E2NZ

Belgian Girl’s Rapist Has “Gang Connections” – “Killah”

2012-01-22T22:09:00.000+13:00

New Zealand has many gangs

For background to this story read our Turangi Campsite Attack posts.
The Sunday Star times reported today that the 16 year old youth, who admitted he’d raped and beaten the five year old Belgian girl at Camp Habitat in Turangi, has “gang connections” and that the family are “rotten apples” The youth may also have committed the crime as part of a gang initiation process.

The Star-Times understands the teen’s father had been associated with the gang, but not since the attack, which shocked New Zealand in the lead-up to Christmas. The boy’s father cannot be named for legal reasons.
The claims were made by several sources close to the investigation.
The family and the boy are connected to a gang,” one said. “The family is gang-associated. It’s not just the father.”
Another source said: “The family are well-recognised as being what they are … rotten apples. Where are you heading in society when you have this underbelly?”…
…The Star-Times has been shown a photo that shows him posing, shirtless, with a gang nickname and an anti-police slogan clearly visible.”

Facebook “Killah”

Presumably that is the same photograph that appears on the public Facebook page of a youth with the same name as the alleged offender. It shows him wild-eyed and bare-chested, his nose and lower face marked with a pen drawn moko, and with the words “Killah” “FTP” (fuck the police) and “Wat Up Naaw” written in rough script across the image. Other pictures on his scant public profile show him involved with a cultural group of young people. The Whaleoil blog has published a blurred faced version of the “Killah” image.

We already know that Turangi locals said that the Mongrel Mob was out in force on the night that the girl was attacked as she lay sleeping in her holiday caravan. We also know that members of the Notorious Chapter of the Mongrel Mob have been involved in the Salvation Army’s residential Hauora treatment programme (for P addicts) which had been held at the holiday camp.

The Star’s news aticle has been discussed on the Trade Me forum, a local New Zealand chat board. These are some of the things that Kiwis are saying about it and about the wider problem of organised gangs in New Zealand, one person calls them “urban terrorists“, another despairs that New Zealand is no longer a good place to raise children (additional thread link)

Warning: there are some pretty graphic descriptions of the outrages perpetrated by gang members in New Zealand, discretion is advised.

so good of the s.s.t to tell us what we already figured out.

If the govt can swiftly pass an act concerning Piracy, why can’t they pass an act making Gangs illegal as they did in Holland and Germany.

the gangs are alive and well in this country,and run a lot of the towns,i know because my dad was an ex angel……..gangs are not nice people and have more going on inside of them than naive people think they know…….his mates used to visit him up until a couple of yours ago and no they werent clean living honest people at all. but i also thought the teen who raped the 5 year old would not be right in the head anyway,he would have a tendancy towards children and pedophilia

I wish they could eradicate the whole family. My Aunty was the victim of a Gang initiation by two 16 year olds and two 18 year olds. She was brutally raped and murdered and left in an Orchard. She left behind two of her own children and two adopted children. The 16yr olds were out in 18 months. My family and I will always hate gangs, it doesn’t matter which one, they’re all just as evil as each other.

As soon as the Hells Angels step foot in this country the Police eradicate them/ Yet our home gangs go untouched. Every week 3-5 young women are tortured and raped. These may also be gang connected but, until people begin to see the gangs in this country for what they really are and how many in the government kowtow to them, it will continue. We need to open our eyes and say enough!

The guys I know who are sent to low security prisons pretty much have to join a gang as soon as they get inside, or be intimidated. And then do what the gang wants. So a young man already looking at being recruited would readily be taken under their wing. None of them enjoy their time in jail, but life outside is often as violent as inside, so no real difference. They just can’t do exactly what they want inside.

The bigger gangs such as Hells Angles run our gangs. it is where they source a lot of there drugs, business assoiciates and finance from. I have seen minutes from gang meetings and exersice books full of business figures and i can tell you the general public don’t know the half of it and probably just as well. Gangs have lawyers, Accountants, pharmacists etc as active members of these gangs. I have never seen hard proof of a police officer currently as an memeber of a gang but i have certainly met ones that have been. But anyway when you see the gangs family trees they all stem back to the larger overseas gangs such as the Triads and hells angles etc. when we see gangs such as the mongrel mob we see patches and unruly thugs, but never see the the very clean living non tattoed well educated middle man or the well to do white collar suit and tie businesman higher up the chain, the shakers and movers..

I recall that the police were originally reported as saying that there were were NO gang connections. Did the police lie? In any case, some good can come out of this. Any gang that is involved in violence can be made a banned organisation. It would then be an offence to wear gang clothing/patch, or to associate with each other.

I think it’s about time to treat these gang members as terrorists, as that’s what they are…urban terrorists. People shouldn’t have to live in fear around them and have innocent people get caught up in their fights with each other.

what saddens me is the attitude of the mid teenagers towards pregnancy etc. the kids i have contact with have the attitude that the girl shouldn’t have “let herself” get pregnant and its considered by the boys who dump them and carry rabbiting everywhere…

Yeah my daughters had so many friends end up preggers in the last year its ridiculous… Just so glad she has her head screwed on and is more worried about having a life and a career first.

the reason there are so many child murders and terrible things happening here is because we have growing number of feral people living in NZ with little or no education,who are continuing to breed,they claim claim benefits after benefits as the system enables them to do so……….but nothing is ever done about it,it will continue to get worse until something is done…….its too easy to get a DPB…and these feral women are doing so.

“The maximum for rape is 20 years, yet the average sentence is just 8 years” Quote from The Law and Order Referendum.

Well I said in the other thread that it would be a prospect earning his patch, and I’m right sadly. For all the people thinking that gang members have some type of standard, and raping children is too low does the name Delcelia Whittaker ring any bells at all??? Do any of you remember her stepfather (mongrel mob) boasting about carrying her around upside down like a 6 pack?? a finger in each…well you get the drift. Nothing is too low, too low is celebrated. He will be looked after in jail and receive his patch when he gets out.

this link has heaps of quotes from off this message board on it already lol http://emigratetonewzealand.wordpress.com/

Well, it’s a fact now, that we are really starting to get a bad name internationally for violenet crime, rape & murder. That’s really very very sad…..

A friend of mine, who lived in the country many years ago, was outside in the garden with her children when some gang members walked up the drive-way with a petrol can. She thought they were going to ask for petrol but instead they grabbed her and began to rape her. The oldest child quietly took the others inside and dressed them in their pjamas and watched out the window helplessly while his mother was gang raped. The mother was so traumatised she never told her husband or GP for over a year. The child who had watched was also traumatised and he was affected emotionally for many years to come until it was found out that he had seen everything that had been done to his mother.

it’s not the first time either, we’ve got a reputation of doing this to tourists, remember the other caravan attack on the female of the 2, down by the river part of a camping. I am seriously thinking it’s not good to raise children in NZ anymore. If I am going to have grandchildren, maybe it’s good they come to NZ for a holiday instead with their parents, but LOCK their tents and caravans. I really don’t see NZ’s state of law and order getting any better, sad to say. ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

One particular comment caught our eye, something about the way in which the youth was taken into custody

And to “negotiate” the arrest of this young offender is a new low.. cultural sensitivity maybe ??
I want to hear of doors being busted in, and family members sitting on the floor with their hands on their heads while Police guns are pointed at them as other officers search for the low life….

Now that we know that the family is alleged to be a bad apples and to have gang affiliations, that gives a possible reason for the police’s softly softly approach. Was it to avoid violent conflict with armed gang members and perhaps to give the gang an opportunity to ‘save face’ and distance themselves from the boy’s actions?
New Zealand’s Gangs:
According to the book Gangs by Ross Kemp New Zealand has more gangs per head than any other country in the world, with about seventy major gangs and over 4,000 patched members in a population of about 4,000,000 people.
According to the sociologist Jarrod Gilbert, New Zealand has had problems with youth and street gangs since the 1950s. However organised crime gangs such as those which currently dominate the New Zealand scene mostly date from the 1970s. ‘Gangsta’ style gangs have been a presence in New Zealand since the early 1990s but individual gangs of this type are typically short lived.
New Zealand gangs have generally been heavily influenced by their American counterparts. Although Black Power takes its name from the black liberation movement of the same name, in many ways it and similar gangs are much more akin to white American motorcycle gangs such as the Hell’s Angels. Since the early 1990s newer gangs have primarily been influenced by African American street gangs such as the Crips and Bloods.

New Zealand's Mongrel Mob patch

Mongrel Mob (from Wikipedia)
The Mongrel Mob is a New Zealand gang, originally formed in Hawke’s Bay in the 1960s and early 1970s.
The gang offers a surrogate ‘family’ for young men, most of whom are often alienated from their family via joining. Members are from New Zealand’s Maori, European or other Polynesian ethnic groups, with Maori or part Maori predominating. The gang currently operates in many cities within New Zealand; some of the best known chapters include Mongrel Mob Hastings, Mongrel Mob Porirua and Mongrel Mob Notorious. Mob members are notorious for their tattooed faces and red bandannas.
The name “mongrel mob” originated from the comments of a District Court Judge in the Hawkes Bay in the late 1960s, when he referred to a group of men before him as “nothing but a pack of mongrels”.^[1] The name stuck, and later, similarly named groups sprang up around the country, forming their own independent chapters.
Today there is a network of more than thirty Mongrel Mob chapters throughout New Zealand. They are especially active in King Country, Opotiki and Hastings . The Mongrel Mob’s main rival is a gang called Black Power and there have been several very public and violent clashes between the two gangs over the years.
The gang’s colours are predominantly red and black. The patches usually feature a swastika and a British Bulldog wearing a German Stahlhelm which supposedly is an image intended to offend as it is a British Bulldog wearing the helmet. The patch is worn on the back of “patched members” – those considered loyal and trustworthy enough to be in the gang. The patch will also be tattooed on the member’s body.
A Prospect is a person who is loyal to the gang but is not a “patched member” yet and must normally do errands or “missions” to show his loyalty to his gang. A Prospect normally has a “patched member” to report or “clock in” to. This “patched member” normally decides when it is time for the Prospect to be “patched”.
The hierarchy goes as follows: Captain or President, Vice President, Sergeant at arms, Patched members, Prospects. In some cases they use younger blood gangs as Prospects.

Links in the press to some other NZ gang atrocities
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/tags/mongrel-mob
http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/two-mongrel-mob-members-jailed/1043137/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/5592814/Call-to-re-open-rape-murder-case-19-years-on
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/4162555/Rapist-took-my-dignity-victim

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Is New Zealand a good place to raise children?
Read our Facts and Stats about NZ Education and Children’s Issues
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11 People Killed In New Zealand Ballooning Tragedy

2012-01-08T03:28:00.002+13:00

Eleven people, including the pilot, have been killed in a hot air balloon crash in the Wairarapa.

Pilot Lance Hopping, CEO of Ballooning New Zealand Ltd, and five couples from the Wellington region were killed when their balloon (a Cameron A 210 named "Mr Big" reg. number ZK-XXF) burst into flames and became caught up in powerlines near Carterton this morning, cutting power to the town for some hours.

This is New Zealand's largest air disaster since the death of nine people, including tourists, in a light plane crash at Fox Glacier on 4 Sept 2010. That event went largely unnoticed outside of New Zealand because it happened on the same day as the first Christchurch earthquake. For more read Fox Glacier air crash.

Few people know that New Zealand's first fatal air accident (1899) involved a balloon which landed in the sea, drowning the pilot.

Another similar tragedy happened in 1995, when a balloon belonging to a company called Balloon Adventures ditched in the sea off Waimairi Beach in Christchurch. Three tourists drowned.

It is not known whether any foreign nationals were involved in today's crash, nor have any names been released other than the pilot's.

The company, Hastings based Early Morning Balloons ltd (Facebook page) is said to be involved and is cooperating with civil aviation investigators. It has issued a statement expressing their condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.

According to the company's website it charges $350 per person for its Wairarapa flights which take off from behind the paua shop on Kent Street, Clareville, a street criss-crossed with overhead powerlines.

A sequence of photographs taken by local photographer Geoff Walker just days ago shows the balloon seemingly very close to overhead power lines, and one news report stated he was on the ground taking photos as the balloon burst into flames and crashed.

Those photographs are likely to form an important part of the investigation into what went wrong with ZK-XXF.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased and with the witnesses to the crash who must've been traumatised by what they've seen.

In a police statement

"Wairarapa Area Commander Inspector Brent Register says Police began receiving reports from eye witnesses about 7:25am, where they reported a hot air balloon in distress.
"It appears the hot air balloon operated by Early Morning Balloons left Kent Street, Carterton (behind The Paua Factory), between 6:40am and 6:45am."
He says after a 45-minute flight, the balloon was to land in a paddock in Somerset Road, Carterton. As the balloon was preparing to land, it hit wires on a power line, causing sparking in the basket.
"At this point, two of the 11 people onboard, believed to be a male and a female, appear to have jumped from the basket."
Inspector Register says the balloon then made a sharp ascent, a fire ignited on board and the balloon plummeted into a paddock approx 200 metres away on Somerset Road.
All 11 people on board, including the pilot and five couples from the wider Wellington region, were killed in the crash.
"We are continuing to work with our partner agencies, which include the Coroner's office, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Transport Accident and Investigation Commission, Dept of Labour, NZ Fire Service and Victim Support."
Inspector Register says a thorough investigation is being conducted to ascertain the cause of the tragedy..."

Video of crash site

Adventure tourism, deaths and regulation
New Zealand has a shocking safety record for some of its tourism activities, something we've often blogged about.

The CAA recently drafted new rules to force all aviation adventure tourism activities, including hot air balloons, microlights, warbirds, and tandem hang gliders and paragliders to hold air operator certificate.

The CAA safeguards civil aviation in New Zealand and has control over which operators can fly passengers and authority to make sure they meet safety standards.
Under Part 115 of the new civil aviation rules, all adventure aviation operators must hold an Operator Certificate.

"For those currently operating under Parts 101, 103, 104, 105, and 106, here are the transition timeframes for gaining a Part 115 Operator Certificate:
Hot air balloon, hang glider, paraglider, tandem parachute, and parachute drop aircraft operators must be certificated by 1 May 2012.
Microlight aircraft operations must be certificated by 1 Nov 2012.
Glider operations must be certificated by 1 May 2013.
Those currently conducting an adventure aviation operation under a Part 119 AOC may continue to do so until the expiry of that certificate, or 10 November 2012, whichever comes first."

Despite several high profile deaths and injuries, a number of prosecutions and the introduction of a auditing and registration system for all tourism operators, we're saddened to learn that these tragedies are still occurring.

An all encompassing set of Adventure tourism regulations finally were enacted in October 2011, three and a half years after the drowning death of British tourist Emily Jordan sparked a review of the adventure tourism industry within NZ.

Incredibly there is a further delay of three years until all 1,500 adventure tourism businesses within New Zealand must be registered and in possession of a safety audit certificate.

We don't know if Early Morning Balloons ltd was registered or had ever received a safety audit.
More more about adventure tourism safety in NZ read posts tagged accordingly, or our stats and facts page

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Vicious Sex Attack on Child At NZ Campsite

2011-12-22T20:38:00.003+13:00

(For an update to this story read Belgian Girl’s Rapist Has “Gang Connections” – “Killah”)

We’re shocked to hear that yet another tourist has been seriously assaulted in a campervan in New Zealand.

What makes this particular crime all the more disgusting is that this time it was a five year old Belgian tourist that was severely beaten and subjected to a vicious sexual attack after being bashed unconscious. A heinous and contemptible crime perpetrated against a defenseless child.

One of the police officers working on the case said it was the worst he’d seen

“It is the worst attack I have seen in my 28 years of police service.
“It was a vicious attack on a defenceless five-year-old girl. You don’t get too many offences which are too much worse than this.”

Our thoughts are with the girl’s family, who are said to be on dream holiday of a lifetime from Europe, and we wish her a full and speedy recovery from her ordeal.

The British press is bound to draw comparisons to the abduction of 3 year old Madeleine McCann, whose parents left her sleeping in a holiday resort in Portugal.

The family arrived at Club Habitat on Ohuanga Road, Turangi yesterday (street view below) and the assault took place last night between 10.10 and 10.40 whilst the child’s parents were just metres away in an amenity block. The girl and her three year old brother were left alone and sleeping in the van at the time.

Police are not releasing details of the family or their country of origin but they did tell reporters that there had been a burglary at the camp the previous night.

View Larger Map

Unfortunately, even though New Zealand strives to maintain has a safe image abroad there have been a significant number of assaults, rapes and robberies of campervan tourists in the last few years. Sadly it was just a matter of time until a child was attacked.

Crime against foreign nationals in New Zealand is something that we write about regularly, take a look at our blogs tagged campervan to see numerous other incidents. Sadly it seems that the message still isn’t getting out about New Zealand and its high crime rates and violence against tourists.

High Rates of Child Abuse Deaths

Many tourists fail to realise that far from being safe for children, New Zealand is ranked joint third in the world by UNICEF for the highest number of child maltreatment deaths (1.2 per 100,000 children) only the US and Mexico have more See our Facts and stats pages (above) for more information.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued the following advice for travellers to New Zealand. Perhaps it is time for them to be more specific about the types of violent crime and follow the lead of the Dutch government after a honeymooning couples were raped at a campsites in Tuatapere and Haruru Falls, so that people may be better informed.

Safety and Security – Crime

Street crimes occur in major urban areas. Reports of thefts from unattended vehicles, especially hire cars/camper vans in major tourist areas (e.g. the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua and Queenstown) have increased. There has also been an increase in the number of thefts from hotel rooms in some tourist areas. Do not leave possessions in unattended vehicles even if out of sight in a locked boot. Do not leave valuables in hotel rooms, but use safe boxes when available. Keep passports, travellers’ cheques, credit cards, etc separate. See our Victims of Crime Abroad page.

A NZ police media statement gave the following information about the Club Habitat assault

Child seriously assaulted at holiday park
Thursday, 22 December 2011, 1:19 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Police
Child seriously assaulted at holiday park
A five-year-old girl is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after being attacked last night at a holiday park in Turangi.
The girl is currently touring New Zealand with her parents and brother in a hired ute and caravan. Yesterday afternoon they arrived in Turangi and booked into Club Habitat on Ohuanga Road, Turangi.
Last night the girl’s father was in the amenity block just metres away from the caravan. At approximately 10.10pm the mother also walked across to the amenity block leaving the two children asleep inside the caravan.
When she returned at approximately 10.40pm she found the caravan door locked and through the window saw a man inside.
She ran to get her husband and when they returned the caravan door was open, the man was gone and their daughter was lying seriously injured in her bed.
She has serious injuries mainly to her head and face and has undergone surgery at Waikato Hospital.
An investigation is underway, headed by Detective Inspector Mark Loper. ESR are in Turangi carrying out a full scene examination. Officers from Waikato are currently assisting with interviews with the parents.
Detective Inspector Mark Loper said: “This is a vicious attack, and the fact that it is on a five-year-old tourist just days before Christmas makes it all the more appalling. It is vital that anyone who has the smallest piece of information that might help this investigation comes forward as soon as possible.”
The family are visiting from Europe. Police will not be more specific at this stage as the family need some time to notify relatives back home before any further detail is released.

Other Recent Turangi Crime Stories

Hunter who killed camping teacher to get early release – man hunting illegally at night, shot schoolteacher in head at campsite. He is released after serving just 11 months in prison.
Police seek thugs – elderly man beaten by burglars a few weeks ago
Man accused of attacking Turangi policeman in court -Motorist punched police officer unconscious in an assault on SH 1
Smuggler jail guard ‘felt sorry’ for inmate – prison warder smuggled drugs in to Tongariro-Rangipo Prison prison

Other Tourist Attacks in New Zealand

Chilean Tourist Robbed, Loses Life’s Work
Te Anau Troubled By Tourist Attacks
Honeymoon Couple Lose Precious Photos, No ‘Gold Medal’
Czech Tourist, Jan Fakotor, Stabbed In Motueka
English tourist mugged in Gisborne
Chilean tourist punched, robbed in Nelson
A group of students that were beaten and robbed whilst on a treasure hunt at the Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa, Northland
A series of random, unprovoked attacks in Queenstown
Previous robbery of British tourists at Kerosene Creek
Tourists robbed at Kerosene Creek
Three French tourists beaten and robbed in their campervan in Mangamuka, Northland - police have yet to resolve this crime

A family of Swiss tourists that were assaulted and racially abused in Kaitaia, Northland
Anke Kuballa and Marc Busch from Germany who were robbed in Whangarei, Northland
A family of five robbed at the roadside whilst camping in their van at Oturere Stream, 25km south of Turangi
Two German tourists attacked in Paihia, Northland
Two American tourists were robbed at Shipwreck Bay in Northland whilst sandboarding

Asian woman, (probably Japanese) age 22, raped in her room by 2 teenagers in a home invasion in Opotiki, Northland

Three Chinese tourists attacked and robbed at Te paki, 90 Mile Beach, Northland, by two men they’d stopped to help
French tourist Anthony Cressend, beaten and robbed at campsite in Ahipara, Northland
Two Australian tourists robbed at knifepoint for their holiday money in Te Puke, SE of Tauranga.
Japanese tourist age 23 (female) kidnapped, robbed and assaulted in Rotorua by four men
French tourist (male) raped at gunpoint near Opotiki,

American peace corp twins Adam and Alex Rahmlow, 21 were robbed of all their possessions by a man they tried to help in Amberley, Christchurch.
Dutch couple raped and robbed on a campsite in Tuatapere, NW of Invercargill, whilst on their honeymoon. (Dutch govt. issued a travel warning about NZ)
Two Koreans were attacked and robbed of their possession which included a laptop computer by a man claiming to be a gang member in Blenheim.
British tourist worker sexually assaulted near Hururu Falls, Northland when she was dragged off a walking track.
Canadian tourist Jeremie Kawerninski, kidnapped, assaulted and robbed in Lower Hutt, Wellington
Dutch couple robbed and sexually attacked Haruru Falls, Northland whilst on honeymoon.
Two British women robbed and raped in their campervan at Tokomaru Bay, north of Gisborne.
Japanese tourist subjected to a prolonged and brutal sex attack in a communal area of a backpacker’s hostel in Turangi, Taupo.
Scottish woman Karen Aim brutally murdered by a youth in Taupo.
German woman Birgit Brauer murdered near New Plymouth.
Korean man Jae Hyeon Kim decapitated with a spade by white supremacist.
Japanese tourist robbed at gunpoint in Oamaru.
Irish cycle tourist Paul Mack bashed, robbed and urinated on throughout his NZ tour.
6 English and Danish tourists attacked and stabbed in Cashel Mall, Christchurch for having “foreign accents.”
Irish man Robby O’Brien beaten up in Westport.
Russian couple Denis Khotchenko and Lera Nesterova beaten and robbed in Milford, Auckland
English woman knifed and sexually assaulted in a toilet block at an A1 motor camp in Kaikoura
American campers Patrick Dykstra and Kelsey McGinley beaten and robbed at Whangarei Falls, Northland.
Australian tourist sexually assaulted on a street in broad daylight in Nelson.
Australian tourist subjected to a sex attack by Maia Crawford Rongonui whilst walking home to a backpackers in Christchurch.
Canadian tourist left with a fractured skull outside Silver Fern backpackers in Taupo.
Dutch tourist beaten and robbed at Lake Rotorua.
British man Paul Speakman and his young son beaten and robbed in a campervan at Athenree Gorge, Katikati.
Chinese woman attacked for speaking Chinese on a train approaching Petone.
Scottish visitor Stuart Martin who was left in a coma and with a boot print on his face after a street bashing in Taradale, Christchurch.

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Murder Of British Woman Jacqueline Blackbourn, Trial Underway

2011-10-25T15:02:00.003+13:00

The trial of the man accused of the murder and rape of British immigrant, Jacqueline Blackbourn, got underway at Auckland Crown Court today. The man has already pleaded guilty to a charge of arson.
The Crown said in its opening statement that Jacqueline had been raped, strangled and stabbed to death before being set alight in her Glenfield home.

A knife had been plunged into her chest with such force that it when through her sternum. Siobhan Buckley told the court that Jacqueline's boyfriend could not accept the fact that their two year relationship was over and was "relentless in his attempts" to get her back.

A former girlfriend of the accused was in tears when she told about three incidents in which

"household items were smashed and she was physically or verbally assaulted.
After one dinner party she said the accused went "absolutely crazy", dragging her down the hallway before pushing her up against the kitchen bench and putting his hands around her throat.
"I thought he was going to kill me for sure. I was terrified really," she said.
Under cross-examination, the woman admitted that she hadn't called police or sought medical attention after the incidents.
"I'd say nine out of 10 women who get beat don't go to police," she told the court..." source

Ms Blackbourn was found in her burning house in Glenfield, North Shore in June 2010. At the time of the accused man's arrest, news reports said a 28 year old man had appeared in court and

Police said that Ms Blackbourn, 43, suffered a violent death inside the View Road, Glenfield, house on the night of June 26. Police said the man, who has interim name suppression, was also charged with historical offences that related to another female complainant. These included injuring with intent to injure, assault with intent to injure, assault with a weapon and intentional damage...
...Ms Blackbourn came to New Zealand from England 20 years ago.”

In our blog of 30 June 2010 we reported that the NZ Herald said that Jacqueline had recently split up with her partner, Steve Ellis. He was severely burned in the fire was found outside the property wearing only his underpants. Her former boyfriend, Karl Hawthorne, told reporters that Ms Blackbourn:

“worked in the accounts section of Harvey Norman at Wairau Park, was “the life of the party” and loved dancing, Mr Hawthorne said.
She missed her family, who were all overseas.
“She was really close to her mum,” he said. “There wouldn’t have been two days go by that she wasn’t in contact with her.”
Another friend, Margie Cardwell, described Ms Blackbourn as an “English rose”. “She was really feminine and girly, looked quite young for her age. She had a heart of gold.”
Ms Blackbourn’s brother, Tommaso Cerullo, yesterday left a heartfelt message for her on a social networking website.
“Rest in peace my darling sister. Love you and always will. You will never be forgotten in my heart or soul, miss you so much.
“To all the people that had the pleasure of having their heart lifted by her kindness and her smile, thank you for being there for her.”
Detective Senior Sergeant Kim Libby, of North Shore CIB, said police officers hoped to speak to Mr Ellis in the next couple of days.
His injuries were not life-threatening, he added.
They would continue combing the scene of the fire today. A post mortem examination has been carried out on Ms Blackbourn, but police have declined to reveal the cause of death, saying only that it was violent.”

Our deepest sympathies are again extended to Jacqueline’s family and friends for their terrible loss. Our thoughts are with you all in the difficult days that lie ahead during the trial.
Domestic Violence a problem in New Zealand
Far from being the safe haven it wishes to present to the world, life in New Zealand is a misery for hundreds of thousands of women, a third of them have been affected by domestic violence at some time during their lives.
New Zealand has an appalling record for domestic violence and some of the highest preventable child death stats in the developed world. After a spike in referrals to Women's refuges after the shock of the All Black defeat in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, refuges were on standby for an influx if New Zealand lost again in 2011.
NZ’s appalling record for domestic violence is shamed by an international human rights group

"Police statistics show a 15% increase in the number of family violence incidents and offences in 2007-08, with more than 86,000 reports made. They say family violence affects a third of all women during their lifetime and that 45% of murders in New Zealand are family violence-related.

Meanwhile, a second report calling for an overhaul of systems to keep women and girls safe is being presented alongside the New York findings. The report, by a newly-formed local group called the Roundtable of Violence Against Women, says certain types of violence and victims are being overlooked. This includes prostitutes who come from countries known for trafficking, such as Korea, Thailand, Eastern Europe and the Philippines.

It also highlights the "serial abuse" of many immigrant women, saying both Women's Refuge and the Shakti Community Council have evidence that men are using women's residency status to exploit them and keep them in abusive relationships..." April 2009 source

For more read our blogs tagged violence against women.
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Migrants Tales – After 9 Years In NZ The Hour Strikes

2011-09-26T20:52:00.001+13:00

Continuing in our series of Migrant Tales – first had accounts of the immigrant experience of New Zealand taken from locations around the net.

Today’s tale was first published on the expat forum for people in New Zealand – Expatexposed.com and it tells the sad tale of 9 years hard work snatched cruelly away, without recompense or compensation.

The author is a highly qualified first class honours graduate. He is a professional music teacher, performer and composer, runs his own piano school and is presently working on a concerto.

The hour strikes
" Today after 9 years in New Zealand I received a compliance notice to leave New Zealand by the 29th of October 2011. Although it even fills me with relief and joy that I finally see Europe again, the consequences are terrible. Everything I have built up will be taken away from me. All the work I have done given to locals, who have denied me any credit for 9 years and have made these 9 years the most horrible in my life.

Time to reveal my real identity: www.****.blogspot.com
It is absolutely disgusting how they do this, after everything they have done in these past 9 years, most of it in this thread, and where I against all odds finally have succeeded in building up a fully booked teaching studio.
Of course I know they still offer this little glimpse of hope that if I only bow down on my knees, my head kissing their shoes, whether I please, please can stay here, but I want to resist that temptation.

I will have to leave without being able to move the things back I need for my work back home, without being able to sell the boat I am living on. And they will steal it, as they have robbed me for 9 years on end. And when home I will have to start all over again…."
For more migrant tales from New Zealand click here

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UARS Real Time Tracking, Wise Men On Standby @ Eden Park

2011-09-24T16:21:00.000+12:00

NASA’s UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) is due to burn up or fade away sometime Saturday Australasian time.

Although most of the debris is likely to hit either ocean or uninhabited areas, spectators at tomorrow’s England v. Romania and All Blacks v. France matches may strike lucky and see a fireworks spectacular to rival that of the opening night in Auckland, without the wakas of course.

You can watch the real time tracking of UARS and draw its orbit at http://www.infosatellites.com/uars-satellite-tracking-norad-21701.html

No confirmation yet of prophecies proclaiming this is the bright star heralding the arrival of Jesus the All Black at Eden Park.

THREE WISE MEN are said to be standing-by, ready to shoulder barge their way through the crush and play homage.

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The Pacific Islands' World Cup

2011-09-07T13:46:00.007+12:00

Auckland's already congested transport system came to a shuddering halt yesterday and there was dancing on the motorways as Tongans turned out in their thousands to welcome their rugby world cup squad to New Zealand. The team responded to a rapturous reception at Auckland airport by performing a 'haka':

It followed a similar display from the Samoans when they arrived earlier:

With so much local community support for the Pacific Island teams there's every chance that Tonga , buoyed by the support of their fans will shake up the ABs at the opening match of the tournament.

It should all start with the Tongan challenge that usually puts the AB's choreographed, sometime prosaic, Ka Mate in the shade (please, no Kapa o Pango there are children watching)

Unfortunately there is talk of the Tongans holding back from performing their sipi tau, a form of the Kailao, because of the face-off it caused with the All Blacks at the 2003 world cup (below)

Not a chance, we don't see that happening, this is just pre-match psychology: ensuring that the grateful crowd is sure to erupt with joy if they do perform it.

Pacific Island leaders are already in the country attending their forum, which was very neatly arranged to end just as the tournament begins and we're waiting to see who will be the 'mystery NZ sporting legend' putting in an a appearance at the RWC opening ceremony (how many internationally recognized celebs does NZ have, even of the sporting variety?)

In common with many latter-day NZ celebs he has been given name suppression, but whisperers say it's Jonah Lomu - a famous Tongan sporting celeb, who used to play for the All Blacks.
The Sydney Morning Herald commented

An estimated 7,000 New Zealand-based Tongans mobbed the team, making this tournament seem even more like a Pacific Islands World Cup.

Reminding us all that New Zealand, which often tries to place itself an influential player on the world stage, is still firmly part of the Pacific Island community.

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Song: Sipi Tau

Tonga College students performing a kailao for the King's 70th birthday (1988)
Tongan

ʻEi e!, ʻEi ē!

Teu lea pea tala ki mamani katoa

Ko e ʻIkale Tahi kuo halofia.

Ke ʻilo ʻe he sola mo e taka

Ko e ʻaho ni te u tamate tangata,

ʻA e haafe mo e tautuaʻa

Kuo huʻi hoku anga tangata.

He! he! ʻEi ē! Tū.

Te u peluki e molo mo e foueti taka,

Pea ngungu mo ha loto fitaʻa

Te u inu e ʻoseni, pea kana mo e afi

Keu mate ai he ko hoku loto.

Ko Tonga pe mate ki he moto

Ko Tonga pe mate ki he moto.

Ko Tonga

English Translation by Sione Ngahe

Aye, ay! Aye, ay!

I shall speak to the whole world

The Sea Eagles is famished unfurl.

Let the foreigner and sojourner beware

Today, destroyer of souls, I am everywhere

To the halfback and backs

Gone has my humanness.

Hey! hey! Aye ay! Zap.

Maul and loose forwards shall I mow

And crunch any fierce hearts you know

Ocean I drink, fire I dine

To death or victory my will is fine.

That's how Tonga dies to her motto

To her motto Tonga gives all.

source Wikipedia

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The Killing Ski Fields

2011-08-09T12:27:00.003+12:00

Last season we blogged about a number of snow and glacier fatalities in New Zealand, the majority of them involving falls from height, some of them on to hard or rocky ground. Read some of the reviews on Snow Forecast.com (scroll to bottom for excerpts)

If you're planning a ski or winter sports holiday to New Zealand this may be of interest to you.
This season is turning about to be the same as last year's with two separate fatalities in 24 hours, followed by a serious injury. Last year there were at least three deaths on Mount Hutt alone.

On Friday a Dutch skier, 38 Abraham Klaarenbeek, died on Mount Ruapheu, central North Island, when he collided with a pole and ladder beneath a life operator's shed on the Whakapapa skifield. It's not know if there was any netting or other protection around the building. An official Occupaional Health and Safety investigation is now underway.

Then a 29 year old Australian man from Sydney, Tim Stone, died whilst snowboarding at Mount Cheesman, near Christchurch in the South Island. Reports say he slid down an icy slope and into a stony riverbed.

There was a third accident. which fortunately didn't result in a fatality. Yesterday a 29 year old woman slipped and fell more than 20 metres at Ruapheu's Happy Valley. She was thought to have rib and spinal injuries and was airlifted to hospital.

One of the most tragic deaths last season was that of a high achieving student at Columbia College, American Rachel Swett, who died from complications following skiing accident on Mount Hutt in June.. Rachel slid 130 metres over rocks. Her parents have pushed for helmets to be made compulsory on New Zealand ski fields, something that was supported by the coroner.

Her death was followed by that of 60 year Arthur Richardson. He perished when his car left the Mount Hutt access road as he was travelling home after a days’ skiing. His body and the wreckage of his car were found by a search party sent out to look for him after he failed to return home.

However, the wearing of helmets still won't prevent other life threatening injuries. More needs to be done to improve safety on the ski slopes of New Zealand. most of which are no more than scree slopes with rocks just beneath the surface.

Mark Woods, and independent ski-area expert said more signage could have been placed on the route that Swett and her friends took, showing an intermediate ''blue'' run becoming an advanced ''black'' run.

''As a principle, it should not be possible to transfer from easier terrain to more difficult terrain. Blue runs should not lead to black runs.'' source

A while ago the Coroner urged that Coronet Peak enhance its avalanche hazard signage and fencing in the upper Greengates area. His recommendation followed the death of Queenstown snowboarder, Ryan Manu Campbell, in an avalanche outside the ski area boundary a year previously.

In September 2009 Stan Siejka, a highly regarded neurologist from the Australian state of Tasmania died from his injuries after a fall at the Porters Ski area. His death came as a major blow to medical services in his home state where he almost singlehandedly provided its neurology services. He was a highly regarded professional and his loss was keenly felt by his colleagues, patients, family and friends.

A month earlier, Jonathan Harvey Morgan, 38 a highly experienced heli-skiing guide with Alpine Guides was killed in an avalanche in Methven on 14 August, fortunately his clients survived but a month before Australian tourist, Llynden Riethmuller, also died in an avalanche whilst skiing with the same company, in the same area.

Rosemary Berry, a semi retired Australian tourist, broke an arm and shoulder whilst skiing and sustained other injuries after she fell over a metal track left in the snow at the Cardrona Ski Resort. The company subsequently tried to appeal against its conviction of fines and costs totalling almost $60,000.

According to information released as part of the Dept of Labour’s investigation into adventure tourism the highest activity area for serious harm accident notifications in New Zealand is ski fields, followed by luge, horse trekking and ATV tour accidents link.
For more about adventure sports, and consulate advice that some countries are giving their citizens about the high risks present in New Zealand read our Adventure Tourism and Safety stats and facts page.

Consular advice:
Australia (May 2011)

“Many tourists safely undertake adventure activities in New Zealand. However, many adventure tourism activities have inherent risks, and there have been a number of serious accidents involving Australians and other tourists, some resulting in deaths. Some operators have been found to be negligent. You should be aware that safety standards in New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry may differ between individual operators and may differ from those in Australia.
Travellers need to make their own careful judgements about the risks involved in individual or group activities and of the safety standards of individual operators. We strongly recommend travellers inquire with individual operators about the safety standards adhered to, whether these standards are applied across the industry and the risks involved in the activity. We recommend travellers hold travel insurance and complementary accident or income protection insurance and understand what circumstances and activities are not covered by the policies.”

Britain (May 2011)

“There have been a number of tragic accidents involving British visitors; these also include extreme sporting accidents. If you intend to participate in extreme sports do check that the company is well established in the industry and that your insurance covers you. If you intend visiting remote areas, check with local tourist authorities for advice before setting out. Ensure that you register your details with a Visitor Information Centre or family or friends. Weather conditions can quickly become treacherous in some areas so keep yourself informed of regional weather forecasts.”

Also read: Dr Stan Siejka Inquest – Busy Helicopter “Delayed Treatment”

Snow field reviews from Snow Forecast.com

June 20, 2011
Graham from New Zealand (on Whakapapa)
"Wonderful varied natural terrain unfortunately spoiled by lack of decent facilities and ancient lifts that are slow and have massive queues on weekends. Non existent enforcement of rules by ski patrol make it dangerous as well."

September 14, 2009
MARTIN from United Kingdom (on Turoa)
"Turoa and Whakapapa have potential to be good ski fields. However, the poor weather is the biggest problem and the ancient lift system is a real pain. If you can only get up at weekends then you will have the crowds to deal with. The queues for the lifts are not too bad, if all lifts are running, but if the big 6 seater is not running then the lower and mid mountain become a huge bottleneck; you can wait 30 minutes for the lift. They need to invest some money on making the mid mountain lifts more efficient and make the beginners slopes better.
All in all, not a bad place to ski and board if you get good conditions. But don't book a holiday from Oz or anywhere else in the world to come here. Chances are the mountain at Turoa will be closed due to wind or poor visibility."

August 03, 2011
David Dewitt from Australia (on Mount Hutt)
"Well, we came, we saw (50cm snow) we conquered?
Mount Hutt seemed like it would be great with 2 metres of snow, but alas a lot more rocks this time. It has come a long way since I was there 20 years ago, but the old Hutt needs a lot of snow..."

August 30, 2010
Alex S from Afghanistan
"I have skied Mount Hutt 40+ days in all types of conditions...
Definitely worth a day or two, perhaps even a week or two if the snow is really on and you don't mind the 20-30min ascent. Keep in mind the assent can be slightly hair raising for the uninitiated, as unprotected 300ft + drops exist to one side (two cars have gone off the edge this season, resulting in one fatality)."

August 24, 2009
Angela, UK. Aug 2009 from United Kingdom
"I've only ever skied in Austria so the runs available at Mount Hutt seemed limited but ok for a day. The drive up in the ski bus was scary to say the least - that alone would put me off coming again. The pistes were well groomed but one that opened later in the day was very icy. I don't think it got any sun at all. I felt like a beginner again. There was a lively band playing which gave a slight apres-ski feel but arriving back in Methven, it was very quiet. Not exactly St Anton. Sorry about the negative comments but two people were killed off-piste while we were in NZ - if the area to ski was more extensive, maybe people wouldn't feel this need? What a blast to ski in August though."
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Rugby World Cup Visitors To Be "Spammed"

2011-08-06T13:09:00.001+12:00

Visitors to the New Zealand rugby world cup are to be “spammed” with enticements to come back and live, work or play in New Zealand, according to a report in today’s Dom Post

Rugby World Cup visitors will be spammed by the Government in an effort to entice skilled migrants to New Zealand’s “exciting, vibrant and healthy” way of life.
Passenger arrivals cards, which must be filled in by everyone arriving at any entrance port, have been amended to include the question: “Are you here for the Rugby World Cup?”
Under a Labour Department proposal, visitors who answer “yes” – and whose occupations are on the list of skills shortages – will receive marketing material, including emails encouraging them to migrate….

For more about “New Zealand’s exciting, vibrant and healthy way of life” read some of our Facts and Stats pages and Migrants Tales.

The report goes on to say that fans will be told to sign up to a promotional website called New Zealand Now, apparently it “extols our “unique lifestyle” and offers assistance and information about migration.“

There is also a $67,000 advertising campaign (no expense spared here!) that will aimed at skilled workers on holiday. This will result in strategically placed fliers (on recycled paper, we hope) and immigration ads in world cup publications and around the net.

Want to express an interest, or find out more about migrating to New Zealand? Here’s the first catch

“Information given on arrival cards would be used “over the longer term” to market New Zealand opportunities, including targeting people with occupations for which New Zealand has significant shortages..”

Once you’re on the database you’re likely to be hounded with information for ever more. We’re hoping that people will be able to de-register their interest when the time comes. There is a privacy issue here too: once your details on on the database who will have access to them, will you be able to ask for them to be removed?

“A Labour Department spokesman said possible privacy implications of using people’s personal information were being discussed with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. “

We hope they get that one sorted out before the first registrations start coming in, the cup kicks off next month.

Who are the people most likely to be ‘spammed’? According to the Dom Post’s report:

“Those who might expect to be targeted include engineers, surveyors, regional planners, early childhood and secondary school teachers, anaesthetists, audiologists, midwives, social workers, IT staff, chefs, mechanics, ship captains and film animators.”… more here

Which is an interesting list, some of those occupations are notoriously difficult to get in to, even for New Zealanders. Some require specific New Zealand experience and/or expensive and time consuming registration processes before one can work in that profession in New Zealand (read our Migrants Tales to see why) Take a look at the official registration requirements here

If NZ immigration is so keen to bring in skilled professionals to fill genuine shortages why aren’t they paying registration fees for them? They could be refunded to an applicant if their SMC application is successful. More importantly do the job vacancies actually exist or is this just a revenue raising exercise?

Here’s the second catch: Last month the NZ immigration service made changes to the requirements of the Skilled Migrant Category. (Thanks to Moonlight and P Ray for the head’s up)

The changes include the following restrictions

English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) qualifications will no longer meet the criteria for qualification points.

Applicants who are in New Zealand and hold, or have held, Study to Work visas will no longer be eligible for a SMC Job Search Visa.

Applicants with qualifications in an area of absolute skill shortage will no longer be able to automatically obtain residence without skilled employment.

Settlement and contribution criteria will be weighted towards skilled employment.

Partners and/or children of SMC Job Search Visas holders will no longer be automatically eligible for temporary visas related to the holder’s work visa.

It seems strange that immigration is tightening up on skilled migrant requirements, possibly because the jobs aren’t out there for immigrants (unemployment is still at 6.5%) whilst actively encouraging people to emigrate to New Zealand.

Read one of our Migrants Tales “No science or skills shortages in New Zealand” to get a feel for the opportunities that are really out there. Then do your own research before signing up to anything.

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"Of Course I Finished the Set" Kiwi's Insensitivity Goes Viral

2011-08-02T21:21:00.000+12:00

A NZ Campbell Live TV interview (above) with a brash young Kiwi caught up in the Oslo bombing has attracted worldwide condemnation for the astonishing degree of insensitivity he showed to the atrocity and for bragging about finishing a weight lifting set before evacuating the gym he was in.
Proud Kiwi, Cameron Leslie, appeared relaxed and was sporting a neatly pressed black shirt and prominent hei matau.

Every inch the iconic Kiwi abroad he started off his interview with a cheerful Kia Ora! to his friends and family back home in New Zealand. The sales rep, who's been living in Norway for three years went on to tell Campbell the blast was quite overwhelming for a couple of reasons, one of which his proximity to the bomb twenty minutes before and the other

"I was on my eighth repetition of a 165-kilogram benchpress. Ahh, you know that's quite a lot of weight," adding "naturally I finished my set and then made my way to the second level."

The interview has spawned heaps of ridicule, much of which has gone viral, including a range of T shirts, blogs including Tosh.O on which over 260 replies were made, parody videos and a fake twitter account

: ''naturally I finished my set" T shirt now essential gym wear

"Bragging weightlifter's bad taste Oslo 'joke' goes viral
A New Zealander in Norway who jokingly bragged about his weight-lifting prowess while giving his account of the Oslo bombing has been ridiculed on a new range of T-shirts.
Cameron Leslie went on live television in the days after the deadly terrorist attack to give his first-hand account of the bombing, but instead of details of the blast, he explained how he was loathe to interrupt his gym workout..." more here in the Sydney Morning Herald

Cameron Leslie hit back at Mr Vintage, the company producing the 'Naturally I finished my set' t-shirts, leaving this message on their Facebook site

: Message from Cam to Mr Vintage

Someone claiming to be Cameron Leslie has published an apology of sorts on Blogspot. We don't think it's much of an apology and we think his call to remove Anders Breivik's image from the tabloids is rather contrived, clumsy and ill-timed. This boy desperately needs the services of a good PR company, if only he'd stop digging long enough to engage one. This is what Leslie wrote

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!
I do apologize to all New Zealander's and others for making a joke in bad times. Yes I was within 50 meters during the blast. Yes I was in the gym and using the bench press at the time. No I was not lifting 165kgs.
Why did I lie? The joke was supposed to be subtle and focused to friends and family but due to little preparation and nerves of live TV I took this a bit too far without thinking. I do apologize and now wish to make good of this. On the bright side: negative news spurs attention and creates publicity. It seems I have unintentionally succeeded in this and want to make good from this situation.
What now?
Here is what now. For all the people following these threads and using their energy to voice themselves, here is your chance to HELP!
For anyone that watched the whole interview you will see one important point was made at the end. We don't want Andres (sic) Breivik to be remembered! We want his pictures removed from the tabloids!
Please please channel your energies here:
Massive appeal to world media by email
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123337354427440
Perhaps this sounds stupid but this is the power of negative publicity. Use your noise for the better cause. I have sacrificed my reputation for it and now I ask you all to sacrifice 5 minutes of your time to write to these tabloids and help us.
For those that still think I don't care, know this:
-I am a Norwegian resident
-I have lived in Norway for 3.5 years
-I have family in Norway
-I work and pay taxes in Norway
-I speak Norwegian
-I have represented Norway in sport.
Hvor mange av dere kan si det samme? (ed: How many of you can say the same?) Point made, I do care!
I will continue to post this on every forum or write up I come across.
My sincere apologies and regards,
Cameron Wickham Leslie

Comments from around the net

Junior Torres · San Diego, California (Tosh.O)
That was really annoying when Cameron went completely went off topic and started talking about some sort of explosion. I wanted to know what other types of exercise did he do? What type of bike did he use to go to the gym? Trek?

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Reasons Not To Move To New Zealand

2011-07-26T21:47:00.002+12:00

Today we're opening up both blogs to our readers so that they can share their reasons not to move to New Zealand.

The best comments will be included in this post.

Here's the first, left by tanya1574 on our Wordpress blog

1. "Small-minded, xenophobic locals (not all, but many)
2. Hugely expensive produce, no variety in supermarkets
3. Above also applies to clothing
4. Above also applies to housing. Prohibitively expensive
5. Above also applies to child care
6. Shocking youth culture (drugs, alcohol, boy-racers etc)
7. Weather – better than some places, but if you come from a sunny, warm climate, NZ’s climate is a shock to the system. Lots of rains, lots of wind and extremely high humidity in summer
8. Low wages and jobs-for-buddies system. If you don’t know the right people and speak with the right accent, getting a decent job is almost impossible. Prepare to be washing dishes, driving a taxi, working in a call-centre or coffee bar etc (no matter how good your qualification/s and experience)

All that said, if you have a lot of money and know enough people in NZ, in other words if you don’t need to work for a living and don’t need the locals for your social life, you might like it. It is beautiful and, for the most part, peaceful. Not great for teenagers though, but possibly to retire. NZ Immigration will welcome you (or more accurately, your money) with open arms as long as you don’t expect to earn a living or integrate into Kiwi society"

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England Rugby Strip Goes All Black For Away Matches

2011-07-15T13:00:00.003+12:00

Artist impression of the new shirt

Englands rugby team today struck a blow at the heart of a nation's collective national identity by announcing that the jersey for its away team will change to black.

The decision is sure to unnerve New Zealand who have adopted black as the unofficial national colour ever since a British journalist coined the name "All Blacks" in the early part of the last century. Black now forms the underlying theme of New Zealand's Nation Branding, and not just for its sports teams (Black Sticks, Tall Blacks etc.) It now adorns everything from passports to baby clothes.

One major problem with this adherence to image is the sense of confusion and loss when someone else takes a part of it as their own. It gives England a significant psychological advantage and is a brilliant move on their part.

The story was broken by the UK's Daily Mail

"The England rugby team will wear an all black strip when they kick off their World Cup campaign against Argentina in New Zealand.

The decision to wear the new 'away' strip for their opening pool match in Dunedin on September 10 is certain to ruffle a few Kiwi feathers and could even spark a diplomatic row with the host nation before a ball has been kicked.

Both the shirt and the shorts of the new strip are jet black with no other colour except for the Red Rose badge..."

A diplomatic row over something as ubiquitous as a colour, surely not? A country can't own a colour. Can it?

The Mail goes on to say that the strip will be worn for England's warm ups and opening match against Argentina. Intriguingly, the shirt will also display Maori symbols and decorations, presumably with the consent and the blessing of the iwi concerned. Nobody wants a repeat of the furore over the Mike Tyson tattoo, do they?

In the unlikely event that New Zealand should meet England in the field of battle the English team say they will revert to wearing their traditional white shirts.

No word yet as to whether the new 'all blacks' will be performing their own haka, or whether they'll go for something more exciting.

Game on!

Related stories:

All Black fans sore losers at Carisbrook stadium, Dunedin

"French players are surprised and disappointed at the behaviour of Dunedin rugby fans who pelted them with bottles following last Saturday's Test defeat of the All Blacks .

A spokesman said the team has laid no complaint with New Zealand or Otago Rugby Football Union (ORU) officials but lock Sebastien Chabal and first five-eighth Francois Trinh-Duc on Wednesday said the players were stunned to have to dodge missiles as they celebrated their 27-22 first Test win.

As a team they lapped Carisbrook to show their appreciation to French supporters, only to be showered with plastic bottles - most of them full or half-full - by the crowd on the terrace, which featured large numbers of students. Some players reportedly had to duck or jump to avoid being hit..."more here

Fans throwing bottles during Mexican Wave, Dunedin, June 2010

Rugby fans in danger of attacks on Karangahape 'K' Road in Auckland.

The Auckland Tramways Union says the $2 million upgrade of bus stops along the city's Karangahape Road for the Rugby World Cup will lead to more assaults.

The union says a two-metre space between the upgraded shelters and motorway barrier will mean people can hide behind them and lie in wait for passengers, bus drivers or pedestrians. source

You may also like:

12 Recipes From the Nation Branding Cookbook

10) Visuals.

"In order to help build an image, a country needs to be coherent in its visuals: from the flag to the colors of the sports teams, from stamps to banknotes, from passports to road signs. A country should find and keep a consistent look & feel in shapes, color schemes and typographies. Identify a national visual identity and color palette and dress with it. Almost always."

Only The All Blacks Can Wear Black With Pride?: John Key carelessly snubs other NZ national sporting teams

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NZ “Not As Squeaky Clean As People May Perceive”

2011-06-07T00:36:00.000+12:00

1981 Springbok tour, dark days for NZ

The Rugby World Cup is very likely to become a focus for civil disobedience among NZ protest groups who are threatening civil disobedience and the flour bombing of matches.

“…Groups protesting against Government economic policies are proposing “civil disobedience” to disrupt the Rugby World Cup – possibly including flour-bombing Eden Park.

The protesters, including unions and church groups, plan to march up Queen St in Auckland from noon tomorrow against last week’s Budget cuts to KiwiSaver, family tax credits and public services and state asset sales.

Spokesman Meredydd Barrar of the newly formed Coalition for Social Justice said the groups also “intend to take action during the World Cup to alert the world that New Zealand is not as squeaky clean as people might perceive. We might have to flour-bomb Eden Park again,” he said.

Anti-apartheid protesters famously dropped bags of flour over the stadium from a plane during the final test of the Springbok rugby tour in 1981…” read the rest in The Herald

During the 1981 Springbok tour ("The Flour Bomb Test") Eden Park was peppered with flour bombs and flares dropped from a low flying Cessna. All Black prop Gary Knight was knocked to the ground by a flour bomb. Outside the ground violence erupted on a grand scale.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZMIySG75c]

In Hamilton the match against Waikato was called off in front of a full house after a pitch invasion by several hundred anti-tour protestors, and rumours that a light aircraft had been stolen from Taupo and was headed for Rugby Park. (source)

New Zealand Exposed

Among the people threatening to disrupt the tournament are Maori activists Titewhai Harawira and Ngaire Te Hira. In February they announced they were going to use the Rugby World Cup to "expose" New Zealand's treatment of Maori.

Titewhai Harawira was reported as saying

"We are going to use the international media to expose what is going on in this country," she told the Sunday Star-Times.

"I want to be telling international media that all those reports they get that say we are well looked after and our land is intact are rubbish. We are going to be talking to the international media, absolutely."

Harawira said she hoped to provide visitors with a "whole chronology of what has happened in this country".

"I will talk about how legislation has taken away and denied us," she said. "We have time to put it all together, hand it out and talk about it." read more here

Unite Union is running a campaign for a $15 an hour ($12 US) minimum wage and is says it "plans to use activities around the Rugby World Cup to press hard for the significant increase in the minimum wage."

Of course getting the truth out about New Zealand is nothing new.

There are people who have been exposing the truth about New Zealand for many years. A group of expatriates set up a website called Expatexposed.com to draw attention to the raw deals that migrants get in New Zealand. Many of its members were taken-in by misleading marketing and the promises of work and higher living standards that never materialised.

You may also be interested in

Adios, No Mexican Wave For English Fans At Dunedin RWC Matches - "The Mexican Wave is going to be banned at all RWC matches at Dunedin’s soon to be completed 30,000 seat stadium..."

Eden Park Four Nations – “Disgraceful” Behaviour Slammed - "Alcohol fuelled mayhem at last night’s Four Nation’s match at Eden Park. Read Drunken fans marr Eden Park’s Four Nations..."

“NZ: 100% Pure Rip-Off” - "Oh dear, bet the guys who coined the “100% Pure NZ” are cringing right now. It will be interesting to see how well the brand’s image survives this latest onslaught on the slogan that lends itself so easily to abuse. It is currently being used to highlight how expensive New Zealand has become. It all started with an article in the NZ Herald under the header “NZ: 100% Pure Rip-off. Rip off New Zealand?” written by Peter Bills, an international writer for Independent News & Media."

Our very popular Migrants Tales series and NZ Facts and Stats pages

Today's posts - click here

NZ ‘Great Place To Raise Kids,’ Not So Great For Teens

2011-06-01T00:36:00.012+12:00

Various media outlets are today carrying a story about the release of a new report from the Prime Minister’s chief science adviser, Sir Peter Gluckman, called Improving the Transition. Reducing Social and Psychological Morbidity During Adolescence.
This is how Stuff started its coverage of the report

NZ teens at ‘unprecedented risk’ – report
Adolescents growing up in New Zealand have to navigate a gauntlet of dangers that are putting them at unprecedented risk, a major Government report says.
The report from the Prime Minister’s chief science adviser, Sir Peter Gluckman, says one in five young New Zealanders will face problems as they grow up that will affect the rest of their lives.

Alcohol, depression, drugs, bullying and earlier sexual development are among the issues singled out in the report, which was authored by two dozen leading researchers… read more
You can read a full copy of the report here and we’ve included the executive summary from it below.
Great Place To Raise Kids
Still thinking about moving to New Zealand because you’ve heard it’s a great place to raise kids?
You may want to start by reading our Stats and Facts page about Education and Children’s Issues in New Zealand. This is the first section from that page:

“Aotearoa/ New Zealand has;
A problem with gangs that are contributing to crime and abuse in the home. Young people are joining gangs for safety and are becoming victims of gang life.
A problem with bullying – particularly of specific groups like refugee and migrant young people.
A problem with child abuse which is not just statistics or features in death notices in newspapers but a reality that many of the young story tellers knew and experienced.
An issue with domestic violence affecting the lives of many children and young people.”
quote from “HEAR OUR VOICES” by Save the Children, NZ:

Despite statements like the above by Save the Children, New Zealand is often presented to migrants as a great place to bring up the kids. Is this Marketing hype or just wishful thinking on the part of migrants trying to justify their decisions to leave?
Are you going from frying pan to fire?

“It sounds patronising, but sometimes I feel sorry for New Zealand. We’re a curious anomaly. One day the country is rated as one of the best places in the world to live, most peaceful, best quality of life, best cities to visit, best coastline, best leisure sports. For such a small population, we do incredibly well at certain things and appear, from the outside, to be at one with the environment. Yet, at the same time, there’s high teen suicide and pregnancy rates, high alcohol consumption, high rates of bullying, domestic violence and child abuse.
If New Zealand is such a fabulous place to live, why are we leaving?…” read more on MSN Money NZ…

Teens
The Chief Coroner said he was “shocked and frustrated” by the high number of very young teens (some as young as 13) who drink themselves to death in New Zealand. It’s another symptom of the country’s hard drinking/binge drinking culture.

How would you feel if you found out that your daughter;s school was offering her nicotine patches and other quit smoking products to her and her classmates to wean them off cigarettes. Would you want to be consulted beforehand?

Woud you still move knowing that New Zealand has some of the highest rates of child abuse, teen pregnancy and youth suicide in the world?

How do feel about New Zealand’s problems with youth violence, human rights abuses in its schools, a bullying culture, the low quality of education and host of other problems including high incidences of diseases more usually associated with developing countries?

Have you thought about your child’s future as they become an adult in New Zealand, will there be sufficient work for them and will they have to leave to have a reasonable chance of a bright future?”
Read more from our facts and stats page

Improving the Transition. Reducing Social and Psychological Morbidity During Adolescence. (Emphasis ours)

Executive summary
• Adolescents in New Zealand relative to those in other developed countries have a high rate of social morbidity. While most adolescents are resilient to the complexities of the social milieu in which they live, at least 20% of young New Zealanders will exhibit behaviours and emotions or have experiences that lead to long-term consequences affecting the rest of their lives.

An extensive and unbiased review of the relevant scientific literature has been undertaken by a multidisciplinary panel of experts. The key points are summarised in this introductory Synthesis Report, and the main part of the report contains the detailed and domain-specific reviews.

• One dominant message comes through – that application of the international and domestic evidence base to policy formation and programme development in this area will lead to better outcomes for our young people. However, to do so will require a prolonged effort over several electoral cycles and cannot be held hostage to adversarial politics. Our research suggests that many programmes have been introduced, albeit with good intent, that are unlikely to succeed as they are not supported by the evidence base, whereas other approaches likely to be effective have not been implemented. A key challenge is to ensure that all programmes are appropriately monitored to ensure that they are effective and cost effective within the New Zealand context, allowing better use of scarce public resources to support our young people.

• Adolescence is now a prolonged period in the human life course. Its length is influenced by the declining age of puberty as child health has improved and by the rising age at which young people are accepted as adults. This has both societal and biological elements, the latter reflecting recent findings that brain maturation is not complete until well into the third decade of life and that the last functions to mature are those of impulse control and judgement. It is therefore inevitable that adolescence is a period of risk-taking and impulsivity. For many children these are basically healthy and transient behaviours, but for too many there are long-term negative consequences. The key issue is what can be done to change the nature of, and reduce the impact of, these behaviours.

• The evidence shows that the risk of impulsive and antisocial behaviour is greatly increased by experiences earlier in life. It is now clear that early childhood is the critical period in which executive functions such as the fundamentals of self-control are established. Children who do not adequately develop these executive functions in early life are more likely to make poor decisions during adolescence, given the inevitable exposures to risk in the teenage years. It is very clear from our review of the literature that more can be done to improve socialisation and executive function development by reorientation of early childhood programmes. Further, while all children will benefit from these programmes, the evidence is compelling that targeting intensive but costly interventions towards the higher-risk sections of the community has a high rate of social and economic return. Hence the critical importance of adopting a life-course approach to prevention.

• Remediation in adolescence is not likely to be as effective as prevention. Although there are some remediation programmes that are partially effective, others clearly are not. Public and voluntary investment in programmes directed towards at-risk adolescents needs to be re-orientated towards those interventions that can be shown by high quality research to have real impact within the New Zealand context.

• The adolescent brain is clearly more sensitive to both alcohol and cannabis, with long-lasting adverse consequences for far too many. Stronger measures are needed to restrict access of young people to these drugs.

• One cannot overestimate the changed nature of the social environment in which young people find themselves compared with that of previous generations. The nature of peer pressure and role models has been radically altered by exposure to electronically connected social networks and to very different media content. Young people have far greater freedom, engendered by more ready access to funds. While the exact impact of these changes is difficult to ascertain, it is clear that they have radically affected the social pressures that influence adolescent behaviour. This creates challenges for parents and society in establishing boundaries and acceptable behaviours.

• A significant proportion of young people suffer from depression and other mental health disorders, yet the range of services available to them is inadequate. Given New Zealand’s high rate of adolescent suicide and psychological morbidity we suggest that priority be given to addressing this capacity gap and to raising public awareness of the particularities of adolescent depression.

• In general, most of the risky and impulsive behaviours of adolescence reflect incomplete maturation of self-control and judgement. Accordingly, punitive approaches are less likely to be effective than well-established and validated approaches that attempt to remedy these deficits. There is an inherent conflict between the practical focus on using chronological age to determine rights and obligations and the highly individualistic processes of maturation.

• The young people of New Zealand reflect the changing ethnic mix of our population. While the issues and their solutions are generic across all of our population, programmes must be developed and delivered in culturally appropriate ways to the very different communities that now make up young New Zealand. Targeted investments in the ‘long tail’ of educational underachievement and social disengagement will be needed. It is clear that while adolescent morbidity is observed across the whole of our communities, it is disproportionately found within sectors where there is intergenerational disadvantage.

• Social investment in New Zealand should take more account of the growing evidence that prevention and intervention strategies applied early in life are more effective in altering outcomes and reap more economic returns over the life course than do strategies applied later. This will require long-term commitment to appropriate policies and programmes.
Synthesis Report

• The report identifies a number of knowledge gaps that should be addressed.

Today's posts - click here

The Irish in Wellywood and White Elephants

2011-05-25T03:59:00.000+12:00

The Wellygate debacle continues with another protagonist attracting attention to the sign, by raising the ire of the Irish.

Architect and mayor of Wellington from 1974 to 1983, Sir Michael Fowler, obviously did not win his knighthood for international diplomacy

The Human Right's Commission says it can't take any action against inflammatory comments made by Sir Michael Fowler.
The former mayor of Wellington has said opponents to the Wellywood sign were likely to be dumb, humourless and Irish.
Those comments have sparked an outcry.
The Human Right's Commission has received several calls from members of the public expressing their concern.
However spokesman Gilbert Wong says there's nothing they can do about it...more here

Curiously, Sir Michael was responsible for Wellington's other white elephant - the Wellington International Passenger Terminal. In an interview he gave he said he was

"party to the biggest white elephant ever built"

Unfortunately white makes for an excellent canvas.

Ireland fans will be arriving in New Zealand for the rugby world cup in a few months from now. Wellington should start removing cans of emerald green paint from the shelves of its DIY barns.
For our other blogs about the Wellywood sign click here Today's posts - click here

Wellywood Sign So Last Century; The Lawyers Circle

2011-05-23T04:30:00.001+12:00

: unoriginal and boring

The future of New Zealand's film industry is becoming more niche and high tech as the digital and 3D revolution takes over Wellinton's production suites. There is less and less emphasis based on celluloid scenes of mountains and green pastures.

Recent data released by Statistics New Zealand shows New Zealand's film production industry is declining (see below) and is being replaced by post production, particularly digital effects, on films such as Avatar.

But by a country mile the most stable and profitable sector of the country's industry isn't film work at all but television broadcasting, most of which comes out of Auckland and not Wellington.

: zero points for originality

Regardless of all this Wellington airport and their majority shareholder, Infratil, have decided to advertise New Zealand's success (and by association, Wellington) by erecting a tacky pastiche of a sign that first saw the light of day on another continent back in the 1920s.

Was a rip-off of a hundred year old sign really the best they could come up with in this age of industrial light and magic and 3D rendering? Zero points for imagination and innovation. A pastiche of a symbol from a bygone age does nothing but emphasise everything that New Zealand is not, and can never be.

The UK's Telegraph has picked up on the outrage that some New Zealanders are feeling about the Wellywood sign

Plans for the 92ft-long lettering atop hills beside the city's international airport have been argued over for more than a year, but council planners have now given permission to go ahead, triggering a storm of opposition.

Outraged critics have swamped social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter, blasting the sign as "tacky, unoriginal and embarrassing".
One Facebook group was shut down after members suggested blowing up and setting fire to the sign, while others called on opponents to send a barrage of protest emails to the airport's website.

Another group threatened to stage a "slow-moving vehicle blockade" around the airport concourse in a bid to cause traffic chaos

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, who hold the copyright on the Hollywood sign are said to be weighing up legal action to prevent the construction of the Wellywood billboard. Their president, Leron Gubler, said it could breach his organisation's trademark and

"We are not without a sense of humor, nor without legal rights. We hope that if the Wellington Airport wants to mimic our sign in this fashion, it will proceed in cooperation with us and will recognize that the holder of the rights to the sign and the party responsible for its continued existence is a nonprofit entity that works hard to raise funds so that the sign even exists to be mimicked."

What are the chances of a similar non profit association with the Wellywood sign? we say Zero.

Copyright Free for All

How would New Zealand react if Hollywood parodied New Zealand icons for commercial gain, or breached intellectual copyright.

Remember the ruckus the All Blacks Haka caused, the wrath that descended on the heads of Philip Morris because of their Maori Mix cigarettes and the Mike Tyson/Hangover 2 tattoo? New Zealand should extend the same courtesy to Hollywood as it would like to attract to itself.

“It is astounding that a Pakeha tattooist who inscribes an African American’s flesh with what he considers to be a Maori design has the gall to claim … that design as his intellectual property,” Maori professor Ngahuia Te Awekotuku told the New Zealand Herald. “The tattooist has an incredible arrogance to assume he has the intellectual right to claim the design form of an indigenous culture that is not his.

What's sauce for the goose..

For our other blogs about the Wellywood sign click here

Background
Revenue from post production in New Zealand has risen risen to 40 % and is now worth $584 million, in 2008 it only made up 25 % cent of the industry. source

Statistics NZ data

In 2010 there were 3,189 businesses in the New Zealand screen industry, up 19 percent from 2009.
Post-production activity has almost doubled over the past two years, and is now worth $584 million.
Over two-thirds of all post-production revenue ($408 million) was generated by contractors.
58 percent of all production company revenue and 55 percent of all funding came from New Zealand sources.

Emily Jordan: Death By Misadventure, Tell Clients The Truth About The Risks. Staff Panicked .

2011-05-20T11:05:00.000+12:00

: Emily and her partner Jonathan Armour

The highly critical jury at the Coronial inquest into the death of British tourist Emily Jordan has returned a verdict of Death by Misadventure.

Emily drowned whilst participating in a commercially organised river boarding excursion with Mad Dog River Boarding ( now named The River Boarding Company) on the Kawarau River in New Zealand, 2008.

Read yesterday's blog Emily Jordan Inquest Opens In UK for the circumstances surrounding her death and the "third world" safety conditions that prevail in sectors of New Zealand's adventure tourism industry.

The BBC reported on the hearing, saying

The jury cited factors including lack of equipment and unsuitable life jackets as contributing to her death near Queenstown, South Island in 2008.

When Emily became trapped under a rock there was no rescue equipment to pull her out and it took 20 minutes to release her.

The foreman of the nine person jury echoed the words of a NZ coroner at the inquest of Tom Donaldson, another British tourist, who was killed whilst sandboarding at the Omapere/Opononi dunes in New Zealand, i.e. companies need to tell their clients the truth about the risks they are facing.

The jury also criticised the complete lack of safety regulation in regards to riverboarding in New Zealand, a lack of staff training and the absence of vital safety and lifesaving equipment:

"On April, 29, 2008, on the Kawarau River, Emily Jordan was participating in a river boarding excursion, when she became entrapped beneath the water, against a rock, which resulted in her drowning

"The following factors, we feel, contributed to Emily's death. Firstly information and instruction were not given to clients in a way that clearly represented the true risks of danger.

"Secondly, the training received by the guides was inadequate for emergency rescue and entrapment and not specific to this particular activity of river boarding. It was not regulated by an external body.

"Thirdly, lack of essential lifesaving equipment to hand - such as a whistle, rope and knife - was a major factor in delaying the speed of rescue. Also the one size fits all life jacket was clearly unsuitable for river boarding in respect of buoyancy and lack of safety features, such as crotch strap, D-ring and whistle attachment.

"Furthermore, a rescue craft was not available. We believe a combination of all these factors and events contributed to the death of Emily Jordan." source

The Coroner, Robin Balmain, summed up by saying

"he would not be making recommendations to authorities regarding Miss Jordan's death. He said: "It does not seem to me to be right to interfere in the affairs of another sovereign country. New Zealand has its own laws, its own social and sporting culture and it seems to me that it is simply not right to interfere with that."

He added: "However, the second reason is perhaps more important and that is that I have heard some detailed evidence of the enquiry that has been mounted in New Zealand into this industry.

“The catalyst for the enquiry was Emily's death and the determined efforts made by her father, who has been tireless throughout this case to see that lessons can be learned where possible and appropriate action taken to lessen the risks to those who participate in these sports."

Another report said Mad Dog's staff had panicked when Emily got into difficulties. Another indication of a lack of training

Black Country coroner Robin Balmain criticised Mad Dog Riverboarding, which ran the activity, saying: “The overall impression one gains on listening to the evidence is that the guides panicked, they did not know what to do and they did not have the equipment with which to do it.”

Regulations were eventually introduced following Emily's death, but the government shied away from any requirement to properly and fully inform participants of the dangers they are exposed to when taking part in some 'extreme' activities in New Zealand. It will be interesting to see if 'Prior Disclosure' or 'Informed Consent' amendments will now be made to the present legislation before it begins to take effect in October of this year.

Mad Dog River Boarding/ The River Boarding Company's website only has this brief statement about safety

"River boarding is an adventure. As with all white water activities there is an inherent risk of drowning. All guides are trained to the highest possible standards to help ensure your trip is as safe and enjoyable as possible."

Compare that to the current Maritime New Zealand guidelines. Those guidelines say that this statement (or words to a similar effect) should be given to each participant

“White-water boarding is an adventure activity with a degree of risk. Participants should be aware that they will be controlling their own white-water board and the commercial white-water-boarding operator cannot guarantee your safety. In any white-water activity, there is an inherent risk of drowning.”

Which statement do you think properly represents the true risks of danger?

20 May Update:

In the days following the trial

Mrs Jordan said: "We were obviously pleased that the company has been found guilty. It was what we would expect from all we've heard from the court case last week. I don't think there was any other conclusion to this really.

"It just seems incredible that there are no corporate manslaughter charges in New Zealand, which is part of the reason why these activities go on - because these companies, especially some of them, know that they can get away with no safety regulations, no training, no safety equipment."

Miss Jordan's father, Chris, who has sat through the court hearings, added that it was "obviously good news" that the company had pleaded guilty.

He told Radio New Zealand he always hoped to see a conviction and "hopefully see some changes taking place with regard to the way river boarding in particular was run - and to some other extreme sports in general.

"To just reduce the horrendous deaths that occur in some of these extreme sports would be my primary aim, my primary reason for coming over (from Britain) this week."
Mr Jordan said it had been hard to listen to some of the details about how his daughter died, especially because of "the preventable nature of some of the things that happened".
He added: "I think that's what's really come home to me, how preventable this death was." source

Our sincere condolences are again extended to the family and friends of Emily Jordan, especially to her father who has worked tirelessly in the hope of preventing other families going through what his had experienced. Unfortunately since Emily's passing other young people have died in New Zealand and there 's also been a number of serious injuries (see below for details and links)

He now plans to write a book and we wish him every success with that and with raising awareness about this issue.

Please visit the The Emily Jordan Foundation which was set up in her memory and give it your support

.
You may also be interested in these recent Adventure Tourism blogs
Tom Donaldson Inquest - Coroners Says 'Warn Tourists' (Nov 2010)
Tourists Seriously Injured In Bay Of Islands Boat Incidents (April 2011)
Alistair McWhannell Guilty Of Manslaughter In Swing Bridge Death (June 2010)
Fox Glacier Plane Crash, Nine Dead Including Four Tourists (Sept 2010)
Tourists Injured in Queenstown Jet Boat Crash, Another Died Swimming With Dolphins (Nov 2010)
Thrillseekers Adventure Ltd Fined For Bungy Fall (May 2011)
Australian Tourist Seriously Injured By Dophin Boat (Dec 2010)
Wellington Reverse Bungy Closed Amid Safety Fears (Dec 2010)
Tourists seriously injured in collision between Outward Bound cutter and a Dolphin Watch Ecotours (Feb 2011)
.
Our NZ adventure tourism facts and stats page.

Today's posts - click here

BBC Hardtalk Interview With John Key: Key Roasted On 100% Image

2011-05-11T12:38:00.003+12:00

BBC Hardtalk’s Stephen Sakur roasted John Key over New Zealand’s 100% Pure brand image during a recent televised interview.

Most of us know that NZ 100% Pure is only an advertising slogan and that it has been dropped from the country’s marketing in favour of the 100% Pure You brand, but it is interesting nevertheless to watch the PM putting on his Minister of Tourism Hat and trying to defend the indefensible and outdated, much to Sackur’s amusement.

Watch an excerpt from the interview on the BBC’s website here and read what Kiwis think about it on Google groups here

But it is worth watching the full interview, which has been posted on YouTube today by aidanleenz.

Sackur called Key “the most inexperienced PM in New Zealand’s history ” who’d "never run a city let alone a ministerial department” and asked why Key was telling the country's young people to stay and make New Zealand great when he himself made his fortune working in London.

There is an absolute wealth of data demonstrating that New Zealand is not 100% Pure.

Key’s attempt to dismiss data as the ‘opinion’ of one highly regarded NZ academic, Mike Joy, comes across as avoiding the issue for the sake of the cameras, instead of seizing the opportunity to admit there is a problem that his government is taking very seriously.

John Key was then roasted in Parliament over the interview, when he admitted he “couldn’t remember” what he said on BBC Hardtalk because he hadn’t watched it yet and that “one needs to balance the environment with the economy“.

But if NZ is 100% Pure doesn’t that mean the environment has to take priority 100%?
“NZ 50/50 Pure as long as the economy doesn’t suffer and the farmers are happy” doesn’t have the same nation branding advertising pull does it.

Key has come a long way since his “loosest slot machines in the Pacific Rim” stumbles but still has some way to go. Watch the Parliamentary roasting here. You may also like to read Pure Nonsense, by Brian Turner in the May 2010 NZ Listener magazine, excerpt:

New Zealand is definitely clean and green. Yeah, right.
“I wonder how many of us are sick of the extent to which New Zealanders delude themselves, and are willing to believe many of the most outrageous lies they are told. Like, for instance, this is a “clean and green” country, a place that is “pure” and often “pristine”…”

Back to the Hardtalk interview. Sackur quotes Mike Joy as saying

“We are delusional about how clean and green we are”

And you can see how he arrives at that conclusion.
For data about NZ’s pollution, its use of a wide range of pesticides and herbicides, and the country’s planned exploitation of fossil fuels please visit our Greenwash NZ page, here’s the first section from it.
Read more…

Today's posts - click here

Level Of Criminal Assaults By Children In NZ “No Surprise”

2011-04-04T15:26:00.000+12:00

Lost among the hype of New Zealand's recently released 2010 crime figures were some shocking data about child violence. The stats make for grim reading as they come at a time when schoolyard bullying and violent assaults are frequently in the New Zealand news.

Police crime statistics showed the number of children under 9 apprehended for assaults in 2010 was 64, almost double the 33 recorded in 2009.

Assaults in the 10-13 age group also rose, with 827 apprehensions in 2010, compared to 770 in 2009. The majority of offenders were boys. Read Crime shock: NZ’s little thugs on the NZ Herald’s site.

Family First NZ says that the level of criminal assaults being committed by primary school students is no surprise - and will worsen, especially when schools are pressured to accept and accommodate increasingly defiant and unacceptable behaviour by children.

"In 2008, Family First caught out the Ministry of Education when the ministry's student engagement report buried the primary school figures in a graph with no raw numbers and no commentary. In fact, the number of primary school children stood down and suspended had grown from 4800 in 2000 to 6595 in 2007. That year, 945 primary school students were suspended and 5650 stood down - 28 per cent of the total number of students at all levels stood down in that year," says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

"We have tried to bury our heads in the sand on this growing problem - but the problem hasn't gone away and is only worsening."
"And it's not just in schools. Ministry of Justice statistics released last year showed that from 1998-2008, the number of police apprehensions for grievous/serious assaults by 10-13 year olds increased by more than 70%. For each of the most recent two years, there had been almost 1,000 apprehensions for 10-13 year olds for all violent offences, which include aggravated robbery, sexual violation, indecent assault, and serious assaults - an increase of a third since 1998," says Mr McCoskrie.

"Alarm bells should be ringing when there has been a 70% increase in the number of children committing a serious enough act of violence to warrant police involvement, and almost 1000 children are being chucked out of primary schools for behaviour that is just so bad that schools have got to the point where they can't even work with it - even when the Ministry of Education is pressuring schools not to suspend or expel students."

"There are many factors that may be contributing to these statistics including the levels of violence in the media and games, the undermining of parental and school authority, the 'rights' culture being fed to young people, and family breakdown and fatherlessness," says Mr McCoskrie.

"But firstly, we must be honest enough to admit that there is a disturbing trend which needs urgent action and a change of policies as to how we deal with these children and their families. Forcing schools to accommodate the problem is not the solution and is harming the school community." source

Emigrating to New Zealand because you think it is a great place to raise kids? Read Rotorua Stabbing “Indicative” Of Youth Issues In City and NZ A Great Place to Raise Kids? Porirua’s Midnight Express (blog written about an alarming increase in Children committing violent crime and robberies around New Zealand)

You may also find interesting
All posts tagged Bullying
Our Education and Children's Issues - Facts and Stats page
NZ A Great Place to Raise Kids? Porirua’s Midnight Express
NZ Poverty Not A Lifestyle Choice, Poor Families Can’t Even Afford Basics,
NZ Poverty A ‘Lifestyle Choice’: Let Them Drink Coke,

Today's posts - click here

Savage Beating Left Wanganui Girls College Pupil Bleeding From Ears

2011-03-27T23:17:00.000+13:00

Further details have emerged of the sickening attack on a 15 year old Wanganui Girl’s College student, Robin de Jong, that we reported on on 20 March. See Another School Attack Hospitalises Student
Video of the assault shows another pupil of Wanganui Girl’s College pushing her victim to the ground, kicking her in the back and stamping on her head.

Watch an interview with Robin de Jong here in which she says that the beating was as a result of a stabbing threat that had been made against her at school and her making a complaint to the principal that got back to her attacker.

The mother and daughter are speaking out in the hope that getting this issue out and dealt with will prevent it from happening to any more children in New Zealand’s schools. No more dirty little secrets, no more keeping quiet and pretending this sort of thing doesn’t go on.

Police say the violence they saw in the video is similar to that they see in male gangs.

A parent at the school also saw the video, said he was sickened by the violence and told the Wanganui Chronicle that his family had considered taking their children out of the school, but

We’ve considered the safety of our girls but it’s pretty hard because bullying like this happens in every school.
“But this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen..

It seems that there is no end to this violence in New Zealand.

Is this because parents simply withdraw their children from problem schools because they believe the school is powerless to deal with it? The result being that the bullies are never challenged for their behaviour and the cycle of violence is never broken.

It seems the only solution is to shut up and leave.

Education minister Anne Tolley told the NZ Herald that parents need to take more responsibility for the actions of their children

“Behaviour issues shouldn’t be left to schools to deal with on their own. Parents should also take responsibility.
“Any kind of bullying is unacceptable, and this is an issue which the whole school community has to address.”
“Schools aren’t immune to the rise in violent behaviour which has taken place in society, and the vast majority of schools have robust plans in place to deal with it.”

But how can they take responsibility when victims remain silent, are quietly withdrawn from school or are consigned to solitary confinement in school offices.

It’s not just the students that bully either, only this week a teacher of 6-7 year olds was found guilty of assaulting the children in his care. What are children learning in classes like his about respect and tolerance for other people.

Why are we hearing of more and more incidents of bullying, why are assaults like these escalating. Will it take the death of a child to get New Zealand to take this problem seriously.

The injured girl’s mother says

“[Schools] can only punish [students who bully] with expelling them and to me that’s not enough.
“These kids know they won’t get arrested because they’re too young. That’s why they do it.“
The woman said parents also had some responsibility for their children’s behaviour.
She described the attitude of the parents of the alleged attacker as “very disappointing”.
“If my daughter was the one doing the bullying, I’d put a stop to it. I’d see it as my responsibility too.”

Looks like no-one is accepting responsibility and things can only get worse.
Are you outside of NZ and want to know more? Read some of the reactions to the assault on a NZ forum here and here

For further reading about New Zealand’s culture of bullying and violence click here, or click on some of those stories below. For our Stats and Facts page relating to Children’s issues and Education in New Zealand click here:

Have you experienced bullying in New Zealand, how was it dealt with and what was the outcome? Leave your comments on any of our bullying threads.

You may also be interested in our other blog posts

Social issues in the wider community
Post on a NZ forum, 24 March 2011:

My partner has been bullied at her work work for the last 2 yrs and all complaints seem to fall on deaf ears. Complaints have been made by several of the staff (also victims of this bully) to managment but nothing is ever done about the complaints.On several occasions the bully has been caught ( and I mean red handed)stealing from the work place and again nothing is done.. At one stage the union was notified and bought in but again nothing is done…My partner is so stressing out over all of this and has no one to turn to. The bully in this case is also a good freind of the manager in the work place…What can we do??? I have had enough of my partner coming home complaining and I cant do anything to make it any better for her… Please help!!!
Reply: One thing you need to understand is that management/authorities don’t give a toss about work place bullies. What is said is simply lip service to make the vicims feel safe. Lay a complaint and you become the instigator, Bosses simply do not wish to deal with it and know that the victim will eventually leave and the problem is solved. Find another job and leave It is the only satisfactory remedy. Save your sanity, Another typical New Zealand I don’t give a shit buisness.

Bullying Rife In NZ Hospitals
Bullying claim leads to new management – “Allegations of abuse, bullying and “unusual employment practices” at a Palmerston North rest home have prompted the MidCentral District Health Board to force a change of ownership”
Quarter Of Kiwis, Fifth Of NZ Police Officers Bullied At Work
NZ A Great Place to Raise Kids? Porirua’s Midnight Express
Kids in New Zealand – The Village Lets Them Down
Rotorua stabbing “indicative” of youth issues in the city
Silent Death Toll In World’s Eighth Happiest Country
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Bullying and violence in schools affecting adults and children
Another School Attack Hospitalises Student
NZ Scores Second Worst in the World For Bullying in Schools“School Bullying Reflects `Culture Of Brutality’” - “New Zealand’s poor ranking in relation to primary school bullying in an international league table is a reflection of a “culture of brutality”, United Future leader Peter Dunne says.”
Howick College – Bullying Allegations Continue – updated
Morrinsville College Girl Brain Damaged By Bullies
Belfast Teacher Encounters Troubles In NZ
New Zealand’s Next Top Model Bullied At School, But At Least She’s Not Pregnant / In Prison - “I used to get punched a lot by the other Maori kids. It was constant name-calling, like `you’re ugly, you’re never going to do anything in your entire life’.”
Parents Furious At Dean’s “Slut” Comment – Updated
Howick College – Bullying Allegations Continue – updated
Howick Schoolgirl Returns To South Africa To Escape Bullies
Fairfield College Parents Angry At School Bullying – parents removed children from school
Ryotaro Wright Attacked At Forest View High School
Knife Incident At Hamilton Girl’s High School Linked To Bullying
Migrant Tales – A Better Life For The Kids - “our kids have been traumatised by the abuse they suffered at a local school: our eldest daughter was being regularly bullied at school…”
NZ Teachers Need More Power to Protect Themselves
Bullying In NZ Schools – “A Harsh Lesson”
Two More Teachers Assaulted In Tauranga
Bullying to Blame For Te Puke Teacher Stabbing
“Poor” NZ Among Lowest In OECD For Education Spending

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China Requests Additional Compensation For NZ Quake Victims

2011-03-14T16:02:00.004+13:00

Stuff is reporting this morning that China has asked for additional compensation over and above the ACC payments that will be paid to the next of kin of Chinese citizens killed in the Christchurch earthquake.

Reporting on a RadioNZ interview, Stuff set the scene with with a comment that China has "demanded" New Zealand give special compensation to families that lost their only child in the 22 February earthquake.

To-date seven deceased Chinese students have been identified and over twenty are still missing (source)
The report continued with

"... Chinese Ambassador Xu Jianguo had made repeated requests for extra compensation above that paid through Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
An embassy official coordinating the disaster relief centre, Cheng Lee, told Radio New Zealand that China's situation was unusual due to the fact that by law families there could only have one child per family.
"There is a very notable difference in terms of the family situation between the Chinese family members and other foreign family members," he said.
"You can expect how lonely, how desperate they are, not only from losing loved ones, but losing almost entirely their source of economic assistance after retirement." Read the full report HERE

We've written many times about New Zealand's ACC system - a no-fault state insurance organisation. The downside of which is that its provision removed a victim's (or their next of kin's) right to sue for loss or damage. Historically ACC payments aren't thought to be particularly generous.

Last week businessman, Yaxun Zhang, a member of the Henan Chamber of Commerce, donated $100,000 to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal after reading about the many Chinese people who'd lost loved ones in the disaster.

China, of course, is no stranger to the utter devastation and misery caused by earthquakes. In the May 12, 2008 Sichuan earthquake an estimated 80,000 people lost their lives, a terrible loss which multiplied through Chinese society in ways that the western world may not be aware of. In rural parts of China if you have no children you have no status.

And, because there is no one there to provide for you there is no financial security either. You can appreciate why China feels the loss of these children in New Zealand so very deeply and the impact it is having on some families.

No right to sue
New Zealand’s has a no-fault Accident Compensation Scheme. The Accident and Compensation Commission (ACC) administers a 24 hour, 7 day per week, no-fault, comprehensive accident insurance scheme covering New Zealanders and those people visiting New Zealand. In return for this cover, people do not have the right to sue for damages if another person, or organisation, is at fault.
No fault can also mean no responsibility.

We think it may be time to review the payments made to non-residents in New Zealand, many of whom come from wealthier countries with higher average earnings and standards of living. Or better still, give foreign nationals the right to opt out of ACC cover and give them (or their insurance companies) the legal right to sue for damages if they wish.

For more postings about the ACC click HERE
Today's posts - click here

NZ Poverty Not A Lifestyle Choice, Poor Families Can’t Even Afford Basics

2011-03-09T14:12:00.001+13:00

In February we wrote about John Key’s comments when asked about poverty and food banks in New Zealand, i.e. that beneficiaries who resort to food banks do so out of their own “poor choices” rather than because they cannot afford food.

This may be of interest to you if you are considering emigrating to New Zealand because its a great place to raise kids and you think that you can manage on the lower salary you are being offered. Or you may be living in New Zealand now and struggling to make ends meet and resent being told that its your fault for making’ poor lifestyle choices’

John Key said

“But it is also true that anyone on a benefit actually has a lifestyle choice. If one budgets properly, one can pay one’s bills. “And that is true because the bulk of New Zealanders on a benefit do actually pay for food, their rent and other things. Now some make poor choices and they don’t have money left.”

But rising food prices mean that New Zealand is a country where it is now cheaper to buy cola than milk and where obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Read the blog here

Published research from the University of Auckland, which shows that low income families in New Zealand can’t afford to buy basic nutritious food for their children, is now being used by the Child Poverty Action Group to call for more support for families in New Zealand. The results of poor nutrition is being seen in New Zealand’s hospitals every day.

It may surprise Mr Key to learn that The highest cost for families is rent, then electricity, transport and education. Its far more than not being able to budget properly, its about having money left after the basic essentials for life have been met to afford luxuries like healthy food.
From Voxy

Nutritious Food Too Costly For The Poorest Families

“Latest research from the University of Auckland supports recent claims that many low-income families are unable to afford even a basic nutritious diet for their children. A paper published in Nutrition and Dietetics in December 2010 found that low-income families may not be able to afford meals recommended by the national nutritional guidelines, especially if there are teenagers in the household whose meals cost a lot more.
In response to the findings Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) is calling on the Government to increase support for families so they are able to provide nutritious food to their children.
Professor Asher says, “In reality, rent is the highest cost faced by most families, closely followed by unavoidable expenses such as electricity, transport and school-related costs. This leaves little for a good diet, especially for older children who eat so much more.
Nutritious food for children is beyond the reach of many low-income families, especially those thousands of families ineligible for the full Working for Families package. This study clearly highlights that using food banks and purchasing cheap poor-quality food is not always a matter of choice. “
CPAG is calling on the Government to help all families better afford nutritious food by extending the In-Work Tax credit to all low-income families. The cost of basic food items have increased over the last year, exemplified by the rise in milk price – 9%. “We see the outcome of poor children’s nutrition in our hospitals every day. This problem can’t be solved just by budgeting, and will not go away through magical thinking.”
Spokesperson Professor Innes Asher i.asher@auckland.ac.nz 021492262″

Kiwi youth already suffer some of the worst health outcomes in the developed world. New Zealand’s young people have higher rates of mental illness, suicide, teen pregnancy and suffered more injuries than young people in other OECD countrie. (source)

“New Zealand’s children suffer not only a higher rate of hardship than other New Zealanders, but a greater share of New Zealand’s children face hardship than in many other countries. New Zealand’s older population faces a low rate of hardship relative to the other New Zealand age groups and relative to the same age groups in other countries. Having about one out of every five children facing hardship is a situation that must be improved. The comparison to other countries shows that New Zealand is unusual in choosing to impose such a burden on the youngest segment of the population.” Source NZ Institute’s report NZ Ahead.

With regards to third world diseases NZ has 14 times the average OECD rate of rheumatic fever, five to 10 times the rate of whooping cough and pneumonia compared with the United Kingdom and United States, and four to six times the rate of child maltreatment compared with the best countries.

Household crowding is partly blamed for New Zealand having one of the highest rates of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) among children and teenagers in the developed world.The infectious disease, which can cause chronic rheumatic heart disease through damaged heart valves, is responsible for more than 120 deaths a year.

This is what Rahui Katene, MP for Te Tai Tonga had to say about how poverty is affecting children in New Zealand. No’ lifestyle choices’ here, just hard living in grinding poverty.

In 2010; 2000 more children were admitted to hospital with poverty-related illnesses than during 2007-08

What seems to have slipped below the radar is the fact that a crisis is occurring in our hospital admissions.
That’s the fact that medical conditions which occur more frequently for children living in poverty have been increasing over recent years – particularly for Maori and Pasifika children. Or that close to 250,000 children are living in homes reliant on the benefit for income.
My colleague, Te Ururoa Flavell, last night spelt out some of the consequences of families living in severe or significant hardship. Families who go without fruit and vegetables; who put up with the cold to save on heating costs; who delay going to the doctor of the dentist, or live in cramped conditions, who tell their children that the opportunity to go on a school trip or play sport is a privilege which they can ill afford.
Is this a nation fit for our tamariki? We need to heed the research which shows us there can be a different life for our babies, if we make it a priority.
Last year I spoke at the launching in Dunedin of the New Zealand Children’s Social Health Monitor Report 2010. That report revealed the inevitable, that economic recessions have affected children’s health in other countries. And we saw research indicating the close correlation between recessions and high hospitalisations in New Zealand.
However, it also reported on the experience of Sweden in the 1990s where, despite large numbers of children living in low income families, there were no significant increases in childhood hospitalisations for poverty-related illnesses.
I noted that in 2010; 2000 more children were admitted to hospital with poverty-related illnesses than during 2007-08.
We’re talking about admissions for respiratory problems, infectious diseases, and other conditions with links to poor housing and economic hardship –all diseases of poverty which could have been prevented if children were taken to see a doctor earlier.
The Prime Minister said yesterday, when talking about these very children – the children who suffer the consequences of long term dependency – that “the Government is not prepared to leave those people behind”. That was welcome news for the Maori Party.
But statements are at risk of becoming platitudes without a plan in place. Slogans and placards are great for the camera, but where is the strategy to put the words into action?…

She went on to call for seven simple solutions to support children, whanau and families:

• We will set a deadline to eliminate child poverty by 2020;

• We will designate an official poverty line at 60 percent of the median household disposable income after housing costs and set net income for those on benefits at this measure to prevent poverty.

• We will increase minimum wage to at least $15 an hour.

• We will raise core benefit levels, including superannuation, veteran’s pensions.

• We will simplify Working for Families including extending the ‘in-work’ payment to all families.

• We will investigate the reintroduction of a Universal Child Benefit ;

• We will establish a ‘Neighbourhood Renewal’ Fund, which may include incentives to encourage living more collectively, eg community gardens, afterschool care, post-natal support for parents.

You may also find interesting:

1. Our other blogs:
“NZ: 100% Pure Rip-Off” (July 2010)
NZ’s Poverty Gap – Fat Cats Feast Whilst Queues Form For Bread And Jam (July 2010)
Immigrants Caught In Cold Poverty Trap (July 2010)
Ministerial Credit Card Rort (June 2010)
Family Gets $200,000 Bill For House Fire (July 2010)
2. And these external sites:

Wealth gap divides nation
“ACCUSATIONS THAT New Zealand is one of the worst performers in the developed world when it comes to the income gap between rich and poor have been validated by a Sunday Star-Times survey.
Conducted by Horizon Research, it shows the burgeoning gap between the haves and have-nots is frothing over into resentment, anger and disillusionment….”

Key: Poverty is your fault
“John Key says if you’re having trouble getting by on your income it’s due to your ‘lifestyle choices‘. Key has given himself at least $23,000 in tax cuts and had a $7,500 rise on our borrowed money. He has the worst economic record of any PM in 80 years: 86,000 more jobless Kiwis and falling incomes. And this bastard blames Kiwi families for their poverty…”

Families feel the pinch
Palmerston North families, many of them in paid work, are reaching out to food banks and budgeting advisers in growing numbers as new year bills and price rises tip them into crisis… Salvation Army community ministries manager Kevin Richards said there was no doubt more people were finding it harder to feed their families. In January, it faced a 25 per cent increase in customers compared to January a year ago, with 40 to 50 new clients each month. “Most are people who have never used us before. It’s a huge growth in demand, and it continues to grow.”
As well as about 180 people needing food parcels each month, the number of people looking for assistance with clothing, bedding and household goods had doubled to about 200 in six months.
Some were in work, but 99 per cent were beneficiaries.

Banks face downgrade
“The big banks look set to lose their prized Aa2 credit ratings after ratings agency Moody’s Investment Services said it was considering a downgrade of them.
The big four banks ANZ National, Bank of New Zealand, ASB Bank and Westpac all hold Aa2 rating for their long-term senior unsecured debt and deposits…”

Petrol prices highest since 2008
“Petrol prices are on the rise again, hitting their highest level for more than two years.
Overnight the price of a litre of 91 octane petrol rose 3c to $2.02 and 95 octane rose to $2.11…”

New Zealand: Unite takes on minimum wage
“In New Zealand, 100,000 workers live on the minimum wage of NZ$12.50 per hour, which is just 51% of the average wage.
Unite’s “campaign for a living wage” calls for the minimum wage to be immediately raised to $15 per hour. Then, it would be further increased in stages and set at two thirds of the average wage. The union is organising a petition drive, aiming for 300,000 signatures calling for a citizen’s initiated referendum by May 2010. If this is achieved, the government would be required to call a referendum on the demands within a year…”

Kiwis discuss Key’s comments online
“I know of two people on the sickness benefit due to recent circumstances completely out of their control. One receives $180 a week. She pays $150 a week rent, which includes power in a tiny granny flat. $10 a week is allowed for her cell phone because she has medical emergencies, so she is left with 20 a week for food. The other of those people also receives temporary assistance which takes her total up to $300 a week…in order to cover the mortgage payment. In her case, the mortgage, rates and house insurance is…you guessed it, $298 a week. She has $2 a week to cover her food, power, phone. Budget that, if you can.”
“WE are fortunate to be sort of middle income and I have to say that over the last 18 months despite tax breaks and pay increases we are about $80 – $100 a week WORSE off than we were with all the increases. We pare things down to the bone. Rarely have special treats or outings.I am a good experienced cook and we cook from scratch. I can’t imagine how a beneficiary would cope these days. Edit to add also a lot of beneficiaries are not on unemployment benefit.. they may be on sickness etc and have extra costs for medical care …”

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2011-03-02T14:18:00.000+13:00

Whilst the world’s media has been focusing on the rubble of the Christchurch CBD the story of the inhabitants of the eastern suburbs has gone largely untold and ignored.

For 50,000-100,000 people their lives have increasingly become those of refugees.
Please read this and help to put the message out that the Refugee City of Christchurch needs help NOW.

Source 2 March 2010
“…There are THREE cities in Christchurch right now, not one.
RESCUE CITY is inside the four main avenues, and it is cordoned off. That means almost all our knowledge of it comes from media, and man is it a honey-pot for them!
It’s given us understandably-incessant tales and images of injury, tragedy, loss, broken iconic buildings, heroism, sacrifice, leadership and gratifying international response. It’s extremely television-friendly.
My quake experience started there, but actually almost nobody lives in Rescue City. The resources and attention which are seemingly being poured into it right now are NOT addressing the most urgent post- quake needs of the population of Christchurch.
SHOWER CITY is any part of Christchurch where you can take a hot shower, because you have electricity and running water and mostly- working sewer lines. By latest estimates, that’s about 65% of the city — much of it out west.
In that part of Christchurch, tired people are getting on with life — though some may be wondering if they still have a job. And a few of them with energy and time to spare are wondering if they can do more to help the rest of the city.
The media naturally lives in Shower City, and they talk almost exclusively to the business leaders and the Rescue City leadership who also inhabit it.
REFUGEE CITY is the rest of Christchurch — mainly the eastern suburbs, though there are pockets elsewhere. It includes perhaps 50,000 to 100,000 people, though a more-mobile chunk of them may have self-evacuated by now.
Only half of those who remain in Refugee City have power, and almost NONE have running water. Many have been living on their own resources, and their neighbours’, for over a week now.
That means that batteries have run down, gas (if they had any to start with) has run out, other supplies are low or gone. Roads are often very bad – and a lot of those from the poorer suburbs have no transport anyway.
Their houses may or may not be intact. Their streets may be clear, broken, or full of silt. Or sewage. There are no showers. Or ways to wash clothes. Or to wash dishes. Or to heat the “must boil” water that is available — assuming they can make it to the nearest water truck, day after day. No refrigeration. No working toilets, and precious few portaloos.
No internet either, and often no phones. And their radio batteries are dead or dying. The papers – if you can get one – are rapidly dated, and usually far too general in their coverage. It really doesn’t help someone without a car in Aranui to know that Fisher and Paykel are providing free laundries in Kaiapoi!
All the above means the locals have few resources, little information, and no “voice” either. It’s remarkably hard to call talkback radio – or your local politician – or emergency services – when your landline is out and your cellphone battery is dead. Or when it maybe has JUST enough charge to stay on hold for 5 minutes – but not 20! – when calling the sole government helpline.
The media flies over, drives past and dips into Refugee City, usually at the main welfare or water points. But they don’t cover it that much. From my observations, the officials – those who are making decisions about the relief effort – seem to do likewise.
(We saw Opposition Leader Phil Goff the other day – he stopped for a photo op with the Army group who had paused briefly at the cordon. Not that he or they talked to any of the locals waiting amidst they dust they’d stirred up hoping for a nugget of information.)
Judging from the media coverage to date, the official response in this part of the city sounds reassuring – “Relief Centres” (if you can get to them — and if it hasn’t been relocated to Rangiora), a field hospital (ditto), Army (two drive-bys in the past week), “Operation Suburbs” teams (ditto; and this whole area is not even listed with them), increased police presence thanks to 300 loaned Australians (some sign of them, but not enough). And some worthy and welcome images of food and other supplies being distributed at marae and other central points.
IN THESE POWERLESS SUBURBS, THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE IS FAR FROM ENOUGH. Especially in terms of the fundamentals.
I come from a relatively well-off area – most of its folk were better prepared than average for something like this – good supplies of food, water, batteries, BBQs and the like.
But even here, by the weekend, many people were bailing — mainly because of lack of information about how to survive here any longer. Their only contact with officialdom was being pushed from pillar to post by often-unnecessary (and though they didn’t know it at the time, temporary) evacuations, conducted by police who were doing their best, but who themselves were overworked and under-informed. Such actions considerably eroded local confidence, especially when there was also no clear information about when power or water would return locally.
My personal, local response to that situation can be seen at http://webcentre.co.nz/quake.htm – NOT the web page itself, but the physical noticeboard and printed newsletters and, especially, the local volunteers and extensive human contact and moral support which it represents.
Basically, we started making stone soup, and our neighbours and fellow citizens contributed the other ingredients. And for this suburb — though not for everyone in it — the acute phase has now passed, because more than half of us at least have electricity now. THANK YOU ORION.
But all that was ONLY possible because our family had the personal security, skills, communication equipment, stationery (pens, paper, cards, bulldog clips, noticeboard), chutzpah and, above all, electricity — “borrowed” from a cellsite generator — to make it happen. And also a couple of family members outside the city willing to be gofers for information and key supplies.
HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE EASTERN SUBURBS HAVE ALL THAT?
You might think that there are Civil Defence or Red Cross or Army people who are doing all this as part of their role — helping people to stay in their homes by providing the essential information and (where necessary) key supplies they need to do it safely. My direct observations over the past week suggests otherwise – especially away from officialdom’s chosen central points. They are simply overwhelmed by the nature and extent of the crisis, and tired and understaffed to boot!
So this is a call to action.
== If you are local:
* FIND OUT WHERE THERE IS STILL NO WATER and (especially) NO POWER. These are places where the acute post-earthquake phase is still happening, right now, and will go on happening until they have those servies. Where people are under the most stress, and where the risk of gastro-related illness and other major problems is inevitably going to be the highest.
* Take them batteries, clean drinking water, bulk washing water, bottled drinks, milk, camp-stove gas cartridges, face masks, transistor radios, alcohol hand cleaners, wet wipes, fresh fruit, dry and canned food (not frozen — unless you plan to hand it directly to someone at their house. If you ARE going to do that, take bags of ice too).
* Ignore the few main distribution centres – people who can get there easily WILL get help, as will those with good transport of their own – - provided they have cash to spare. Instead, look for smaller water points or obvious drop-off/drop-in sites. I can’t help you find these, and nor can “officialdom” — just drive to an affected area with a carload, and ask some locals. If there’s one happening already, they will know! And even if you end up putting it on an obvious street corner with a “please take one” sign, it would do Good.
* Rinse and repeat. Until all these suburbs have (especially) power and reliable transport, the need will NOT go away.
== If you live further afield:
It gets trickier. I have personally met people who drove from Timaru, Oamaru, Akaroa and the West Coast with supplies, and boy were they welcome! But in my view, the best thing to do is to find someone local who you know and trust, and who is willing to act, and send them money so they can do the above. Their time + your money = immediate help.
If you are thinking along normal lines, you’ll feel that the best thing to do is to donate to a government appeal, or the Red Cross, or the Salvation Army. Know that they are focused on the most needy cases, but they are far from omniscient. And their efforts are noticeably understaffed (and their staff are getting weary too – they often live in the same suburbs that most need help).
Help them with donations by all means (http://www.redcross.org.nz – every dollar is spent on relief, no admin). And volunteer if you are local. But the direct response outlined above WILL have a more immediate effect on many, many people who need help today.
== REGARDLESS of where you live:
Please do something to help the media to change their script. Lost lives and broken buildings do matter, and so does our nation’s economic future. But there is potential for much more stress and suffering in the hidden Refugee City if we fail to help where help is needed, right now.
So call talkback, post on Facebook and Twitter, email radio stations, hassle the Press, TV and any politicos you know — until the focus shifts away from Rescue City a little.
Put the message out! [I'd give you contacts for all the above -- and many others nationally and internationally -- but almost every one of you reading this has better bandwidth than me today, so go look them up!]
The acute phase will pass for these suburbs once power, adequate transport and running water (or good access to drinkable water) is commonplace in each of them. But that’s not today and — for some — it will be weeks away.
That’s it. There is a real, immediate problem, and the solution is not an easy one. But there ARE things that you can do, if you are willing.

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NZ Poverty A ‘Lifestyle Choice’: Let Them Drink Coke

2011-02-17T13:05:00.001+13:00

John Key is beginning to look like a man out of touch with his country.
People living in New Zealand are burdened with spiralling food and petrol costs, both which have been exacerbated by the recent increase in sales tax (GST) and the country is a hair’s breath from officially re-entering recession.
As more and more people fight to make ends meet the nation’s charitable organisations have struggled to keep up with demand for assistance. The pressure on food banks is one manifestation of this which started with the first recession in 2008 and shows no sign of abating.
Stories about low stocks at food banks have been around for some-while. Porirua (pop. 50,914) has five food banks and they were running out of food towards the end of last year

In the year to December 2009, there was a 40 per cent increase in food parcels given out nationwide by the Salvation Army.
“People are really struggling out there,” says Elizabeth Iona, team leader of the Salvation Army Porirua food bank.
“They come in and say, ‘I had to pay bills this week, there’s no food‘, and this is people who have five or six children at home.”
With the tough economic times and the approaching festive season, Ms Iona’s shelves are nearly empty.
While there are baked beans and rice aplenty, they are down to single tins in other items; one packet of pasta, almost no tea bags and extremely low in toiletries, meat, fruit and vegetables…
“We’re at very low levels in general. We’ve actually been asking other food banks to top us up.
“It’s getting to the point where we might have to turn people away.
“We need milk powder, nappies, baby food, toothpaste and soap.
“It would be great to get a few luxury things like biscuits but that’s not often the case.”
Kerry Atkinson, store manager of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Mungavin Ave, said if their food bank stocks get worse they will consider shutting the doors…” read more

How insulting it is that people in poverty due to the global recession, poor wages, poor job prospects and successive governments’ mis-management should now be told that if they need food donations it is because of the lifestyle choices they’re making?
When reading the following remember that migrants in NZ (read the comments section) are also caught in this poverty trap:
From the Herald

Prime Minister John Key says beneficiaries who resort to food banks do so out of their own “poor choices” rather than because they cannot afford food.
Mr Key made the comment when asked in Parliament yesterday about poverty levels.
When Labour’s social development spokeswoman Annette King asked about Salvation Army reports of high demand for food parcels, Mr Key responded by saying it was true that the global recession meant more people were on benefits.
“But it is also true that anyone on a benefit actually has a lifestyle choice. If one budgets properly, one can pay one’s bills.
“And that is true because the bulk of New Zealanders on a benefit do actually pay for food, their rent and other things. Now some make poor choices and they don’t have money left.”… read the full report here

Meanwhile more and more people are calling on The Salvation Army for help because of rising food, electricity and petrol prices. Its fortunate that charitable organisations like the ‘Salvos’ exist:

“Many of our clients are facing tremendous hardship and struggle even to put food on the table. And it’s often the children who suffer the most when household budgets don’t stretch far enough.
When you donate money or food to a Salvation Army food bank you’re helping to provide one of life’s most basic necessities to those who need it most.”

The “basic necessities” doesn’t include milk in New Zealand, this is now a luxury item. It is cheaper to buy coke.
The government of NZ would do well consider the hardship its population is suffering this next time it hosts film studio executives at the tax payers expense and gives them millions of dollars in added incentives to make films like The Hobbit in New Zealand. Some of them can’t even afford to buy milk now:

Milk on the luxury list
“The country’s biggest supplier is warning milk prices are about to go higher, and medical experts fear the cost of a daily glass is already out of reach for some.
Dairy giant Fonterra today warned supermarket prices could surge further following the sixth consecutive rise in prices on its online global DairyTrade auction this morning…”

Milk in neighbouring Australia retails at around $1 a litre and British supermarkets are charging 44 pence (93 NZ cents) a litre. Stuff reported that prices in NZ are more than twice that amount:

“Today at Countdown, Anchor-branded milk cost $4.80 for a 2-litre bottle. In June 2009 in was $3.94 for the same amount.
By comparison, the same supermarket has a 2-litre bottle of Coca-Cola for $3.99 and a 2.25-litre bottle of Coca-Cola for $3.57 (currently $2.79 on special).
Medical Officer of Health for the Waikato District Health Board, Felicity Dumble, said it was a concern when milk was dearer than soft drinks.
“One of the great things about milk is it considered to be a `complete’ food, with a wide range of nutrients essential for growth,” she said. “If the price makes milk prohibitive for families then not only are they missing out on benefits of milk itself, but they may turn to cheaper but less healthy options.”
Ms Dumble said when healthy basics became too expensive it exacerbated problems that led to malnutrition or even obesity…” read more here

We’ll not get sidetracked into NZ’s obesity epidemic (third highest in the OECD) now and will save that issue for another day.
The present government is presenting itself as one that is increasingly out of touch with the people it was elected to represent, perhaps voters will bear that in mind when they head to the ballot in November this year (Key has already said he will step down if he loses) What is the government doing right now to reduce the cost of living for the average Kiwi family?
Certainly stories like this one are doing nothing to endear Key’s government at a time when the economy of NZ is probably in recession:

34 units of the 7 Series BMW will head to New Zealand
Many believe the recession has passed, but most are still tightening their belts, regardless if we’re talking about the automotive sector or any other segment of the industry. So what the New Zealand’s government did caused more than indignation, it led to an avalanche of criticism, not only from the other parties but also from the country’s residents.
The short story so far: the government ordered a total of 34 new BMW 7-Series, each with an estimated price of $200,000, a thing that makes people in the country blame all those involved.
But Prime Minister John Key says he didn’t know about the acquisition, explaining in a statement that the whole deal was actually based on a six-year contract by the former Labour Government.
“I can’t take responsibility for a contract that was entered into by the previous Labour Government, that wasn’t bought to my attention or to my ministers’ attention,” Key said according to stuff.co.nz. “I am surprised, I would’ve thought they (Internal Affairs) would have referenced it to us… politically we should have known about it, we didn’t.”
Internal Affairs representatives on the other hand explain that they were not required to talk to the government on the matter because the previously-signed contract belonged to them.
“It’s our contract, we administer it. Our assessment was it was the best value for money to replace the vehicles now and we got a good deal in the first place and we got a good deal now,” a spokesman said.
The deal will definitely go through, as the Prime Minister said it would be quite pricey to stop the whole acquisition right know…”

So what does the government accept responsibility and if it doesn’t even know what its own department of Internal Affairs is doing what does that say for its understanding of the impacts of poverty in low income households in New Zealand?
How has it improved the life of the ordinary man and woman on the street?
Why are there still a quarter million children still living in poverty in New Zealand whilst government ministers get to drive around in $200,000 beamers?
There’s no Fair Go for all in NZ. Is it any wonder that 7,000 people overwhelmed the Oz Jobs expo in Auckland last weekend?
You may also find interesting our other blogs:
NZ’s Poverty Gap – Fat Cats Feast Whilst Queues Form For Bread And Jam (July 2010)
Immigrants Caught In Cold Poverty Trap (July 2010)
Ministerial Credit Card Rort (June 2010)
Family Gets $200,000 Bill For House Fire (July 2010)
And these external sites:

“Wealth gap divides nation
ACCUSATIONS THAT New Zealand is one of the worst performers in the developed world when it comes to the income gap between rich and poor have been validated by a Sunday Star-Times survey.
Conducted by Horizon Research, it shows the burgeoning gap between the haves and have-nots is frothing over into resentment, anger and disillusionment….”

Key: Poverty is your fault
John Key says if you’re having trouble getting by on your income it’s due to your ‘lifestyle choices‘. Key has given himself at least $23,000 in tax cuts and had a $7,500 rise on our borrowed money. He has the worst economic record of any PM in 80 years: 86,000 more jobless Kiwis and falling incomes. And this bastard blames Kiwi families for their poverty.

Today's posts - click here

Bullying Rife in NZ Hospitals

2011-02-16T20:25:00.003+13:00

The NZDoctor.co.nz website reported today on last night’s Wellington medical forum on the subject of burnout in the medical profession.

Experts said that doctors in New Zealand aren’t good at giving each other the support and affirmation needed to avoid burnout. Furthermore, hospitals are rife with bullying

Hospitals rife with bullying
“A bullying culture exists at hospitals, said forum chair John Carter, clinical leader of haematology at the Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre…
Attendees at the forum, part of the Inaugural International Cancer Symposium organised by Otago University, Wellington, heard psychiatrist and academic John Adams emphasise the medical profession’s poor record of giving mutual support and feedback.
This is an important factor in burnout, says Dr Adams, chair of the Medical Council.
By the time doctors come to the council’s attention, when their behaviour is affecting other staff and patient care, stress and burnout have led to physical health problems.
Depressive symptoms, anxiety, sleep disorders and/or substance abuse will have developed, and a stigma is attached to seeking help, Dr Adams says.
The earlier the problem is identified, the more likely its impact on the individual will be ameliorated…” read the full report here

Which is ironic considering that New Zealand’s laid back lifestyle is used as a major selling point to attract overseas doctors into the country.

New Zealand has been suffering a severe shortage of medical specialists for some time.

Coincidentally The NZ Herald published an article today headed Doctor shortage reaches ‘crisis’ level, saying that a spiraling shortage of doctors “has sparked a warning of future “severe safety issues” in New Zealand hospitals.”

Association of Salaried Medical Specialists director Ian Powell told the paper that the flow of New Zealand doctors overseas and difficulty of replacing them had put many hospitals in crisis.

Patients could suffer from increasing medical mistakes and treatment delays without urgent action, he said.
“The situation is already unsustainable. We’ll have severe safety issues if this continues.
“New Zealand is losing too many of the younger doctors we train so well overseas, losing too many of our current public hospital senior doctors overseas and struggling to recruit in a very tight and internationally competitive market.
“Eventually these chinks are going to get so big that the system breaks down.” … read the full report here

Some things you may like to know about the health service in New Zealand:

Understaffing

There is a workforce crisis in New Zealand’s hospitals. Specialist senior doctors are being lost and there is a shortage of cancer specialists. Staff are lost to Australia (where the salaries are 35% higher) and to private practice. The causes are low pay by international standards, overwork and lack of resources to do the job.

New Zealand has an estimated shortage of around 600 specialists and that’s set to get worse, according to the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. Growth has not kept pace with increasing need in an aging population.

The senior doctor’s union estimates there is a shortage of 638 medical and surgical specialists and that having to treat too many patients is driving doctors away from NZ. The country “needs at least 1100 more specialists if it were to match the number per head of population in Australia, the union says in a discussion paper based on data from 2007 and 2008.” Source NZ Herald.

New Zealand’s has a high dependence on overseas-trained doctors, the highest in the OECD , who comprise 40% of specialists. In some areas, such as psychiatry, the figure is closer to 60%.

So many NZ trained registrars go overseas when they’re qualified that it’s hardly worth training them at all. Medical registrars can earn around $70,000 more in Australia and difference in salaries is one of the major drivers for the exodus. “The situation is a crisis and a crisis generally comes before a collapse” -says Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell. See the bullet point above for the other drivers.

But its not just the medical profession that are suffering in New Zealand, patients are doing it hard too:

Adverse Effects on Patient Health

A shortage of Oncologists in the central part of the North Island means that some cancer patients are being refused chemotherapy. Instead of being placed back on waiting lists patients are being referred back to their own doctors (as of Jan 2011) Affected patients include those suffering relapses of some cancers, including cervical, oesophagus and melanoma.

The Chief Exec of the NZ Cancer Society said

“It might not be what we want to hear, but it is honest … It is good to know they will not be hiding patients on waiting lists.”

But the list of cancers that won’t be treated had only been intended for clinicians to see, not the general public.

Cancer treatment services are under such pressure that current treatment levels are unsustainable unless more money is spent. Rationing is likely to “become a feature.”

An economist said that New Zealand’s cancer-treatment rates were lower than the average for developed countries.”Already we have unmet need, so I guess the message is, get used to it.”

261 people in Canterbury are waiting more than six months for cancer-detecting colonoscopies, raising alarm among doctors. In July 2009 the figure stood at 75 people. A private procedure costs £1,000.

A “postcode lottery” health system is failing people as there is “inequitable” access to treatment depending on where patients live. One woman failed to have a brain tumour diagnosed for over three years. A report into her case has highlighted serious deficiencies within NZ’s public health service.

Hospital errors causing serious harm are rising. In the year to June 2010 there were

“374 patients who were involved in a serious or sentinel event, of whom 127 died; compared with 308 events, including 92 deaths, the year before.”

Migrants Tales

Are you still considering a move to NZ to work in the medical profession? Read some of our Migrants Tales, for example this one
“The Health Care System Is Second Rate”

This story was written by a nurse with over 30 years of experience. In it she tells of prejudice and how difficult it was to find a job. She also talks about how thousands and thousands of health care dollars are being wasted because there is no incentive to change and of how people wait so long for some tests and treatments that permanent damage is done to their health. She is minded to stay and work through this but her Kiwi partner is starting to look toward Australia to make some money….read on

You may also find interesting: “Kiwis Missing Out On Vital Medicines with Fatal Consequences”

Today's posts - click here

New Zealand A Great Place To Raise Kids?

2011-02-10T17:08:00.001+13:00

Why is it that in New Zealand councils seem to think that putting signs up is the answer to dangers in play parks?

You’d think after the scalding death of the little Toromon in Rotorua’s Kuirau Park, councils would have learned that signs are not enough where the safety of young children is paramount.

This was in today’s Herald

A small boy was left with second-degree burns to his feet from playground equipment heated by the sun.
David “Noah” Jones, 2, needed hospital treatment after climbing on metal rails at the Wesley Community Centre in Mt Roskill on Tuesday.

His mother told the Herald

My friend heard him screaming and saw him standing on the ground and he was standing like he wanted to lift his feet off the ground. He kept saying, ‘It’s hot! It’s hot!’
“When I got there a minute later the skin was hanging off his feet.”
She said she did not see what her son was climbing on, but believes it was a climbing frame with metal bars.

Air temp that day was 27 degrees Celsius, not exactly a baking hot day.

It seems that other toddlers get burned in NZ playgrounds and its highly likely that Safekids only gets to hear about a few of them.

Safekids New Zealand is the national child injury prevention service, and a service of Starship Children’s Health. They told the Herald that other children have also been burned.

We think there are probably many other cases they aren’t aware of because not every parent seeks hospital treatment for their child.

Safekids New Zealand director Ann Weaver said each summer her organisation saw a case of a child being burned by playground equipment.
“But we’ve never seen someone burnt by climbing rails. There have been examples where kids have been severely burnt on a slide, and needed hospital treatment. They are always kids aged between 18 months and two years.

And what is the council’s solution?

“The council was looking into the incident and would consider adding warning signs.” Read the full report here

What’s so wrong with providing shade? Not only will it prevent contact burns but it will also protect kids from UV burns; NZ has the world’s highest rate of melanoma.

But Auckland Council may be well aware of that overheating is being caused by lack of shade because it admits

"Please note: some of the playgrounds do not currently meet the safety requirements. As Auckland City Council upgrades these playgrounds we are ensuring that they then meet this standard."

Although it doesn’t say which playgrounds don’t meet those requirements.

No right to sue
New Zealand’s has a no-fault Accident Compensation Scheme. The Accident and Compensation Commission administers a 24 hour, 7 day per week, no-fault, comprehensive accident insurance scheme covering New Zealanders and those people visiting New Zealand. In return for this cover, people do not have the right to sue for damages if another person, or organisation, is at fault.

No fault can also mean no responsibility.

You may also be interested in

Hot Pool Fencing and Signage Under Scrutiny In Kuirau Recreational Park

Auckland playgrounds- which are best? In a thread on a parenting forum, one mother says “Gladstone park on gladstone road in parnell is quite good it has a couple of good slides but no shade and gets quite hot in summer.”

Children in NZ – Facts and Stats

Today's posts - click here

New Zealand's Air Not Even Close to 100% Pure Until 2020

2011-01-30T12:12:00.005+13:00

Arrowtown village, 27 straight days of smoky winter air in 2009

A number of times in this blog we've talked about supposedly Clean, Green New Zealand's awful air quality, and about how the country is teetering on the edge of being called "third world" for the way in which it failing to deal with this serious health problem.

Did you know that despite NZ's relatively low population and geographic isolation, urban areas in New Zealand suffer poor air quality during winter?

Last year a respiratory specialist in Invercargill linked “terrible increase” in respirable problems in the city to poor air quality, where standards were breached 17 times in 2010 - three times the number of failures in 2009.

Only one breach a year is allowed under the national standards.

The Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand (HAPINZ) report estimated that each year around 1,100 New Zealanders die prematurely from air pollution with an associated health cost of $1.14 billion.

In May 2009 we wrote about air pollution in New Zealand. Back then the Ministry of the Environment said that poor air quality was a significant issue in some areas of the country. Two thirds of the population lived in areas that experienced air pollution.

Most of the country’s poor air quality is caused by high winter levels of particulate matter (PM₁₀) from wood and coal used for home heating. Auckland also experiences high levels of PM₁₀ from road transport.

In June 2010 there were 43 airsheds across New Zealand where air quality is monitored, 26 of them don’t meet the PM10 standard.

The non-complying airsheds include Auckland, Christchurch and a number of provincial cities and towns (especially throughout the South Island).

By 2013, it is estimated that 10 airsheds will continue to exceed the PM10 standard with another five airsheds potentially also exceeding the standard. These 15 airsheds represent 45 per cent of New Zealand’s population.

Air quality in parts of NZ are so bad that an announcement was made that the quality standards were to be dropped because the previous standards are “unrealistic” and “unfair”:

The Government wants a standard that achieves material improvements in air quality without imposing unnecessary costs on businesses and communities…
“These changes are about improving air quality but in a pragmatic and realistic way “… “The Government wants a standard that achieves material improvements in air quality without imposing unnecessary costs on businesses and communities.”

Last year Environment Minister, Nick Smith, admitted that 10 NZ cities and towns are unlikely to meet air quality targets by the year 2013, and said that the overwhelming proportion of pollution is caused by home fires.

But despite pollution affecting the health of so many people, and resulting in over a thousand premature deaths every year, it was confirmed today that the quality standards are to be relaxed because the costs of implementing them are greater than the health benefits they will bring:
From Stuff

New Zealand's smoggiest towns and cities have been given more breathing space to achieve strict air quality rules.
Regional councils, which implement the Government's air pollution standards, have had since 2004 to fix smog problems, mainly caused by inefficient woodburners and open fires in winter.
The 10 worst areas in the country, including inland Otago and Timaru, will not clean up the air by the 2013 deadline, so the Government has moved to relax the standards.
Environment Minister Nick Smith said this morning that the health benefits were only slightly reduced by the delay, while the economic costs of implementing them would be significantly lower.
He said that Labour's policy was poorly implemented, unrealistic and unfair.
"New Zealand needs to strike a careful balance between the pace we improve our air quality and the impacts on jobs and household costs," he said today at the annual conference of the National Party's environment wing, the Bluegreens.
The key changes are:
- Areas with moderate pollution will now have to achieve the standard by 2016;
- High pollution areas will have until 2020 to meet the standard, with improvement by 2016;
- Readings corrupted by events like volcanic eruptions and Australian dust storms will not count as breaches..." read more here

The Timaru Herald also reported on the change to the standards, revealing in the process the extent to which Timaru is cursed with poor air quality

Timaru recorded 49 high pollution nights last year, where the levels of particulate matter in the air had exceeded 50 micrograms per cubic metre.

What with the polluted atmosphere, 432% of bathing waters being unsafe to swim in and 20% of New Zealanders having unsafe drinking water there isn't much left that can be called pure in New Zealand.
Perhaps this is why TNZ finally dropped the 100% Pure NZ branding, instead preferring to concentrate on the purity of the person visiting the country.

Let's just hope that visitors don't compromise their own purity by staying in one of the polluted towns in winter, swimming in the contaminated water or drinking water straight from the tap.

Today's posts - click here

Buying A Home In New Zealand? Get It Checked-Out For 'P' First - Updated

2011-01-23T18:22:00.002+13:00

Along with a structural survey and a weathertightness check if you’re buying a home in New Zealand the latest advice is to have it checked-out for traces of P too.

Methamphetamine (P) “has New Zealand in it’s grip.”

A former Hamilton detective has accused the Government of a “head in the sand mentality” when it comes to New Zealand’s growing drug culture. The country now rates as having the third highest number of P users per capita in the world.

Methamphetamine (P) manufacture and use is widespread throughout New Zealand. The chemicals used to ‘cook’ the expensive, highly addictive and dangerous drug (and the drug itself) can be absorbed into the fabric of a building, where they remain in dangerous quantities.

An increase in the use of the drug has fuelled a rise in insurance claims for damage caused to buildings during the manufacture of the drug. A spokesman for the NZ Insurance Council estimates the costs were between $5 million – $10 million in 2010.

Now the New Zealand Drug Detection Agency says it has tested “in excess of several hundred” Kiwi homes for traces of drugs since 2008 and in 33% of cases test results have been positive.

NZDDA spokesman Nick McLeay said more home buyers were using the agency’s services and test results had proved they weren’t simply being “paranoid”. The positive test results prove it,” McLeay said.
“People are just being cautious. They’re sayin, `Look I’m buying this house, it’s the most substantial thing I’m going to buy’, so they’re tagging it on along with the other tests they are routinely doing like water tightness and structural tests.”…
…NZDDA tests four rooms based on clients’ requests and “the most likely places to be used for cooking or consuming drugs”.
Of all tests undertaken traces of drugs were most prevalent in bedrooms, 30%; followed by kitchens, 23%; and bathrooms, 16%.
Almost a half of all tests done were in Auckland.

If you buy a contaminated home the possible symtoms of P exposure you may experience include: nausea, headaches, skin problems and difficulty sleeping. Children and infants may have stronger symptoms.

Auckland metro crime boss Chris Cahill said that as police found only 123 P labs nationwide between January and November 2010 and 120 in 2009, it was safe to conclude, “based on the volume of houses in New Zealand, that most homes haven’t been used as P labs”.

Usually contaminated properties are demolished because of the damaged caused manufacturing the drug but not all cook houses get discovered and ex-rental properties need special attention, according to Mr Cahill.

Mr Cahill told the Sunday News

“that as police found only 123 P labs nationwide between January and November 2010 and 120 in 2009, it was safe to conclude, “based on the volume of houses in New Zealand, that most homes haven’t been used as P labs”.

But just because police haven’t uncovered them it doesn’t mean that they aren’t out there in significant numbers.

On average 200 P labs are discovered on residential streets every year in New Zealand. “Drug experts have warned that makeshift labs are ticking time bombs that pose a risk to their occupants and to those who live unsuspectingly alongside them…Often the labs are uncovered only by accident – or after they explode.”

The number uncovered is declining because ‘cooks’ get more adept at hiding them.

Related Story October 2010

My Dream Home was a P Lab - Days after moving into her dream home in the Western Bay "Lisa" began feeling ill, sores developed over most of her body. She had difficulty with breathing and vision, felt nauseous and fatigued and had headaches and dizzy spells. Two months later she saw a newspaper report that said her home had been occupied by someone who had been manufacturing P at a different address. Eventually she learned that her property had been issued with a police clandestine lab contamination letter the previous year.

She decided to have the property tested by a forensics agency, who found high levels of contamination and shut up the house that day. Despite extensive cleaning her health deteriorated further and the house remained contaminated. Eventually it had to be stripped back to the external walls and rebuilt.
Lisa incurred costs running into hundreds of thousands of dollars, none of which was covered by her insurance. Furthermore, the history of the house was not revealed on a local authority LIM report which would have been asked for prior to purchase.

Related Story 24 January 2011

Man badly burned in house explosion - Police think that the explosion at a family home in Paehoro Grove was probably not caused by P manufacture, its more likely that the occupant was burned whilst making cannabis oil.

"Vincent Wakely, who lives three doors away from the Paehoro Grove house, said the blast buffeted the side of his building.
"It was that loud. It hit the house with a real bang. It was very sudden and abrupt, like an earthquake." Mr Wakely went outside and saw light brown smoke billowing from the house's roof."

Want to find out more about crime in New Zealand? read our Crime Stats and Facts page

Want to know more about drugs in New Zealand? read Daniel Vae & New Zealand’s war on drugs

Today's posts - click here

100% Pure You? Poor Anna Faris

2011-01-16T13:11:00.000+13:00

It’s official, New Zealand is no longer 100% Pure.

Tourism New Zealand recently launched a new advertising campaign that pushes the 100% pure emphasis off of the country and onto the individual that visits it.

Shame then that Anna Feris didn’t feel 100% Pure when she was in NZ shooting the movie Yogi Bear.

She attracted the wrong sort of attention from middle aged men in cars whilst walking through Auckland, when they shouted a barrage of highly offensive and sexual abuse at the popular Hollywood Star.

The travel section of the Syndey Morning Herald covered New Zealand’s new 100% Pure You campaign saying

Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler said research suggested New Zealand could increase its appeal as a holiday destination by personalising its marketing message and focusing on more than scenery.
“We have identified people around the world already considering travelling here and the addition of You to the successful 100% Pure New Zealand advertising message is a logical step that will benefit the tourism industry by highlighting the individual experiences on offer,” Bowler said.
Tourism New Zealand’s new marketing campaign…includes online banner ads and TV commercials showcasing the experiences of a young woman jetboating, a middle-aged father taking his children tramping, and a young woman horse-riding. All the commercials feature the 100% Pure You tagline.

But Anna Faris has highlighted another very individual experience that young women are being offered in New Zealand. Sexual Harassment.
.
The Herald reported on an interview she gave in the US, in which she recounted her experiences of visiting New Zealand

“I’m walking home, I’ve got my backpack on, got my jeans on, and this carload of guys – they were like in their 40s, from what I could glimpse – they said, ‘f*ck you, as*hole’.”
Lopez asked her why they had shouted the obscenities.
She replied: “I don’t know, and, like, three minutes later, a car full of older gentlemen said, ‘show me your tits, you stupid bitch’.
“I was like, you tell me where you are at – I’m going to go home to your place and I’m going to show you a good time with that kind of treatment? Oh, yeah.”

Surprising then that instead of apologising to Ms Faris for her experience and offering to give her some more positive memories to take away about New Zealand, Ian Long – a spokesman for Tourism NZ - chose instead to denigrate her further and with one swift move plunged the status of women in NZ back into the dark ages.

Is it normal to’ blame the victim’ like this in NZ?

According to the Herald report

Tourism NZ spokesman Ian Long said no one would take Faris seriously.
“In the same segment, she accepts an award for being a pothead stoner of the year and she’s quite clearly had a few. I don’t think she has any credibility,” he said.
Long’s attack on Faris was echoed by New Zealanders approached in the street, some of whom appeared to blame Faris for the abuse.
One man said that if she was famous she must expect “attention”; a woman said she “gets her tits out” in movies so shouldn’t be surprised at the public reaction.

And then went to include some thoughts from the public at large which included this one

Sam Aki, Male, 25
“She looks like the type of woman who would get that sort of attention. She’s giving Kiwi blokes a bad reputation. If she’s famous she must expect that everywhere she goes.”

Hardly surprising is that the new tourism campaign has cut little ice in Australia, perhaps the Aussies know a fake when they see one? Some of them commented to the SMH:

Normally I have no problem with change, but I don’t like this change! It sounds tacky. The original one was honest, and sold the beauty that is New Zealand. Now it sounds like something a car salesman would come up with.

If I take the time and trouble to go overseas, it’s because I want to see people and places that are different to my usual experience. Why would I go overseas for “me”? I can see me at home.

I was there for a week – first time and last time. SO cold, raining all the time, absolutely horrible if you take out the view which is the only thing going for it. 100% “poor” you, if you go.

Why should the type of women depicted in the ads want to travel to New Zealand and risk subjecting themselves to the unwanted abuse that Anna Faris attracted?

Hardly surprising is it that New Zealand has the highest number of women as a percentage of the population victimised by sexual assault - Nationmaster data. Read some of our posts Violence against women in New Zealand

For more about the women’s issues in New Zealand click here or read some of our following blogs

Parents Furious At Dean’s “Slut” Comment
Womens’ Rights Slipping In New Zealand post for International Women’s Day

“Sex & Power” – Women’s Participation In NZ Stalled
Another Pregnant Woman Told To Leave New Zealand: Pregnancy Now Equated To Sickness In Human Rights Abuse

Today's posts - click here

Would You Vote For The New 'Migrant Party'?

2011-01-15T12:47:00.003+13:00

Patsy Wong's resignation has resulted in a March by-election having to be held in the Botany constituency, where migrants make up more than half of the voters.

Rather than use a mainstream party to make the Chinese migrant voice heard in parliament action was taken to form a New Citizen Party.

The New Citizen Party aims to represent Chinese New Zealanders and has a focus on economic and law and order issues. The party has been organised by Auckland businessman Paul Young, former New Zealand Labour Party list candidate Stephen Ching, and Chinese businessman Jack Chen.

The party is registered by the Electoral Commission, making it eligible to contest the party vote.
The membership of the new party is not just Chinese New Zealanders but also people in the Korean, Maori and Pakeha communities.

Last August Paul Young told the Herald that he believed that as New Zealand became more engaged with the rest of the world, "we do need to listen to different voices". He also said it had "a focus on community safety, legal and education issues which required long-term policies, "and we do not see that happening".

Given the large number of migrants living in Botany this is an excellent idea. As long as migrants from other countries are properly catered for it has a good chance of success. Its time for immigrants to have their own voice in parliament, they could effect some real changes in the way that New Zealand Inc. is run.

Could this be the beginning of the end for the 'Kiwi Way' ?

Will trade/professional bodies be made to get together with the immigration service and adopt identical requirements? It would be good if migrants didn't get all the way to NZ (an expensive process) only to find out they can't get a job because their qualifications aren't recognised. There are far too many lawyers and engineers driving taxis.

There could be more effective anti-discrimination laws, why put Kiwis first when there's supposed to be a skills shortage in the country and the population is in decline? There should be a level playing field for all. Is it such a radical concept to fill a job on merit, rather than accident of birth or 'who you know'?

The New Zealand Herald's headline says the new party faces an uphill struggle - looks like the status quo may be feeling a nipping at their heels. But here's the news for them - migrants are used to an uphill struggle in NZ.

If the new party gathers power, as it will unless sabotaged, there are other communities in New Zealand that have high proportions of migrants that may want to follow the lead and put forward their own MPs.

It wouldn't take much - perhaps 5 or so MPs to make a difference to the balance of power in New Zealand, and in an election year that's going to cause some buzzing in the Beehive.

Would you give a New Citizens Party your vote? if only to encourage the faint winds of change that are trying to blow away the cobwebs in New Zealand?

It will be interesting to see how seriously this 'threat' to the established order is taken. If a dirty tricks campaign is waged against the new party it could be seen as desperate move to prevent change in New Zealand.

Expect to see a lot of dirt digging in the coming weeks.

For the background to this story read this report in the Herald - New Migrant Party has an uphill struggle

Today's posts - click here

Welsh Honeymooners Robbed In NZ

2011-01-09T18:26:00.001+13:00

There's an epidemic of crime against tourists going on in New Zealand.

Poor Steve and Sarah Haskey, married in a glorious August wedding, are one of many, many touring couples to have been robbed in NZ this summer.

The honeymooing couple from Wrexham, North Wales were in New Zealand on the “holiday of a lifetime” when their video camera, memory cards and passports were stolen from their rental car as they stopped briefly on the way to the airport to catch a flight to Australia.

From the UK’s Daily Post: (emphasis ours)

The couple from Wrexham suffered tragedy when hundreds of honeymoon photos and their passports were stolen from a hire car in the city of Christchurch.
“We were on our way to the airport to spend a few days in Australia,” said Mr Haskey. “We left the car for five minutes and when we came back someone had snatched our camera and passports.”
His new wife Sarah added: “We are still trying to get over it now, we felt sick and absolutely gutted. I’m getting really upset thinking about it.
“We were really careful, we’re seasoned travellers and we took precautions to keep our belongings with us all the time – it was just a five minute lapse.”
Three memory cards, a video camera and their passports were stolen.
Mrs Haskey now says her friends and family have been put off visiting New Zealand. “We thought New Zealand was safe. It is so beautiful there, but I hope the minority don’t spoil it,” she said.
The couple had stopped their car in Hagley Park, the largest urban open space in the city. They decided to have lunch before they went to the airport. Both went to the toilet and when they came back a window of their car was smashed and their possessions were gone.
Mr Haskey said the hardest thing to take was the loss of hundreds of memories. “We’d take a lot of photos and we’ve contacted papers in New Zealand to see if we can get them back.” …read more here

To add insult to injury it cost the Haskeys £700 to fly to Wellington to get emergency passports sorted out so they could leave the country. Expensive place New Zealand.

A couple of days ago another Welsh couple, Michael Wright and Amy Murphy, were left without a penny in New Plymouth when their campervan was ransacked at New Plymouth’s Back Beach. Read Welsh couple left without a penny

Before that we talked about two US soldiers Eli and Tonia Gerhard that were robbed in Kaikoura the previous week. The young couple were taking a well earned break from the conflict and crime of Afghanistan. They must have thought that New Zealand would have been the last place on earth where they would have been robbed blind.

A few weeks before that British couple Jake Graham and Jess Kelly were also robbed in New Plymouth when their campervan was broken into and they lost almost everything they owned. Read more here

But there have been so many of these types of robberies in New Zealand haven’t there, you’d think that word would have got out by now?

Perhaps not.

Always it’s the same type of belongings that are stolen (cameras, money, passports, ipods, computers) tourists are obviously rich pickings in New Zealand, a country of vast inequalities and with a grinding poverty in some sectors of the community that could go unnoticed by the casual observer, or be passed over for being “quaint.”

Tourist authorities really should be asking themselves are they doing enough to warn visitors not to leave their belongings in unattended vehicles. The problem is that there is such a widespread misconception that New Zealand is a safe, tourist friendly, safe place to holiday that some people are unwittingly leaving themselves open to theft, sometimes accompanied by assault and battery. As in the case of the French tourists who pulled-over to sleep one evening. Read more here.

Would it take a lot to fit hidden safes or security boxes in these vehicles? or for tourists to have access to short term safety deposit boxes, rather like mailboxes at post offices? A few more signs in car parks warning about thieves would probably be a good idea too.

Other stories you may be interested in:-

Suffolk couple put emigration plans on hold after experiencing NZ’s crime:

“Today’s Herald is reporting on British couple Dean and Tabitha Forbes who lost most of their possessions whilst on a pre-emigration trip to Auckland, New Zealand…”

British Migrants Robbed:

“”An English family who came to New Zealand to make a fresh start were left with only the clothes on their backs when their motel was burgled two days after they arrived.
Dawn and Conrad Tutin and their children Stephanie, 14, and Kiel, 12, arrived from Nottingham a week ago to begin a new life in Auckland, where Mr Tutin will work for Fisher & Paykel…””

More British tourists robbed, no gold for New Plymouth:

“Earlier today we wrote about honeymooning couple Simon and Sabine Greenslade whose campervan was robbed of outside of Auckland Zoo, losing most of their holiday and honeymooning photographs amongst other possessions.
We’ve also heard about another young British couple, Jake Graham and Jess Kelly,whose campervan was also broken into and who lost almost everything they owned in New Plymouth yesterday afternoon…”

Honeymoon couple lose precious photos, no ‘gold medal’ in Auckland

US rowing team member robbed, world rowing championships 2010 in Queenstown

Czech Tourist, Jan Fakotor, Stabbed In Motueka
English tourist mugged in Gisborne
Chilean tourist punched, robbed in Nelson
A group of students that were beaten and robbed whilst on a treasure hunt at the Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa, Northland
A series of random, unprovoked attacks in Queenstown
Previous robbery of British tourists at Kerosene Creek
Tourists robbed at Kerosene Creek
Three French tourists beaten and robbed in their campervan in Mangamuka, Northland - police have yet to resolve this crime

A family of Swiss tourists that were assaulted and racially abused in Kaitaia, Northland
Anke Kuballa and Marc Busch from Germany who were robbed in Whangarei, Northland
A family of five robbed at the roadside whilst camping in their van at Oturere Stream, 25km south of Turangi
Two German tourists attacked in Paihia, Northland
Two American tourists were robbed at Shipwreck Bay in Northland whilst sandboarding

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Russian Tourist Dies After Marlborough Sounds Dive

2011-01-08T13:17:00.001+13:00

Another foreign tourist has died in a tourism activity in New Zealand.

This latest fatality was on 6 January during a guided dive in Port Gore at the top of the South Island, part of the Marlborough Sounds which also was the scene of the dolphin boat incident in December when an Australian tourist’s legs were shredded.

It was a 58 year old Russian woman who died, she was part of a group of seven Russian divers accompanied by five diving staff who went out to explore the sunken Russian ship Mikhal Lermantov.
According to a NZ Police press release

The women entered the water to dive the wreck, however shortly afterwards returned to the boat for unknown reasons and died on board.
The cause of the woman’s death is unclear and the matter is being referred to the Coroner. A Post mortem is planned for Monday the 10th January in Christchurch.
The women is said to be an experienced diver and a member of a Russian dive club which is currently touring New Zealand diving various sites…more here

According to a report on Stuff the tourist group had been on an excursion organised by Dive Picton

In a statement Dive Picton owners, Ben and Dale Ashworth, said a paramedic and several qualified staff had attended the woman after she collapsed on their dive boat, Ruku.
“Unfortunately after a long period of resuscitation she was unable to be revived.”

The Press also published an interview with the owners

A Russian tourist who died on a Marlborough Sounds dive trip collapsed on a boat after briefly entering the water.
Dive Picton owners Ben and Dale Ashworth said the 58-year-old woman returned to their vessel, Ruku, in Port Gore after a couple of minutes in the water, and collapsed about noon on Thursday. It was unknown why she had returned, but Ben Ashworth said her Russian colleagues had indicated she was "uncomfortable" and had to be helped on board...

Our deepest condolences go out to the woman’s family and friends.

Adventure tourism companies were recently the subject of a wide ranging review of the industry following a large number of high profile deaths and serious accidents over the last few years in New Zealand, some of the deaths occurred during water related activities including jet boating, canyoning and river boarding.

As a result of the review adventure tourism regulations were introduced for the first time in New Zealand, however these do not fully take effect for another four years. Read New Adventure Tourism Deaths Drawn Up – 4 Year Grace Period.

In November a party of tourists from various countries was injured when their Shotover jet collided with a cliff wall and Swedish tourist died whilst swimming with dolphins in the sea off Kaikoura.
Travel Advisories About New Zealand

A number of countries have taken the precaution of issuing travel advisories to their citizens about the risks involved with visiting New Zealand.

This is Australia’s recent release (emphasis ours)

“Many tourists safely undertake adventure activities in New Zealand. However, many adventure tourism activities have inherent risks, and there have been a number of serious accidents involving Australians and other tourists, some resulting in deaths. Some operators have been found to be negligent.Travellers need to make their own judgements about the risks involved in individual or group activities and safety standards of individual operators. We strongly recommend travellers inquire with individual operators about the safety standards adhered to, whether these standards are applied across the industry and the risks involved in the activity. We recommend travellers hold travel insurance and complementary accident or income protection insurance and understand what circumstances and activities are not covered by the policies. You should be aware that safety standards in New Zealand’s adventure tourism industry may differ between individual operators and may differ from those in Australia.” (Sept 2010)

Article in the Sydney Morning Herald - “Adventure tourism a deadly business” August 24 2010:

“NZPA
Adventure tourists are killing themselves for a good time in New Zealand. So much so that the government is looking at tougher measures to improve safety in the industry.
During five years (July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2009) 39 people died in NZ in what are recorded as workplace activities. But the actual number is likely to be much higher as recreational deaths were not included…” read full article here

Further reading – Our NZ Adventure Tourism Facts and Stats page

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Open Season On Freedom Campers Well Underway In New Zealand

2011-01-07T18:21:00.000+13:00

Well it’s been a glorious start to New Zealand’s first open season for hunters of Freedom Campers.

Last February the president of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association, Dick Waters issued a second call for freedom campers to be “shot” if they use vans that don’t have their own toilet facilities.

Mr Waters, was reported as having said that

“Messy freedom campers who trundle around the country in sleeper vans without toilets or self-contained utilities should be “shot”.

It followed similar comments he made in January.

At the time we said effectively declaring open season on certain types of campers wasn’t going to do much to enhance the country’s tarnished reputation for visitor safety. Read Freedom Campers “Should be Shot,” 15 February 2010.

Even if Mr Waters’ comments were meant to shock, rather than be taken literally, it may cause certain elements of NZ society to feel less than ‘gracious’ towards visitors, who may now be viewed as little more than vermin. Rednecks with guns on a mission aren’t a good combination, in any country.
How right we were, because it would seem that someone may have taken up Mr Waters on his invitation to have a crack at campers.

A couple camping in Tamatea Point in Pakawau we lucky to escape with their lives after someone ” shot at, smashed and attempted to set fire to their campervan” at 5.50 one morning, presumably they were sleeping in it at the time.

The holidaymakers, a “44-year-old male New Zealander and a 36-year-old New Zealand-residing Chinese woman,” from Hamilton

“had earlier been verbally abused about freedom camping in the area and police say the attack may have been an “extreme, over-the-top reaction” to the practice.” Source NZ Herald

Apparently a man has been arrested in relation to the incident, charged with attempted murder and given name suppression. The Herald said that he has a holiday property on the reserve on which the campervan has been parked.

Stuff provided more in-depth coverage than the Herald, with the following information

The Tasman District Council reserve is a popular site for public beach access and there are no signs banning freedom camping.
Golden Bay residents are growing increasingly intolerant of issues posed by freedom campers which include littering and defecating in public places.
The intolerance came to a head last month when the Golden Bay Community Board made an urgent request to the Tasman District Council to have a compliance officer based in the bay to monitor problems. A council officer is monitoring the bay during January and February.
In April last year, freedom campers were forced off land near the Waitapu Bridge spot by angry Golden Bay local…more here

The have been plenty of other incidents recently where tourists have been attacked and robbed whilst using campervans but this is the first we’ve heard of where an attempt has been made to burn them out. Read Welsh Couple Left Without a Penny in New Plymouth 7 January 2011

Months from now thousands of world cup rugby fans will be descending on New Zealand, eager to hire out campervans and totally unaware of the risks they are taking by not using authorised campsites.
Neither are they aware that they will be targeted by thieves if they leave their vehicles in public car parks or on the roadside. It would be a bit rough to loose those prized match tickets in addition to cameras, iPods, treasure holiday snaps and passports and credit cards.

We think mass public information campaigns are needed, and fast.

One to warn tourists about the dangers and how to keep themselves safe and another to encourage locals in New Zealand to have a more relaxed and accommodating attitude towards visitors.

Hug a camper today.

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Welsh Couple Left Without A Penny In New Plymouth

2011-01-07T01:31:00.000+13:00

It must be summer in New Zealand because a couple of Welsh holidaymakers are the latest tourists to appear in another New Zealand camper-van robbery story; there have been so many of them over the years.

“Michael Wright and Amy Murphy‘s latest bit of misfortune struck when thieves broke into their van at New Plymouth’s Back Beach while they were out surfing.
Passports, bank cards, ipods, drivers licences, cameras and cash were stolen. “It was just a complete shock,” Miss Murphy said yesterday. “Now we haven’t got a penny to our names.”
The Cardiff pair found their van ransacked after they had spent an hour and a half in the late afternoon surf. “Everything was all over the place. They had been in everywhere and all through our backpacks,” Miss Murphy said.
She was surprised nobody had spotted the thieves…” source

The previous similar story we commented on was the two US soldiers Eli and Tonia Gerhard that were robbed in Kaikoura last week. The young couple were taking a well earned break from the conflict and crime of Afghanistan. They must have thought that New Zealand would have been the last place on earth where they would have been robbed blind.

A few weeks before that British couple Jake Graham and Jess Kelly were also robbed in New Plymouth when their campervan was broken into and they lost almost everything they owned. Read more here

But there have been so many of these types of robberies in New Zealand haven’t there, you’d think that word would have got out by now?

Perhaps not.

Always it’s the same type of belongings that are stolen (cameras, money, passports, ipods, computers) tourists are obviously rich pickings in New Zealand, a country of vast inequalities and a grinding poverty in some sectors of the community that could go unnoticed by the casual observer, or be passed over for being “quaint.”

Tourist authorities really should be asking themselves are they doing enough to warn visitors not to leave their belongings in unattended vehicles. The problem is that there is such a widespread misconception that New Zealand is a safe, tourist friendly safe place to holiday that some people are unwittingly leaving themselves open to theft, sometimes accompanied by assault and battery. As in the case of the French tourists who pulled-over to sleep one evening. Read more here.

Would it take a lot to fit hidden safes or security boxes in these vehicles? or for tourists to have access to short term safety deposit boxes, rather like mailboxes at post offices? A few more signs in car parks warning about thieves would probably be a good idea too.

Other stories you may be interested in:-

Suffolk couple put emigration plans on hold after experiencing NZ’s crime:

“Today’s Herald is reporting on British couple Dean and Tabitha Forbes who lost most of their possessions whilst on a pre-emigration trip to Auckland, New Zealand…”

British Migrants Robbed:

“”An English family who came to New Zealand to make a fresh start were left with only the clothes on their backs when their motel was burgled two days after they arrived.
Dawn and Conrad Tutin and their children Stephanie, 14, and Kiel, 12, arrived from Nottingham a week ago to begin a new life in Auckland, where Mr Tutin will work for Fisher & Paykel…””

More British tourists robbed, no gold for New Plymouth:

“Earlier today we wrote about honeymooning couple Simon and Sabine Greenslade whose campervan was robbed of outside of Auckland Zoo, losing most of their holiday and honeymooning photographs amongst other possessions.
We’ve also heard about another young British couple, Jake Graham and Jess Kelly,whose campervan was also broken into and who lost almost everything they owned in New Plymouth yesterday afternoon…”

Today's posts - click here

US Solidiers Robbed in Kaikoura

2010-12-30T13:52:00.000+13:00

Yes that's right - Kaikoura, not Kandahar.

Kaikoura is a popular seaside town in New Zealand, and setting-off point for whale watching trips. But Kaikoura has been having a rough time of it recently what with visitors getting beaten up on the streets and seals being clubbed to death.

Now we hear that two American soldiers, Eli and Tonia Gerhard, lost a large amount of property when their rental car was robbed.

Following the theft police used a search warrant to enter a local address and “recovered a “substantial amount” of property” according to the Kaikoura Star.

The couple had decided to take a holiday in New Zealand, away from the crime and strife of war ravaged Afghanistan where they'd both been posted. What a bad choice New Zealand turned out to be for them.

From the Marlborough Express:

They had hoped to leave behind the air of crime and mistrust of Afghanistan and enjoy what should have been a relaxing holiday in a country which is generally considered a safe haven.
“This sort of thing does nothing for tourism.”
Constable Dean Schroder of Kaikoura agrees.
“This is a senseless targeting of tourists in Kaikoura. It does nothing for our image. The damage this sort of crime does to our region far outweighs the value of the property stolen.”…
…Items stolen included a small laptop, a Toshiba notebook, a fisheye lens for their Canon camera, a video camera and a couple of hard drives with all their holiday photos as well as all Mr Gerhard’s footage of Afghanistan – he has a helmet mounted camera with which he has recorded many of his missions.
“There is some pretty explicit s**t in there – almost three hours of mission videos,” he says. “But I doubt they will even look at it to realise – they will probably just delete everything.” read the full report here

According to another report a

“man aged 19 and a woman aged 23 are due to appear in the Kaikoura District Court on January 21 in relation to the theft.
Police were called to the Presbyterian Church on Deal St over the weekend after windows in the church were found broken. Mr Schroder believed the breakages were as a result of stone throwing and occurred on Thursday or Friday night last week. An amount of steel was stolen from the railway yard on Edmund Ave on Thursday night.
A pallet full of plates, often used to weight craypots down, and some cut-up railway iron was stolen.” read the full report here

The message here, as always is when in New Zealand never leave anything unattended in your car or camper van that you don’t want to lose.

Just how much of the couple’s property has been recovered isn’t clear but we hope they manage get it all back. Next time they have a much needed furlough we also hope they chose somewhere more secure to vacation than New Zealand, where it seems a great many tourists are falling victim to crime recently.

Other stories you may be interested in:-
Suffolk couple put emigration plans on hold after experiencing NZ’s crime:

“Today’s Herald is reporting on British couple Dean and Tabitha Forbes who lost most of their possessions whilst on a pre-emigration trip to Auckland, New Zealand…”

British Migrants Robbed:

“”An English family who came to New Zealand to make a fresh start were left with only the clothes on their backs when their motel was burgled two days after they arrived.
Dawn and Conrad Tutin and their children Stephanie, 14, and Kiel, 12, arrived from Nottingham a week ago to begin a new life in Auckland, where Mr Tutin will work for Fisher & Paykel…””

More British tourists robbed, no gold for New Plymouth:

“Earlier today we wrote about honeymooning couple Simon and Sabine Greenslade whose campervan was robbed of outside of Auckland Zoo, losing most of their holiday and honeymooning photographs amongst other possessions.
We’ve also heard about another young British couple, Jake Graham and Jess Kelly,whose campervan was also broken into and who lost almost everything they owned in New Plymouth yesterday afternoon…”

Other stories you may find interesting
Honeymoon couple lose precious photos, no ‘gold medal’ in Auckland

US rowing team member robbed, world rowing championships 2010 in Queenstown

Czech Tourist, Jan Fakotor, Stabbed In Motueka
English tourist mugged in Gisborne
Chilean tourist punched, robbed in Nelson
A group of students that were beaten and robbed whilst on a treasure hunt at the Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa, Northland
A series of random, unprovoked attacks in Queenstown
Previous robbery of British tourists at Kerosene Creek
Tourists robbed at Kerosene Creek
Three French tourists beaten and robbed in their campervan in Mangamuka, Northland - police have yet to resolve this crime

A family of Swiss tourists that were assaulted and racially abused in Kaitaia, Northland
Anke Kuballa and Marc Busch from Germany who were robbed in Whangarei, Northland
A family of five robbed at the roadside whilst camping in their van at Oturere Stream, 25km south of Turangi
Two German tourists attacked in Paihia, Northland
Two American tourists were robbed at Shipwreck Bay in Northland whilst sandboarding

Today's posts - click here

State Of Emergency May Be Declared in Christchurch, Quake Near White Island

2010-12-26T13:30:00.001+13:00

There have been shallow and powerful earthquakes in Christchurch this morning that sent Boxing Day shoppers running for cover, they also caused power outages to around 40,000 premises in the central business district Papanui, St Albans, Fendalton and other parts of the city.

The store Ballantyne's has been damaged with a lot of broken glass inside.

The council is said to be considering declaring a state of emergency.

According to the site Canterbury Quake live there has been 19 quakes so far in Christchurch this Boxing Day, starting at 2.07am with a magnitude 4.21. The strongest was a very shallow magnitude 4.89 at 10.30am, only 3 kms from Catherdral Square, which caused most of the damage to the CBD.

For more about earthquakes in Christchurch, Canterbury and the slow pace of recovery read posts tagged #EQNZ

North Island Quake
A couple of hours before the Christchurch quakes started today the North Island was also roughly jolted by a single 5.9 magnitude quake. The quake struck just after midnight 80 kilometres north of White Island in the Bay of Plenty and was felt over large areas of the North Island.

48 Km offshore, White Island (Whakāri) is one of New Zealand's most active cone volcanoes which has been built up by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years. About 70 percent of the volcano is under the sea, making this massive volcanic structure one of the largest in New Zealand (Geonet)

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Suffolk Couple Put Emigration Plans On Hold After Experiencing NZ's Crime

2010-12-24T11:00:00.001+13:00

Today's Herald is reporting on British couple Dean and Tabitha Forbes who lost most of their possessions whilst on a pre-emigration trip to Auckland, New Zealand.

Mr Forbes, from Suffolk in England, had been offered a position as an aircraft engineer at Ardmore Airport. Mrs Forbes, who works in IT, was still looking for a job, but the couple had taken some downtime from job hunting to visit Auckland museum on Wednesday.

When they came out of the museum they found their car had been broken in to and two suitcases containing computer and electronics equipment, Christmas presents, cash and a gold necklace bequeathed to Mrs Forbes by her mother, had been stolen.

The couple told the Herald that they wanted to migrate to New Zealand because of the "relaxed way of life and other charms" whilst on a brief visit last year and compared New Zealand to the Britain of 1980. Unknowingly, this was probably a valid comparison given the dire economic state the Uk was in at that time, but they would have been kindergarten age at that time so they are unlikely to have been making the comparison based on personal experience - rather on an ideological judgment of some halcyon bygone age that never really existed.

Mr Forbes said that they had never been victims of crime in the 34 years they had lived in the UK and that the theft has "put a big dent" in how the see the place. They are keen to return home and re-evaluate their reasons for emigrating. Perhaps, for the first time, they are seeing New Zealand for real.

We'd like to pass on our best wishes to the Forbes and we hope that Tabitha one day recovers her mother's necklace. However, we think the couple are wise to reconsider their move because of what else they may lose in the future. Read our Migrant Tales series to find out what.

New Zealand's Crime Problem (click on links for details)
New Zealand has a high level of crime, much of it due to social deprivation and drug (P and cannabis) use.

Theft from cars is the most commonly reported form of theft in New Zealand. In 2009 there were 43,105 incidents reported - that’s almost five every hour.

During one recent survey 80% of people thought that crime was a serious problem in New Zealand. The country also has one of the highest incarceration rates in the developed world locking up people at a rate of 199 per 100,000. The European average is about 80. Australia jails a third less than NZ does, according to figures from the International Centre for Prison Studies.

By July of this year 370,000 criminal convictions had been made by NZ courts over the year. An increase of 9% over the previous year and 40% higher than in 2000.

Methamphetamine (P) has New Zealand in it’s grip. A former Hamilton detective has accused the Government of a “head in the sand mentality” when it comes to New Zealand’s growing drug culture. New Zealand now rates as the third highest number of P users per capita in the world.

On average 200 P labs are discovered on residential streets every year in New Zealand. “Drug experts warn the makeshift labs are ticking time bombs that pose a risk to their occupants and to those who live unsuspectingly alongside them…Often the labs are uncovered only by accident – or after they explode.” The number uncovered is declining as ‘cooks’ get more adept at hiding them.
For more about Crime in New Zealand see our Crime stats and facts page HERE

Read Also:
British Migrants Robbed:

""An English family who came to New Zealand to make a fresh start were left with only the clothes on their backs when their motel was burgled two days after they arrived.
Dawn and Conrad Tutin and their children Stephanie, 14, and Kiel, 12, arrived from Nottingham a week ago to begin a new life in Auckland, where Mr Tutin will work for Fisher & Paykel...""

More British tourists robbed, no gold for New Plymouth:

"Earlier today we wrote about honeymooning couple Simon and Sabine Greenslade whose campervan was robbed of outside of Auckland Zoo, losing most of their holiday and honeymooning photographs amongst other possessions.
We’ve also heard about another young British couple, Jake Graham and Jess Kelly,whose campervan was also broken into and who lost almost everything they owned in New Plymouth yesterday afternoon..."

Today's posts - click here

Pike River Migrants Face Deportation From New Zealand, Happy Christmas?

2010-12-23T11:09:00.001+13:00

Despite all the talk about keeping valuable, skilled miners in New Zealand following the explosion and subsequent closure of the Pike River Colliery, a number of immigrants working at the pit have been told they have to leave New Zealand in a few weeks if they don’t find alternative employment. They are already living in New Zealand illegally and say that if they stay on they will be deported.

Shockingly of the 20 migrants, all from ‘western’ countries, including 12 from South Africa, only 2 have managed to attain permanent residency. This case highlights the perilous state that many migrants on work permits find themselves in when they emigrate to New Zealand and how little protection they have when they lose their jobs. It also highlights how dependent New Zealand is on skilled migrant labour and how it fails to retain the people it really needs.

This appeared in Monday’s Greymouth Star newspaper:

Out-of-work miners who were lured to the West Coast for employment at Pike River say they have been given weeks to find work or face deportation.
Of the 20 migrants from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Germany who were made redundant last week after the hapless Pike River Coal Company was placed in receivership, only two have permanent residency.
One UK man, who moved to Greymouth a year ago specifically to work at Pike River, told the Greymouth Star he had been given five weeks to find work or leave town.
Immigration New Zealand officials were in Greymouth for two days last week to deliver more bad news to the newly-redundant miners.
“When I walked in I was told I was now living in New Zealand illegally and that they would turn a ‘blind eye’ for five weeks while I either found another job in Greymouth or left the country,” the UK miner, who asked for anonymity, said… read much more here

The New Zealand mining industry brought these men over from their homes countries so that they could work in their mines, when the jobs disappear are they to be thrown on the scrap heap and treated like undesirables? At the very least Work and Income and should be pulling out all the stops and finding them suitable employment, and if that’s not possible fully fund their repatriation expenses (including shipping of their household goods) or onward migration to another country that deserves them more.
One of the redundant UK miners told the paper

“I’ve just lost my mates in that mine, we are still in shock, now we are being forced to leave — what sort of Christmas are we going to have?”
…Bernie Monk, elected spokesman for the families of the 29 mine victims, said the situation for the migrant workers was “gut wrenching”.
He personally knew one of the men affected.
“Because his contract with Pike River is now null and void he no longer has a job. He has been told he has to find another job over $55,000 otherwise he will need to leave the country.
“He loves this place and doesn’t want to leave. This guy is still getting to grips with losing his workmates and then to have to deal with this … when will it end?”
Mr Monk said he had been working with West Coast MPs to try to get some compassion under the circumstances.”

We wish the men and their families the best of luck with getting some compassion, which they are more than entitled to. We just hope that their impending deportation doesn’t affect their redundancy payments.

You may also find interesting:

Posts tagged: Jobs for Kiwis

Philippines warns citizens against NZ work-to-residence scheme:

“”Philippines consul-general Emilie Shi says Immigration New Zealand is not doing enough to warn would-be applicants about the difficulties of finding a job or telling them that Kiwis will be given preference by employers.
“Immigration New Zealand continues to say what a great place this country is to come live and work in, but they cover up the fact that it is very difficult to find a job here, or that they will be treated as second-class workers under the scheme,” Ms Shi said….”"

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