This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 7 media release snippets and 4 links of the day from Monday 22nd June.
Top stories in the current news cycle include ongoing coverage of the impact and extent of adverse and extreme weather, especially the flooding in Whanganui, reportage alleging a high percentage of scientists consider they are being ‘gagged’ from speaking out on issues publicly, and the Chief Coroner’s criticism of police and psychologists involved in the case of Dunedin man Edward Livingstone, who killed his children before turning a shotgun on himself.
SNIPPETS OF THE DAY
* Politics
Swamp Kauri Shamble Continues: Further evidence that the Ministry of Primary Industries may have been negligent in its implementation of the Forests Act 1949, including confusing diameter and circumference measurements, means a moratorium on swamp kauri mining and exports is urgent, says the Green Party.
Prove Refugee Numbers Says Greens: The Green Party is challenging John Key to produce a breakdown of numbers for his claim that New Zealand accepts 3000 to 4000 refugees a year, despite Ministry of Immigration numbers showing otherwise.
* Business
Interest In A2 Take Over: A2 Milk Co, the dual-listed milk marketing company, has received an expression of interest from two associated trade parties keen on taking over the company, which may force the firm to shelve a planned capital raising. The shares jumped to an 11-month high.
Jobs Secure Following Safe Air Sale: Air New Zealand said it wasn’t expecting any job losses as a result of the sale of its Safe Air engineering subsidiary to European aerospace giant Airbus Group.
* Primary Industries
Freshwater Fish On Calenders: NIWA researchers have produced a series of calendars to inform people when New Zealand’s native freshwater and sport fish are migrating and spawning. It is the first time the information has been available in one place and, although it was designed to assist the forestry industry minimise the effects of their business on key freshwater fish species, NIWA hopes it will be used by anyone wanting to carry out work near freshwater.
* General
Volunteers Working With Prisoners: Every week hundreds of members of the public voluntarily go to prison because they want to make a difference with offenders. Corrections has 2,000 registered volunteers and each year they make around 20,000 visits to New Zealand’s prisons to work with prisoners.
Sponge Round Approved: An Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation has endorsed the way in which the Police used a new tactical option, known as a ‘sponge round’, when they were faced with apprehending an aggressive and threatening man.
LINKS OF THE DAY
CHINA TOPS VISITOR ARRIVALS: Visitor arrivals to New Zealand numbered 176,700 in May 2015, up 10 percent on May 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today. This was driven by more visitors from China. See statistics here: http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/Migration/IntTravelAndMigration_HOTPMay15.aspx
CHRISTCHURCH RETAIL SALES CONTINUE TO RISE: Retail and hospitality sales in Christchurch city continue to rise, Statistics New Zealand said today. Sales for the March 2015 quarter were $1.9 billion, a 5.4 percent increase compared with the same quarter in 2014. This compares with an increase of 5.1 percent at the national level. Visit Christchurch Retail Trade Indicator – March 2015 quarter here: http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors/RetailTrade/ChristchurchRetailTradeIndicator_HOTPMar15qtr.aspx
CAN NUTRIENTS TREAT MENTAL ILLNESS: Nutrients may be able to treat ADHD, bipolar disorder, anxiety, stress and PTSD according to University of Canterbury (UC) Professor Julia Rucklidge, who will speak at a public lecture in Christchurch this Wednesday. Register online for this free event at http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/wiw/.
DRONE DELIVERY TRIAL A SUCCESS: Continuing Fastway Couriers’ commitment to technology and innovation, the friendly courier experts have invested in Flirtey, the world’s first commercial aerial delivery service, marking the beginning of an exciting collaboration. Fastway and Flirtey recently successfully trialled their first drone parcel delivery in Auckland, transporting auto parts from the Fastway office in Penrose to the TR Group headquarters in Mount Wellington, a trip over factories and traffic clogged roads delivering car parts. See the journey in this video:
And that’s our sampling of the day that was on Monday 22nd June 2015.
