Her acerbic style and intelligent persistence have earned about equal numbers fans and critics. I am an enthusiastic fan. The importation of large numbers of used cars from Japan has had an immense impact on the car market in New Zealand. Prices of new cars have dropped, and to a large extent, the assembly industry has been drastically reduced. The Serious Fraud Office now allege that importers systematically wound back the odometers as a means of gaining better prices for the imports.
Criminal charges are pending.
Mark Whyte, a sculptor of Christchurch has been commissioned to create a new head from some old marble for the Wellington Statue. The identical Wanganui statue was damaged beyond repair. The Central Regional Health Authority found that a way to reduce costs was to declare its homecare workers to be independent contractors rather than employees. On this basis they could get away with paying less than the minimum wage, and no sick leave or holiday pay. Judge Palmer in the Employment Court upheld the RHA's position last year.