NEW ZEALAND LEAD:
Environment: Are Kiwi Benefitting From Tory Charity? - A new report detailing the status of New Zealand's national bird, the kiwi, was launched today by Conservation Minister Chris Carter. The report highlights a huge increase in private kiwi conservation efforts around New Zealand, and was launched at Auckland Zoo to mark the end of Bank of New Zealand managing director Peter Thodey's chairmanship of the Bank of New Zealand Save the Kiwi Trust. See... Carter Launches New Report on the Status of Kiwi
Medical: Health Commissioner To Inquire Into Failed Tubal Ligations - Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson has initiated an inquiry into the standard of care provided by Dr Roman Hasil at Wanganui Hospital. The inquiry has been prompted by a complaint to the Commissioner's Office, information provided by Whanganui District Health Board, and community concern about failed tubal ligation procedures undertaken by Dr Hasil. See... Commissioner launches Wanganui inquiry
Sludge Report: RBNZ Raises Interest Rates – But Will It Make A Difference? - From today's Monetary Policy Statement itappears that our Reserve Bank Governor Dr Alan Bollard remains fixated on New Zealand house price inflation... However from this MPS it is also apparent that there is growing recognition inside the bank that there is not a lot it can do about its biggest bugbear. See... Sludge Report #174: RBNZ Remains Housing Fixated (includes full audio of Dr Bollard's Q&A;)
MORE: Scoop Report - Bollard Gives Committee Fiscal Warning RBNZ Press Release - Reserve Bank raises OCR to 7.50 percent RBNZ Full Text - Monetary Policy Statement – 885k PDF Scoop Full Coverage - Reserve Bank Lifts Rates
Entertainment: Help A Kiwi Lass Meet Donald Trump! - The search for Miss Universe New Zealand 2007 is on and this year the public can have their say in who should represent our country internationally.From this year's 24 contestants the winner will depart New Zealand on April 29 to go on to the Miss Universe 2007 pageant in Mexico City May 28th 2007.
Your vote can help the judges make a decision. See... Decide who is the most beautiful woman in NZ
Defence: Are The LAVs Going Down The Toilet? - A minor fault has been found in the Army's fleet of Light Armoured Vehicles (NZLAV) says Defence Minister Phil Goff. However he says that it had not caused any disruption to routine Army activities. "A weld crack on a bracket that connects the steering and suspension to the vehicle's hull, was discovered during maintenance", said Mr Goff. See... Repair to minor fault on LAVs
ALSO:
National - When precisely will the LAVs be deployed? NZ Govt - Mapp's NZLAV comments fatuous National - LAVs ready to go at 'short notice' - really?
Employment: Dyson Helps launch CTU Pay Equity Push "With the gender pay gap hovering at 13%, at current progress we are still many years away from true pay and employment equity for women," CTU vice president Helen Kelly said. Marking International Working Women's Day today, the Council of Trade Unions launched a new DVD resource on Pay and Employment Equity at an event in Wellington last evening. See... Union Launches Pay Equity DVD With Fanfare
Obesity: Slim Chance Of Waste Says Ministry – Eat That Says Govt To Nat MP - The Government's recent $76 million investment in a variety of initiatives to curb the obesity epidemic will be well monitored and evaluated to allow planners to better focus on future programmes. See... Obesity Epidemic Initiatives well monitored
ALSO: National Would you write a cheque for $76m? NZ Govt - Coleman's disgrace
Women's Affairs: 30th International Women's Day - On Thursday 8th March Amnesty International groups around New Zealand and the globe will be celebrating International Women's Day with infostalls, appeals and candle-lit vigils. Activist groups will be lighting 180 candles, signifying both 30 years of UN recognition of International Women's Day and the 150th Anniversary of the first known industrial protest organised by women on 8 March 1857. See... 30 years of International Women's Day
ALSO: Scoop Full Coverage - Women's Day 2007
Internet: NZ-Designed Search Engine Mentioned In Dispatches - An Internet search engine designed by Wellington campus digital media specialist Mark Zeman has been voted one of the world’s top 100 alternative search engines – the only one from New Zealand to make the list. The list of alternatives to the world’s most popular search engine, Google, was assembled by Read/WriteWeb, a leading blog that analyses trends in web development. See... Search engines emerge from Google's shadow
ALSO:
Scoop Link - Read/WriteWeb: Top 100 Alternative Search Engines, February 2007
No Right Turn: Nats' $1.25 Billion Carbon Credit Giveaway - At a meeting in Christchurch yesterday, National Party leader John Key announced that a National government would deliver a carbon windfall to forest owners by hand out carbon credits for all forests planted since 1990... it's an idea that makes a lot of sense if you view climate change policy primarily as a way of delivering corporate welfare to business interests. See... No Right Turn: National's $1.25 billion giveaway
ALSO: NZ Govt - Key stumbles with policy on the hoof NZ Govt - Key promises the earth again National - Anderton attempts to distract from carbon fiasco National - Climate change consultation needs to be longer National - Get your cheque book out for roaming rights KFA - Anderton’s Personal Attacks Can’t Disguise Crisis KFA - South Island Set To Lose $2.7 Billion KFA - National Party Signals on Kyoto Forests Welcomed NZ Forest Owners' Association - National, Green & ACT forest policies welcomed
Global Warming: Opinion - Robert Anderson: Humanity’s Greatest Challenge
Land Access: Walking Access Report Released - The independent report on walking access provides a blueprint for the way forward on an extremely complex and longstanding issue, Rural Affairs Minister Damien O'Connor says. The report, released publicly by Mr O'Connor today, was prepared by an independent panel of stakeholders representing farmers, recreational and other interest groups, and led by South Island farmer John Acland. See... Walking access report a blueprint for way forward
ALSO: Scoop Link - Full Report and Info: www.walkingaccess.org.nz Bryce Johnson - Minority view: Walking Access Consultation Panel NZ Govt - Walking Access Report - Questions and Answers NZ Govt - Access over Maori land a decision for landowners United Future - Walking Access Report a source of encouragement United Future - Copeland: You cannot be serious David?! National - Labour backs down on public access National - Get your cheque book out for roaming rights Greens - Access report: questions unanswered - Greens Maori Party - Supports Govt backdown – but Contradiction Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations - Land Access Report Welcomed But Timid Fish and Game New Zealand - Land Access Report Welcomed as a Good Start Federation Of Maori Authorities - Outdoor Walking Access a welcome review Waiareka Valley Preservation Society - Marsden B an inconvenient truth for Holcim to face
NEWS HEADLINES: Peters offers condolences after plane crash Inquiry Update - Taito Phillip Field Police: Ex-Tall Fern Graduates Top Of Class Electronic Monitoring Welcomed Lloyd Jones awarded Berlin Writers’ Residency
Electricity: Mighty River Opts Out On Marsden B - Mighty River Power has decided not to proceed with seeking the consents necessary to enable recommissioning of the Marsden B power station, following a review of the company's potential generation developments and future market conditions. Chief Executive Doug Heffernan said the company was now confident New Zealand could meet its energy supply requirements over the next decade without the Marsden B station. See... Marsden B consent plans discontinued
ALSO: NZ Govt - Minister welcomes Marsden B decision Greens - Mighty River Power sees the light - at last National - Marsden B scrapped over policy uncertainty Greenpeace New Zealand - Climate the winner as Marsden B scrapped
Internet: Broadband Connections Keep On Growing - Internet broadband (non-analog) subscriber numbers continue to increase, and are up nearly 30 percent in the six months to 30 September 2006, Statistics New Zealand said today. The total number of Internet subscribers in New Zealand is now almost 1.4 million. See... Kiwis Continue to Embrace Broadband
RECOMMENDED AUDIO:
KiwiFM Audio: NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark is scheduled to meet with US President George Bush on March 20. Is New Zealand about to increase its involvement in Afghanistan, in the Persian Gulf, in containment operations in Central-Asia, and in this US-led War On Terror?
KiwiFM Audio: Former Police Minister John Banks talks to KiwiFM's Wallace about why Clint Rickards, recently acquitted of rape charges, must not be reinstated as Assistant Police Commissioner and in charge of the Auckland Police District.
Fringe Update: 'Best Production Design' Show For Return Season - Fresh from a successful season during the Fringe Festival, the award-winning play Brain Power returns to the BATS stage for one last brief return season in March. Written and directed by Dean Hewison, the show is a strikingly inventive and hilarious film-noir styled comedy set in the darkest regions of the human brain and featuring a massive cast of 17 actors. See... Brain Power Returns
ALSO: Brain Power press release Fringe Festival - Best of the Fringe Festival 2007 announced Scoop Full Coverage - Fringe 07
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The amount of subscribers to broadband in New Zealand have increased 30%, which also results in New Zealand jumping from 22 place to 19 in the OECD rankings, and having a total of 1.4 million Internet subscribers.

In a six-monthly survey by Statistics New Zealand, Internet Service Provider Survey, covering the six months prior to September 30, 2006, the amount of non-analog broadband subscribers reached 28.6%, more than the previous survey conducted the previous year, reaching a total of 611,600. There are currently 14.7 broadband subscribers per 100 people in New Zealand, previously nine.

Because of the increase in broadband subscribers, dial-up subscribers have dropped 5.1% since the start of April, 2006. Chief executive of ihug, an Internet service provider, Mark Rushworth said that dial-up will always have its place.

Out of all the broadband subscribers, 97.6% have a data cap, which limits the amount of monthly downloading that can occur, usually measured in multiples of gigabytes. 66.6% of all those who do have a data cap, have a limit of up to 5 gigabytes. Which the Internet Society of New Zealand's (InternetNZ) executive director, Keith Davidson, said was disappointing.

The increase in broadband subscribers rose the position of New Zealand from 22 to 19 on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) rankings for broadband uptake, dated June, 2006.

InternetNZ, has said that they welcome the survey saying that it is a good improvement, but "...with 60 percent of DSL subscribers having download speeds of less than 256Kbps and 90 percent having upload speeds of less than 256Kbps, we have a long way to go before New Zealanders are able to experience the full potential of broadband." InternetNZ also says that it will be hard for New Zealand to reach the targets set out by the Government's "Digital Strategy".

Mr Davidson said that the main reason for the uptake in broadband is the better plans and pricing for the plans.

In the 18-months leading up to the end of September, 2006, 34% of ISP's had reported that the regulatory environment had been restricting their growth.