NZQA Reports Out New CEO Appointed – David Butcher Sentenced – Primary Schools – Current Account – Rapist Teacher Dies – Goldmine Death – Horse Kiss Offer Refused
NZQA REPORTS OUT: Three reports released today strongly criticise the NZQA over payments made to its former CEO Dr Blackmur. Dr Blackmur received $160,000 before tax. Crown Law says the termination clause was not legally imposed even though the NZQA claims it was.
NZQA CEO: Dr Norman Kingsley has been appointed as new NZQA CEO.
DAVID BUTCHER: Former Labour cabinet minister David Butcher has been ordered to pay $9200 reparation and fined the maximum $10,000 after being found guilty of travel claims fraud.
PRIMARY SCHOOLS: Principals of primary schools may boycott a new national assessment test for primary schools if it is not considered acceptable. The government announced a pilot for the test yesterday.
CURRENT ACCOUNT: Statistics NZ says the current account deficit has deteriorated significantly. It has worsened $600 million from the previous quarter and is now at 6.3% of GDP.
RAPIST TEACHER DIES: A teacher who was convicted of raping and abusing several female pupils has died three years into his jail sentence at Waikeria Prison.
GOLDMINE DEATH: Police say a worker at the Waihi gold-mine has been crushed to death in an underground accident with a crane.
HORSE KISS OFFER REFUSED: A man accused of punching
a horse on the nose has gone on trial after the New York
police refused to accept a “kiss and make up”
offer.