Daily New Zealand News

New technology allows early heart disease detection

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:46:13 PDT

New technology could hold the key for battling diabetes and heart disease, after the Government pledged $16 million in this week's Budget to the issue. The Counties Manukau DHB has been trialling new testing machines for a month which allow busy patients to find out their risk of heart disease and stroke with a quick and easy finger prick test at the doctor's office. In 10 minutes the machine delivers the results and a computer determines the patient's risk of having a stroke or heart attack in the next five years. "By the end of June we'll have reached our target of at least 7000 patients assessed," said East Tamaki Medical Centre's Dr Richard Hulme. "There's about 50% of patients who don't know they've got diabetes, so this for us is going to be huge." Heart and diabetes checks are one of the six Government health targets DHBs are scrutinised for. The goal is to have them testing 90% of eligible patients by next July.
Source: ONE News

Rugby - Kiwi women capture first sevens series title

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:44:14 PDT

New Zealand women have matched their male counterparts, winning the IRB Women's Sevens World Series in the Netherlands tonight. After tournament wins at Dubai and Guangzhou, the Kiwis secured their title by defeating Spain 14-5 in their quarterfinal at Amsterdam's NRCA Stadium. They came out of Day One pool play undefeated, with only five points recorded against them, after wins over Russia (17-5), China (24-0) and Netherlands (15-0).
Source: ONE Sport

Protests against deep sea oil drilling across the country

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:28:02 PDT

Hundreds of campaigners have gathered at beaches across New Zealand today, as part of a global protest against deep sea oil drilling. The rallies, organised by the Hands Across The Sands group, were from Dunedin to Auckland, with plans for protests on beaches in other parts of the world, including America, Canada and Brazil. One of the organisers, Siana Fitzjohn, who's also part of Oil Free Otautahi, says she's concerned about proposed test drilling in the Canterbury Basin by American company Anadarko.
Copyright © 2013, Radio New Zealand

Christchurch Airport kicks out freeloading tourists

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:59:00 PDT

Christchurch Airport has had a gutsful of freeloading tourists dossing down for the night. People who previously were allowed to shelter inside are now being kicked out to sleep rough in bus shelters and stairwells. Up to 200 people were using the international terminal every night, after flying in late. But airport chief Jim Boult says it is not in the accommodation business. He says the number of people overnighting has grown since the earthquakes, with up to 200 bodies strewn across the floor on busy nights.
- Newstalk ZB

Shoppers become DJs of the aisles

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:47:43 PDT

TOM PULLAR-STRECKER
Ever wished you could change the background tunes in supermarkets? This will be music to your ears. Supermarket songs are getting personal, with Pak 'n Save installing touchscreen terminals at its Porirua, Papakura and Riccarton supermarkets that let shoppers pick what music is played in the aisles. Shoppers can choose from 3500 songs, including tracks from New Zealand bands Fat Freddy's Drop, Opshop and Goldenhorse, and big- name acts like the Eurythmics, Madonna and Oasis. Pak 'n Save plans to install the terminals in all its supermarkets by the end of the year.
© Fairfax NZ News

Feedback sought on Auckland smoking ban

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:58:41 PDT

Auckland Council is close to finalising a smoking ban in parks and other public spaces. Feedback is being sought from communities through their local boards about the policy, before a committee decides next month whether to approve it. The ban would take effect in all parks, playgrounds and other outdoor facilities in September, extending to bus stops in 2015, and to spaces such as beaches and civic squares in 2018. Cr Sandra Coney said the council will rely on social pressure from members of the public, rather than regulation, to enforce the ban.
Copyright © 2013, Radio New Zealand

NZ meat stuck on wharves in China

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:46:39 PDT

Container loads of frozen sheepmeat and beef have been held up by customs in New Zealand's largest export market, China, because of a paperwork problem. The cause may be the change in branding that occured when the old Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry became the Ministry for Primary Industries. Meat Industry Association chief executive Tim Ritchie says the change would have been discussed at government level but many not have filtered through to customs. Mr Ritchie says ministry officials have been in discussions with their Chinese counterparts all week to solve the problem. He says the meat will not spoil in the refridgerated containers, but meat companies will not be paid for the product until the containers clear customs.
Copyright © 2013, Radio New Zealand

Australian mainland off-limits to asylum seekers

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:10:36 PDT

The entire Australian mainland is now excised from the migration zone in a bid to deter the arrival of asylum seekers. Even asylum seekers who reach the mainland can now be sent to offshore processing centres on Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Previously, they could not be sent offshore for immigration processing. The idea was one of 25 recommendations put forward by an expert panel on asylum seekers and introduced to the Parliament by the Government last year.
Copyright © 2013 Radio New Zealand

Immigration NZ discover adviser scam in India

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:53:07 PDT

More than 50 applications from India for permanent residence in New Zealand have been declined after it was discovered they were submitted through an unlicensed immigration adviser. Immigration New Zealand's New Delhi branch identified 54 such applications submitted by Hyderabad-based Opulentus Overseas Careers. INZ says the branch reviewed all applications it held after identifying that there may be an unlicensed agent involved in Skilled Migrant Category applications from the Chennai/Hyderabad area. Anyone seeking immigration advice is urged to read the Authority's Immigration Advice Consumer Guide to find out who can give them immigration advice, how to use a licensed immigration adviser and what to do if they have a problem with their adviser.
http://www.iaa.govt.nz/migrant/consumer-guide/consumer-guide.pdf
Source: ONE News

Kiwis most transient people in the world

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:46:56 PDT

By Matthew Theunissen
New Zealanders are the most transient people in the world, with a quarter of the population having moved to a different part of the country in the past five years, according to Gallup. The survey on internal migration, published yesterday, asked 236,865 adults in 139 countries whether they had moved from another city or area within their country in the past five years. While countries with advanced economies were found to have the highest rates of internal migration, nations where people were displaced due environmental change, natural disasters or conflict also had high rates, such as Syria. New Zealand (26 per cent) was found to be the most mobile country in the world, followed by the United States (24 per cent), Syria (23 per cent) Finland (23 per cent) and Norway (22 per cent).
- APNZ

38 gold medals won by NZ wines in London

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:39:23 PDT

New Zealand winemakers had record success at the 30th International Wine Challenge in London. They won 38 gold medals, 13 for pinot noir and 11 for sauvignon blanc, against thousands of competing wines. The International Wine Challenge is regarded as one of the world's most meticulously judged wine competitions.
Copyright © 2013, Radio New Zealand

Survey exposes 'most racist' countries

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:13:27 PDT

An international study has revealed the "most racist countries in the world", with New Zealand ranking among the most tolerant. Among the dozens of questions that the World Values Survey asked respondents across more than 80 countries over three decades, Swedish economists found one that, they believe, could be a good indicator of tolerance for other races. Hong Kong topped the list, with 71.8% of the population saying they would refuse to live next to someone of a different race. Bangladesh followed closely behind Hong Kong at 71.7%, followed by Jordan on 51.4%, India with 43.5% and Saudi Arabia at 37.7%, Fisher reported. The survey found Western countries were most accepting of other cultures, with fewer than 5% of Britons, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders showing signs of racism. Fisher said France appeared to be one of the least racially tolerant countries in Europe, with 22.7% saying they didn't want a neighbour of another race
Source: ONE News

Lockwood Smith meets the Queen

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:08:20 PDT

New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Lockwood Smith has met with the Queen this week. Dr Smith had an audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in central London, on Thursday. Dr Smith took up the position of High Commissioner in London in February after serving as a Member of Parliament since 1984, including almost five years as Speaker of the House.
- nzherald.co.nz

Campion honoured at Cannes

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:03:04 PDT

New Zealand director Jane Campion has received the Carrosse d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Campion was honoured by her peers at the opening of the Directors' Fortnight on Thursday. Previous recipients include Clint Eastwood. The Carrosse d'Or, (Golden Coach), is a tribute by the Film Directors Society to reward innovative qualities, courage and independent-mindedness in directing. The only other woman to win the award since it was created in 2002 was French director, Agnes Varda in 2010.
Copyright © 2013 Radio New Zealand

Netball - Former Australia captain joins Silver Ferns coaching staff

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:29:29 PDT

The former Australian international, Vicki Wilson, has been named as the Silver Ferns new assistant coach. She has signed a two-year contract to assist head coach Waimarama Taumaunu through to the end of the 2015 World Championships. Since retiring from her 15 year international career in 1999, Wilson has served as a coach, most recently with the Queensland Firebirds. She says the opportunity to work with Taumaunu and the Silver Ferns players was to good to pass up. Wilson's first task will be working alongside the Silver Ferns selectors at the trials in August.
Copyright © 2013, Radio New Zealand

Kim Hill judged outstanding broadcaster

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:26:49 PDT

Radio New Zealand broadcaster Kim Hill has taken out the top prize at this year's New Zealand Radio Awards. Ms Hill, the presenter of the Saturday Morning programme on Radio New Zealand National, was given a special award for an outstanding contribution to radio broadcasting. She also won the award for best talk or current affairs host, while her programme was named best daily or weekly series of an hour or more's duration. Ms Hill has presented the Saturday programme since 2002, and before that presented Morning Report and Nine To Noon. Long-serving presenter Hewitt Humphrey was named newsreader of the year. Radio New Zealand's Insight and Mediawatch programmes shared the award for best programme of less than an hour's duration.
Copyright © 2013, Radio New Zealand

Meridian Energy next asset sale

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:58:31 PDT

Meridian Energy will be next off the block in the Government's asset sell-down programme. Up to 49 per cent of shares in the energy company will be offered for sale in the second half of this year depending on market conditions, State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall confirmed today as part of the Government's Budget. Legal and capital market advisers are due to be appointed by June. The widely expected announcement follows hard on the heels of the Government's partial sale of Mighty River, which raised $1.7 billion in its initial public offer this month. That money went into the Government's Future Investment Fund, earmarked for major capital investment projects. Today's Budget announced the fund has allocated spending of $1.5b over the next few years, with $426 million of that going to redevelop Christchurch and Burwood hospitals.
© Fairfax NZ News

Extra funding to combat rising diabetes

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:48:52 PDT

The Government is to spend an extra $35.5 million over four years on better services for those with diabetes and heart disease. The new funding, which amounts to an extra almost $9 million a year, was announced in the Budget on Thursday. It includes $15.9 million to increase the number of people getting heart and diabetes checks - one of the Government's six key health targets that has been widely considered the most difficult for health boards to achieve. As well, $12.4 million of the total is to expand local diabetes care programmes, such as specialist diabetes nursing and podiatry services. Funding for so-called Green Prescriptions, which involve a family doctor or a nurse prescribing exercise or an improved diet or lifestyle change for a patient, is doubled at a cost of $7.2 million over the next four years.
Copyright © 2013 Radio New Zealand

No work for all foreign PhD students

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:24:53 PDT

New Zealand is attracting more and more international students here to study for PhDs, but a lack of jobs means only half are likely to stay after they finish their degrees. Foreign PhD enrolments have trebled since 2005 when the Government allowed them to pay domestic rather than higher international fees. However, a survey in 2011 found only half of all international PhD students plan to work in New Zealand after completing their studies. The New Zealand Association of Scientists wants the government to increase the opportunities for graduates, to ensure the country retains their skills.
Copyright © 2013 Radio New Zealand

People with common sense needed by schools

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:23:00 PDT

The School Trustees Association says schools need people with common sense and people skills to stand for places on their boards. Nominations close at midday on Thursday for the elections which are held every three years. Election project manager Elaine Hines said schools will hold a ballot only if there are more candidates than places on their board. She said parents and caregivers should consider the skills their board needs when they vote. The association says the elections are a big event, with nearly 2500 state and integrated schools electing about 15,000 trustees.
Copyright © 2013 Radio New Zealand

More Afghan interpreters apply to come to NZ

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:51:14 PDT

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse is considering applications from a small number of Afghan interpreters still living in Afghanistan who want to move to New Zealand. In April, 30 interpreters and their families who had been employed by the New Zealand Defence Force in Afghanistan arrived in Auckland under a special resettlement package. The Goverment agreed to accept them because of fears they would be targeted by the Taliban when New Zealand troops left Bamyan province. A spokesperson for the minister says five or six interpreters not included in the original package have applied for resettlement.
Copyright © 2013 Radio New Zealand

Rare native bird found after two years

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:22:42 PDT

The rare native bird that went missing from a bird sanctuary near Auckland two years ago has been recaptured. After his disappearance Duncan the Kokako was believed to be dead. But the semi-flightless bird has now been netted in the Auckland suburb of Glendowie, 31 kilometres from where he went missing. Duncan, one of only 750 kokako pairs left in the North Island, will be re-released back into the Waitakere Ranges Wildlife Park today.
Source: ONE News

Taranaki hapu stops drilling waste being dumped

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:11:23 PDT

Members of a South Taranaki hapu have prevented trucks from dumping oil and gas drilling waste at a dump site on vacant farmland near Opunake. More than a dozen protesters from Ngati Haua barred the gates to the land at Oeo from 6am on Wednesday, anxious about the waste spilling beyond the property's boundaries. Spokesperson Karl Adamson says protesting has been the only way to get the company involved in managing the site, BTW, and councils to listen to concerns. "We want to be assured that 20 years down the track, it's not going to have an impact on our people and our whenua (land). "Because what we're saying is they've gone right up to the foreshore and we believe there's the potential for contamination down into the sea."
Copyright © 2013, Radio New Zealand

Discovery a step towards preventing allergies

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:01:47 PDT

Scientists in Wellington say there's been a major breakthrough in the quest to prevent allergies. Working with scientists in Sydney, the Malaghan Institute has found a rare immune cell in the skin that could help in the development of a vaccine for eczema, asthma and hay fever. Institute director Graham le Gros says the discovery is another step towards a vaccine for what he calls the allergic march, which is when eczema develops into asthma and hayfever in infants.
Copyright © 2013, Radio New Zealand

Samoa’s largest church group to launch a tv and a radio station

noreply@blogger.com (NZ News) — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:31:08 PDT

Samoa’s largest church denomination, the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa is launching a television and a radio station tomorrow. General Secretary Reverend. Dr Iutisone Salevao says the stations will be called EFKS Television and Radio Broadcasting for now and will operate in a building behind the church’s headquarters in Apia. The initial focus is youth, and all programmes will be in English and Samoa.
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