The CEO, Tony Marryatt announced that he would decline a $68,000 pay rise after previously explaining he had earned the increase in pay. There was an uproar from locals who protested outside the council buildings disgusted with the fact that he was happy to pay himself more when there were many people homeless.

After the meeting, Smith announced the Government had decided to appoint former Local Government New Zealand chairman Kerry Marshall as a Crown observer to assist the council.  Kerry Marshalls job is to advise Mayor Bob Parker and CEO Tony Marryatt and report back to Smith when required.

The landslide struck during the morning near the Nogoli base for an ExxonMobil-led liquefied natural gas plant site, north-west of Port Moresby. Exxon has been in the area for some time now and employ many staff.

One local said three villages have been covered while another report says only a handful of homes were lost. Its difficult to determine the exact number of lives lost or the level of damage that has occurred.

There has also been reports that the main road in the area has been cut causing additional trouble for rescuers and locals who want to help.

Radio Australia said dozens of people are feared buried, quoting a Tari resident as saying about 40 people are missing however these numbers are still to be confirmed.

It also said the land slide stretches about one kilometre and is 300 metres wide. This is a significant slip and is likely due to the persistent rain that has been falling in the region. Fiji is currently experiencing heavy flooding after several days of rain.

The company says the landslide is not expected to hinder the A$16 billion (NZ$20.7b) LNG project’s completion in 2014. For leading national and international news, log onto Newsy.co.nz

Foreign Minister Commends Julia Tijaja’s High Performance In Extrenal Trade

Minister of Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Immigration Patterson Oti last night highly commended Julia Tijaja for her exceptional performance with Solomon Islands government in the area of external trade.

Ms Tijaja of Indonesia joined the External Trade Division as the Trade Policy Analyst for the last two years.

Mr Oti said Julia has worked on many challenging trade related issues facing the Solomon Islands for the last two difficult years where trade has been and will continue to be in the forefront of global, sub regional and at multi-level debate.

“Julia has become essentially an integral part of the Trade Division as well as a very close friend to all of us.

“The commitment, enthusiasm and professionalism she has displayed in the conduct of her duties are outstanding.

“I am sure that all of us that have worked with Julia will agree with me or vouch for that,” Mr Oti said.

Julia’s two years contribution to the people and Government of the Solomon Islands was categorized into four areas.

Within the External Trade Division, Mr Oti said Julia’s advice is of the highest quality and professionalism.

“Your efforts in trying to impart the necessary knowledge and skills to your counterparts in the Trade Division have been remarkable.

“I am fully aware of the high level of professionalism and work behavior you have instilled in the minds of my staff, especially those whom you have daily demonstrated the high performance of duties that earned the Trade Division new heights of achievements,” Mr Oti said.

At the inter-agency, Julia was heavily involved in trying to get the relevant government departments informed on trade issues at the national and regional levels and the need to cooperate to develop the country’s positions.

“There is still a lot of work to be done at this front but the work you began is a good start,” Oti said.
At the private sector level, representatives of the private sector have also expressed great appreciation on the way Julia have endeavored to get them involved in ensuring their interests are taken into consideration when forming Solomon Islands position at both regional and multilateral trade negotiations.

The Minister said Julia’s efforts in ensuring the timely and well argued nature of the country’s delegation briefings in regional meetings and other trade related issues that Solomon Islands was required to comment on has also been outstanding.

He said many regional country colleagues have commented on the unwavering commitment and position Julia often took when she represented Solomon Islands in regional meetings.

Julia during her time was also actively involved in developing the Integrated Framework (IF) for Solomon Islands in relation to external trade issues.

In recognition of her outstanding performances and in depth knowledge of Solomon Islands trade development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has nominated her to be the Solomon Islands Diagnostic Trade Integrated Study Team Leader for the next phase of the Integrated Framework Project.

“You have indeed left your mark in the Solomon Islands and the commitment and passion you have towards your work is a challenge to our young people in the Ministry and most especially within the External Trade Division,” Mr Oti remarked.

She was placed by Daniel Hetherington who officially resumed duty on August 27.

Julia will depart Solomon Islands on September1

“t will be very difficult for me to say goodbye to the Hapi Isles, the Pacific and Solomon Islands especially, will always have a special place in my heart,” she said.

The most lucrative prize for science ever offered in New Zealand has been created with the Prime minister’s Science Prize offering to a scientist or team working on groundbreaking research in New Zealand.

The suite of prizes unveiled by the Prime Minister at Plant & Food Research total $1 million and also reward an emerging scientist, a science teacher, a secondary school student and a person with a scientific background pursuing science media communication. Victoria University’s John Watt, the winner of the MacDiarmid Young Scientist of the Year award sees himself also become the first recipient of the MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist prize, which comes with $150,000.

Of particular interest to journalists and their editors will be the $150,000 science media communication prize which will “support the recipient to carry out a programme of activities to further their understanding of the media communication sector and to develop skills that will make them an effective science media communicator in the future”.

The prize seemed designed to upskill a scientist to become a good science communicator capable of engaging actively with the media and seems like a good opportunity for a scientist to team up with media organisations to co-develop science coverage, In that respect, it is potentially a big boost for science in the media. Full details here.

The future of the science system

The Ministry of Research, Science and Technology has called for feedback on its priorities for science and technology in New Zealand which outlines everything from the investment structure in science to the priority areas of research.

There’s a fairly tight turn-around for feedback with a November 18 deadline for submissions. According to the schedule published in the document, plans for a revised investment structure in Vote RS&T will be presented to Cabinet in January.

Folic acid research shows low risk

New Research from Britain’s Food Standards Agency has backed up claims from local experts that folic acid fortification of bread does not pose a substantial cancer risk.

The agency found: “The new evidence does not provide a substantial basis to change [the] previous recommendation for the introduction of mandatory fortification” of bread flour.”

As the Herald points out today, the paper, which follows research highlighted by the University of Otago’s Dr Murray Skeaff during the height of the folic acid debate, brings into question the Government’s decision to defer its folate fortification plan to 2012.

Australia went ahead with mandatory fortification of bread with folate last month and this month bakers here were instructed to add iodised salt to bread.

Meanwhile, John Forman, executive director of the New Zealand Organisation for Rare Disorders is progressing with a Broadcasting Standards Authority complaint against TVNZ for its coverage of the folate issue. TVNZ’s complaints committee has already investigate the claims. Its conclusion: “The Complaints Committee has not identified any breach of the relevant standards and accordingly declines to uphold your complaint”.

Three

Workers on the Maritime Union picket line at the Port of Napier were told early this morning that tens of thousands of dollars of solidarity donations were flooding in from around the world.

A hardship fund is being set up to look after the workers, many of whom are casual workers, as they face a tough Christmas.

A round the clock picket has been held since 6am Saturday and will continue until resolution of the dispute.

Rain has not dampened the spirit of the workers who are receiving strong support from local people.

Groups of workers have been arriving from around North Island ports today to relieve the picket line.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says some local workers have spent nearly every waking hour on the picket line, and have been told by the Union to go home and get some rest.

“The level of commitment here is incredible.”

Mr Hanson says the workers have the full support of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) that represents millions of workers around the world.

“The ITF have identified the Port of Napier as a port that is attacking secure jobs, and this is already having a major effect on shipping in the port.”

Mediation takes place today in Napier between the Union and management.

Manchester, NH – Freelance reporter Matt Lepacek, reporting for Infowars.com, was arrested for asking a question to one of Giuliani’s staff members in a press conference. The press secretary identified the New York based reporter as having previously asked Giuliani about his prior knowledge of WTC building collapses and ordered New Hampshire state police to arrest him.

Jason Bermas, reporting for Infowars and America: Freedom to Fascism, confirmed Lepacek had official CNN press credentials for the Republican debate. However, his camera was seized by staff members who shut off the camera, according to Luke Rudkowski, also a freelance Infowars reporter on the scene. He said police physically assaulted both reporters after Rudkowski objected that they were official members of the press and that nothing illegal had taken place. Police reportedly damaged the Infowars-owned camera in the process.

Reporters were questioning Giuliani staff members on a variety of issues, including his apparent ignorance of the 9/11 Commission Report, according to Bermas. The staff members accused the reporters of Ron Paul partisanship, which press denied. It was at this point that Lepacek, who was streaming a live report, asked a staff member about Giuliani’s statement to Peter Jennings that he was told beforehand that the WTC buildings would collapse.

Giuliani’s press secretary then called over New Hampshire state police, fingering Lepacek.

Though CNN staff members tried to persuade police not to arrest the accredited reporter– in violation of the First Amendment, Lepacek was taken to jail. The police station told JonesReport.com that Lepacek is being charged with felony criminal trespass. Multiple witnesses on the scene reported that the state police were also heard discussing charges of espionage.

Wearing a webcam at a press event is not an act of espionage. Alex Jones, who was watching the live feed, witnessed Lepacek announce that he was wearing a camera connected to a laptop that was transmitting the press conference live at approximately 9:20 EST. When Lepacek announced that he was broadcasting live, Giuliani staff members responded by getting upset at his questions and ordering his arrest.

Freedom to Fascism reporter Samuel Ettaro was also dragged out after asking a question on Giuliani’s ties with Cintra and Macquerie, two foreign contractors involved with the contentious Trans-Texas Corridor under development in Texas.

The entire incident took place in a large press auditorium, apart from the debate stages where authorized media were able to question candidates and their handlers.

Since when do campaign operatives have the power to order state police to arrest someone on false charges or arbitrate who has the right to conduct journalism, a right guarded by the Constitution?

A warning to the press– if candidates or police don’t like your questions, you could be arrested for trespassing and even espionage in the new Orwellian America.

The state police in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where the arrest was made, confirmed that Lepacek is in custody on charges of criminal trespass. Police said information on who filed the trespass complaint was not yet available and would be filed in the police report.

It is clear from talking to multiple eyewitness, as well as the live webcam, that there could not have been a complainant who originated police action, because it happened spontaneously. The police need to be very careful about violating the Bill of Rights and falsely charging someone with a felony crime. This constitutes extreme official oppression and is a total violation of the reporter’s civil rights. It would have been bad enough if the reporter would have just been thrown out, but to arrest him when he had a valid press pass and CNN protested his arrest is an outrage.

The arrest– which clearly violated the First Amendment– was recorded from two separate camera angles, including a live feed recorded remotely– so the episode is on record in the event that police destroy or lose tapes seized from Lepacek in attempt to obfuscate the facts of the incident.

If you doubt that police would assault reporters, seize video equipment and act on political orders, then consider the experience Alex Jones had when Texas state troopers arrested him for asking George W. Bush a question during a press conference while he was governor. See video below.

Reporters Matt Lepacek and Luke Rudkowski, both members of WeAreChange.org, as well as freelance reporters for Infowars.com, have also been previously accused– falsely– of being terrorists with bombs and have undergone multiple episodes of harassment during peaceful demonstrations and attempts at exercising the right of free press.

Luke Rudkowski and Jason Bermas contributed to this report.

But in the text of the declaration and the associated speeches from Clinton, Prime Minister John Key and foreign affairs minister Murray McCully, there were brief mentions of increased cooperation on science-related issues.
Clinton, in her speech, referenced the “high science of the Antarctica” noting the that “Kiwi and American scientists are hard at work… studying samples of sediment and ice to understand how greenhouse gases may have effected glaciers in the past and giving us a glimpse of how climate change could affect us in the future”.

The focus on Antarctic research was a clear reference to ANDRILL, the Antarctic geological drilling project which New Zealand researchers are heavily involved in alongside scientists from the US and numerous other countries.

Murray McCully said experts from both countries would “meet regularly”: “There’s no point in working in isolation on issues like climate change, or non-proliferation and disarmament,” he said.

He also said the Wellington Declaration would see New Zealand and the US work on “practical projects” in the Pacific, in areas like “renewable energy and natural disaster readiness and response”. No detail was given on exactly what sort of science-related collaboration may result from the Wellington Declaration in areas like climate science. However, the US and New Zealand are part of the Global Research Alliance, a worldwide effort being spearheaded by New Zealand scientists to find ways of reducing emissions from agricultural production.

Earlier this year a three-day Global Research Alliance meeting in Wellington set the agenda for the work programme for the group which features 29 nations and significant commitments of research funding.

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union says ACC Minister Nick Smith and his handpicked board chair, John Judge, are being deliberately misleading in their assessment of ACC’s financial situation in order to undermine the scheme.

The call is in response to the Minister and the ACC Chair’s scaremongering today over the scheme’s future.

EPMU national secretary Andrew says the figures are based on deliberate accounting trickery.

The Minister of ACC and the Chair of the Board are being deliberately misleading when they claim that the cost of multiple future years’ ACC should be funded out of existing reserves.

“This is a softening up exercise to try and slash ACC and at the same time increase levies on workers and employers.

“The figures provided by John Judge, a Business Roundtable member and senior partner of one of the world’s largest accounting firms, Ernst & Young, refers to estimates of future costs and talks about them as if they should be funded in a single year.

“This is akin to saying that a person’s mortgage should be paid out of a single year’s income.

“This is a blatant accounting sleight of hand, and in the nearly forty years that ACC has been operating it has never done this.

“ACC was set up to make sure that people harmed at work or injured in their own time didn’t suffer the lottery and the indignity of personal injury lawsuits and this principle must remain intact.”

The EPMU is New Zealand’s largest private-sector union, representing 45,000 workers across eleven industries.

The latest round of United Nations-sponsored global climate change negotiations began today in Accra, Ghana, bringing together more than 1,600 participants to discuss future greenhouse gas emission reduction targets ahead of a major summit set for 2009.

Government delegates from 160 countries and representatives from business and industry, environmental organizations and research institutions are attending the one-week meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The Accra meeting is part of a series of UN-sponsored talks in the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009.

The aim of the negotiations is to create a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol, with first-round commitments ending in 2012, on greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

“Parties meeting under the Kyoto Protocol must swiftly reach agreement on the rules and tools that will be available to developed countries to meet future emission reduction targets,” said UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer.

“This is essential because the toolbox will in turn determine the level of ambition of developed countries when setting their new targets,” he added.

At the Accra meeting, which was opened by Ghana’s President, John Agyekum Kufuor, participants will discuss, among other things, policies and incentives to reduce emissions from deforestation – which accounts for 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions – and forest degradation in developing countries.

Also, for the first time, there will be a joint discussion on both the finance and technology needed to limit emissions and adapt to climate change. “Parties will look not only at what is needed in terms of funding, but also at how funding should be generated in the context of a new international deal, and precisely what technologies are required,” said Mr. de Boer.

“The debate will also give an indication of the infrastructure needed to implement a shared vision in the areas of finance, technology and capacity building,” he stated.

The previous round of UN-sponsored negotiations was held in Bonn, Germany, in June. Another set of talks is scheduled to be held in Poznan, Poland, from 1 to 12 December.

The National Party have released their long awaited anti social welfare policy to the theme of ‘Back to the Past’.

“The 1990s is back and today the National Party showed how bereft they really are of new ideas,” said Ruth Dyson Minister for Social Development.

Their policy will: