New deputy for NZ First
NZ First deputy leader Ron Mark has been rolled by his caucus colleague Fletcher Tabuteau. Tabuteau, 43, has been with the party since the beginning and his Tauranga businessman uncle, Tom Gear, is a close friend of party leader Winston Peters. ’’After careful consideration, the caucus today supported Fletcher Tabuteau to take over the role, and I congratulate him on this appointment as deputy leader,’’ Peters said. ‘‘New Zealand First extends its immense gratitude for the service of Ron Mark as deputy leader. The party recognises Ron is an integral member of the team and we look forward to him playing a key role in the current government in his capacity as Minister of Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs.’’
Warning on ecstasy
A dodgy batch of ecstasy that left 13 people in hospital was likely supplied at a music festival. Health officials sent out a warning on Sunday after nine patients arrived in Christchurch Hospital at the weekend presenting with symptoms and side effects associated with having taken an Mdma-containing substance, more commonly known as ecstasy. Four more patients went to hospital on Monday. The patients were aged between 15 and 27. Detective Inspector Greg Murton said the drugs were most likely supplied at Electric Avenue, held in Hagley Park on Saturday with about 13,000 people attending. He said the pills were ‘‘very easy to conceal’’, leaving organisers little hope of picking them up. Murton said most people taking the drug had ‘‘no idea what’s in it’’. Christchurch Hospital emergency department consultant Dr Suzanne Hamilton said earlier a faulty batch may be responsible as the admissions happened in a short space of time and in one place. ‘‘It reinforces the fact that you can never be sure exactly what is in an illicitly supplied drug, and that the effects on your health can be severe and long-lasting, even fatal.’’
Rabbit virus approved
A rabbit virus to be released across the country, including 100 sites in Otago, is hoped to kill over 40 per cent of the rabbit population. Environment Canterbury applied in November to the Ministry for Primary Industries for approval to introduce and use the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Virus Disease RHDV1-K5 for pest rabbit management. The K5 virus is a Korean variant of a strain that is already in New Zealand. Otago Regional Council (ORC) director environmental monitoring and operations Scott Maclean said the approval of K5 was good news for Otago. ‘‘Rabbits are the number one pest in Otago. Ten rabbits can eat as much grass as one sheep. They are a threat to our biodiversity, not to mention the soil degradation and loss of soil caused by rabbit holes and warrens.’’ ORC will release the virus in Otago in late March or April. The virus will be spread nationally in a coordinated programme.