Hawke’s Bay – NGC Loss – Power Crisis – Avalanche – Slashing Ritual – Refugee Air Lift – Surfing USA With Sharks

HAWKE’S BAY: Hawkes Bay farmers have suffered huge lamb losses in the recent cold blast. Freezing temperatures were too cold for lambs at the height of the lambing season. Over 10,000 dead lambs will cost around $750,000. However the tanner is doing well collecting many more pelts than usual.

NGC LOSS: The Natural Gas Corporation has called a $300 million exploration of electricity retailing a disaster. The decision to buy Transalta was fundamentally flawed say analysts. NGC was forced to sell all its retail customers as a result of the power crisis. NGC has posted a $301 million loss for the year, mostly comprised of a $311 million abnormal loss from its foray into the electricity market. NGC was formed as an SOE in 1987. The country expects to move back to profitability quickly.

POWER CRISIS: The Government has revealed it has a plan in place in case we miss the 10% for ten weeks target and the crisis deepens. Auckland school children have been enlisted today in the campaign to save power. The storm battered the savings average down to 5.2% today. NZers have held back power usage, but not enough. Contingency plans include cutting back hot water says Hodgson. We are trying to avoid them but.

AVALANCHE: The Mountain Safety Council is condemning the actions of a man killed in an off piste avalanche. There were prime conditions for avalanches with fresh snow on top of a crust. Mates mourned the loss of their friend today. Both indicator boards on the mountain warned of the danger.

SLASHING RITUAL: Auckland police had warned the organisers of a Muslim stomach slashing ritual not to do it . A forty year old Muslim male is in hospital following the ceremony. The priest who wielded the knife was the elder brother of the victim who had flown into the country recently. Police say permission was sought to conduct the ceremony. They were told not to perform the ceremony. The family refused to speak to the media today. Most of the Auckland Muslim community do not recognise the ceremony. The man who is the victim is undergoing emergency surgery tonight for an infection.

REFUGEE AIR LIFT: An Australian airforce airlift has been called in to move asylum seekers from Christmas Island to Port Headland more are expected on the island shortly. The opposition leader Kim Beazley says more needs to be done at the real front line – by the coastguard.

SURFING USA WITH SHARKS: Americans are risking life and limb taking to the surf in the US say life guards after a rash of attacks.

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Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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