Across the Ditch: NZ Dollar Climbs More + Icy Blast Hits NZ + McCahon Record Sale for NZ

Across the Ditch: Australian radio FiveAA.com.au’s Peter Godfrey and EveningReport.nz’s Selwyn Manning deliver their weekly bulltin Across the Ditch. This week they discuss how the Kiwi dollar continues to climb against all its major trading partners + A southerly icy blast has hit most of New Zealand bringing snow flurries over much of the South Island and also the North Island’s Central Plateau region, closing roads and uprooting trees. Also, a Colin McCahon painting sold this week for a record price in New Zealand. First up: Weather comparison Headlines roundup ITEM ONE: Kiwi Dollar Continues Its Climb NZ Dollar continues to climb against major trading partners, including against the soaring Aussie dollar. If South Australians are planning a skiing holiday this month in Queenstown, the snow will be good but the Kiwi dollar will not give you much of a cash injection. ITEM TWO: Freezing Winter Blast Hits All NZ Islands The last big icy breath of winter is sweeping over both main islands bringing snow to most of the South Island and down to 500 meters above sea level in the North Island. The wind-chill factor is causing concerns for farmers as the polar blast threatens livestock including thousands of new-born lambs. And this coming season’s horticulture and viticulture sectors could be hit if this weather system is backed by blistering frosts. ITEM THREE: Colin McCahon Painting Sells For Record $1,350,000.00 A painting by Kiwi artist, the late Colin McCahon, sold Wednesday night for $1,350,000. That’s a record for the most expensive painting ever sold at auction in New Zealand. The painting is known as The Canoe Tainui and was being auctioned on behalf of the estate of Tim and Sherrah Francis. The late Tim Francis, who was a former NZ permanent representative to the United Nations and ambassador to the USA. According to the NZ Herald, Tim Francis once wrote about the moment he first spotted the painting: “It was stunning, lyrical, subtle, glowing … You know, up to that point, I had been – apprehensive I think is the word – about Pakeha taking Maori objects, symbols, even history, and making it into something of their own. But this was not like that. The words, the names, were handled reverently. The whole feel of the painting was one of honouring Maori, acclaiming Maori culture … here is a profoundly expressive celebration of Maori identity, Maori nationality.” See also: NZHerald.co.nz. By the way, the painting was bought in 1969 for $550.00. Across the Ditch broadcasts live each week on FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz, LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.]]>