgements: 3 News

Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/Pike-River---health-and-safety-charges-laid/tabid/423/articleID/232321/Default.aspx#ixzz1dMp39sxf

Damming our damned rivers

2011-11-09T18:28:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaImage by Getty Images via @daylife

Fed Farmers have welcomed National’s $400 million water storage and irrigation investment announced yesterday.

Of course Fed Farmers would. Damming rivers to store water for irrigation means farmers can convert more land to dairying, which is highly profitable at the moment.

But Fed Farmers pretend that damming rivers to store water for irrigation won’t hurt the environment.

This is wishful thinking. Nearly every study on water quality shows that land use intensification leads to water pollution.

Fed Farmers say that no water storage or irrigation project will go ahead unless it stacks up environmentally, and they go on to give the example of the Opuha Dam as a project with increased economic performance and environmental benefits. However, in January, the principle surface water quality officer at Environment Canterbury linked the Opuha Dam to an increase in toxic algae blooms in the Opihi River.

National and Fed Farmers want to pretend we can have more cows and cleaner rivers. Unfortunately science shows we can’t.

If they have to resort to citing a river with toxic algal blooms as an example of environmental benefit, then we are in trouble.
Indeed, science shows we have a freshwater crisis on our hands. More than one half of our monitored rivers are unsafe for swimming, one third-of our lakes are unhealthy, and two-thirds of our native freshwater fish are at risk or threatened with extinction.

But there is hope: we have a plan to make our rivers and lakes clean enough to swim in again. We will introduce standards for clean water that deal with the causes of pollution, as well as a charge for irrigation water that will fund water clean-up initiatives.

Acknowledgements: Russel Norman, NZ Greens

Welfare reform won't protect the vulnerable children in NZ...

2011-11-03T01:46:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaImage via WikipediaI've said it before and I guess I will have to say it again, this blog was never intended as a political forum, but with the current National Party Government here in New Zealand on target for re-election in about three weeks or so, I just can't let things pass without some comment.

Welfare reform is one of the main planks of this right-wing administration this time in. But welfare reform will not protect our vulnerable children from the hands of those adults whose duty it is to tend to their needs. How many more young children will be maimed and killed in this country because our child protection agency, CYF (Child, Youth and Family) appears unable to do their job efficiently because they lack the necesssary resources. At least that is what their critics keep on saying.

Benefit cuts will only put more pressure on those poor families who struggle anyway. Now the onus will be on them to look for work if they want to retain their welfare benefits. I don't know what these right-wingers have for brains and what flows in their veins - ice-cold water it seems.

I will predict that if National is re-elected three weeks from this Saturday, NZ society will erupt in a way not seen for decades. National may not last its full term, John key will seek that job he covets in the World Bank, and his successor will be condemned for all eternity. It is not the Kiwi way, it is not how we do things in this country - well thats what we said when we had to endure a mean spirited and unfeeling administration during the 1990's - this offspring of that detested government could be worse, taking different directions, but with the same agenda. Their asset sales program is universally opposed by the NZ public, but those moronic National voters will ensure it becomes policy - unless National is unable to get a majority because it lacks a coalition partner.

National thinks it will be able to govern on its own, but that is not going to happen under an MMP electoral system. When it comes down to actually casting a vote, some of those alleged supporters in current polls will have second thoughts. The Act Party candidate, John Banks, must win in Epsom, and the Maori Party must retain their current number of seats, but it is doubtful if either happens. Results in other electorates could also affect the outcome of the election. They say a week in politics is a long time - well there is still three weeks to go!

Beyond the HuttRiver - New Zealand today..

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