In Brief (Press, 12 October 1989)

On 12 October 1989, various news stories highlighted key issues affecting New Zealand. Minister of Finance Mr Caygill addressed concerns over the economy, stating it was not overheating despite forecasts indicating a rise in inflation rates. He emphasised that the economy was just starting to grow after a significant recession and cautioned that a dramatic shift from economic bust to boom was unlikely to occur overnight. Tragically, the article reported the death of Kathleen Tawaka, a woman who sustained serious injuries in a car accident in Christchurch. She was a front-seat passenger in a taxi mini-bus that collided with a car at the intersection of Manchester Street and St Asaph Street. Tawaka was ejected through the windscreen and succumbed to her injuries while in hospital. In educational matters, the Family Planning Association supported Minister of Women’s Affairs Mrs Shields's call for changes to laws that restricted sex education to individuals under 16. The association's president expressed concern over the confusion in New Zealand regarding "safe sex" education availability. This came amidst a controversy where Customs officers confiscated an educational book titled "Safe Sex — a Modern Girl’s Guide," despite a relevant television programme being aired on the topic. Health Minister Ms Clark revealed that she was considering expanding a hepatitis B blood testing programme to include all children of school age, citing hepatitis B as a significant health issue. She highlighted a current testing programme at Owhata Primary School, which was only free for Māori children, and reiterated her stance against targeting specific ethnic groups for health screenings. In education funding matters, Opposition spokesperson Ms Jenny Shipley reported that redundancies within the Education Board and Education Department were expected to cost NZ$73 million. She raised concerns about current funding shortfalls, which she estimated at NZ$133 million, and indicated that the Minister of Education Mr Goff had claimed no additional funds were available, suggesting that this financial strain would need to be addressed in supplementary estimates. The police issued a warning to women after an indecent assault occurred in Hagley Park late on a Tuesday evening. A cyclist was attacked by a man who stopped her, grabbed her, and exposed himself before fleeing. Detective Senior-Sergeant Colin Dalzell advised the public to avoid walking or cycling through poorly lit areas at night and to travel in groups. Lastly, regarding environmental concerns, Minister of Research, Science and Technology Mr Tizard asserted that New Zealand could not evade growing global pressures related to the greenhouse gas emissions problem. During a meeting with the Coal Research Association, he urged the coal industry to address its harmful emissions and acknowledged that New Zealand would be subject to the same pressures as larger industrialised nations in managing environmental impact.

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