LANGUAGE WEEK: Maori language week -- Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori -- begins next week with a challenge for all New Zealanders to have some fun. Maori Language Week has been going since 1975 to encourage all New Zealanders to use more Maori in their everyday lives. This year Auckland University said it was challenging all staff from absolute beginners to experts to use the language in a safe and fun environment and support efforts to promote the Maori language as "a living language for all New... more>

RECREATION: The National Party is promising to improve access to the great outdoors and preserve the rights of recreational hunters and fishers. The party’s outdoor recreation policy was released tonight by spokesman Eric Roy. "New Zealanders share a unique birthright over their country’s wild and beautiful outdoor areas, and National will make sure that birthright is protected for all New Zealanders," he said. "We will do this by improving access to the outdoors for all Kiwi... more>

EDUCATION: Revelations the government sought costings on a universal tertiary student allowance has re-ignited debate on whether it is a good idea. Student groups have long called for all tertiary students to get an allowance, as is NZ First and Green Party policy. Students argue they are being over-burdened by student loans and the cost of living is high. Tertiary Education Minister Pete Hodgson today confirmed, following a story in the Press newspaper, that he asked officials to look... more>

DRUGS: Research conducted in New Zealand’s main cities shows the culture of drug use has become an intrinsic part of our society, a drug education expert says. The Massey University Illicit Drug Monitoring survey showed overall levels of methamphetamine or P use appeared to be fairly stable, but there was a growing number of heavy users experiencing health and legal problems. "What this research reflects is a transition from epidemic to an endemic problem over the past few years,... more>

DRUGS; Drug users in New Zealand’s three main centres have distinctly different tastes, a new survey has found. Auckland’s "drug of choice" is methamphetamine or `P’, Wellington’s ecstasy, while Christchurch has a "whatever they can get" mentality. The findings are reported in Massey University’s third annual Illicit Drug Monitoring System report. Researchers found that Christchurch users stretched to injection of pharmacy and industrial-use drugs like the... more>

TECHNOLOGY: The hype surrounding the launch of Apple’s 3G iPhone has crashed Vodafone New Zealand’s website and details released today show the new gadget might cost much more than originally thought. The long-awaited device, version two of the initial iPhone launched in the United States a year ago, will be available in New Zealand shops at 12.01am on Friday. Yesterday it was reported the iPhone would cost $199 on a two-year contract. Today, Vodafone released details of the... more>

HEALTH: Maori life expectancy has increased and the health gap between Maori and other New Zealanders is closing, according to one academic. Otago University epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely said while Maori had always experienced poorer health and lower life expectancy than other New Zealanders the gap was closing. "Maori are now living at least 15 years longer than they were immediately after World War 2. "More importantly the gap between Maori and other groups appears to be... more>

HEALTH: Solutions need to be found for the 22 percent of New Zealand families who run out of food because of lack of money, the Public Health Association conference was told today. Auckland University research fellow Delvina Gorton told delegates at the Waitangi meeting her research found plenty of evidence of food "insecurity" but few answers. Ms Gorton conducted research into "food security", which was defined as the assured access to sufficient food that was safe, healthful, culturally... more>

SMOKING: The more teenagers visit shops where cigarettes are on display, the more likely they are to start smoking, new research by anti-smoking organisation ASH says. A survey has been conducted among thousands of students around the country each year since 1999. Last year 27,000 Year 10 students from 238 schools were asked questions which indicated their susceptibility to smoking such as "If your best friend offered you a cigarette, would you smoke it?" and "At any time in the next year... more>

RETIREMENT: Cook Island MPs were asked today to consider opening up their borders so more New Zealanders could retire there. A high level delegation from the Cooks attended Parliament’s foreign affairs, defence and trade committee today as they sought information on select committees and roles of various office holders. The Cooks have a population of roughly 15,000 with about 60,000 living in New Zealand. The country became independent in 1965 but has a special relationship which... more>