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Specialist lifting equipment is being used to clear the wreckage of a crash on the Desert Road in the central North Island.
Police say at least one person is dead after a car and truck collided north of Waiouru this morning. Inspector Marty Parker says crash investigators are at the scene.
State Highway 1 is closed between Waiouru and Rangipo and traffic diversions are in place.
Dairies and small shops may soon face the prospect of not being able to sell alcohol, but a South Auckland community wants the rules to go even further.
The High Court in Christchurch has rejected an appeal for a convenience store to have its licence renewed. The ruling could set a precedent for other small shops around the country.
The residents of Clendon in South Auckland are staging a protest this afternoon over a decision which saw a fruit and vege shop converted into a bottle shop. Clendon community support group chairwoman Waina Emery says they want a law change which would allow locals to have a say in licensing decisions.
Ms Emery says the community was mobilised by safety issues which arise when liquor stores crop up in shopping centres.
The Auckland District Health Board says it is no busier this winter than last, despite emergency departments in Northland being flooded with people presenting with flu-like symptoms.
While swine flu numbers nationally are down on last year, admissions for winter illnesses hit a high for the year last week, with nearly 2,000 people visiting hospitals.
In Northland, Whangarei emergency department clinical leader Scott Cameron says his team has been overloaded with cases and it was very uncomfortable in terms of staffing and space. Last year, people with the flu were kept away from hospitals but this year more patients presenting with the illness.
The Alcohol Advisory Council says the law was never set up to intentionally allow liquor stores to sell alcohol and the days of picking up a six-pack and a packet of chips from the local convenience store could be numbered.
The High Court in Christchurch has set a precedent by ruling that only genuine grocery stores can have liquor licences.
ALAC CEO Gerard Vaughan welcomes the move. He believes the licensing of convenience stores has become too far removed from the intent of the Sale of Liquor Act.
"Businesses that are in the business of selling convenience-type products, like chips and chocolate, don't meet the definition of a grocery store.
Mr Vaughan says another problem with the current situation is that people are going to bars and pubs, then ducking out to pick up cheap booze from local 24-hour stores.
"They then try to get back into the clubs when they've had lot more to drink and that does contribute to a lot of harm."
Mr Vaughan says the court ruling is a good decision.
The statistic that 40 percent of sex crimes in New Zealand are committed against children under the age of 11, is being used to highlight an ongoing campaign.
Body Shop and ECPAT Child Alert have launched the second stage of a three-year global campaign to stop the sexual abuse of children and young people.
The groups conducted a global survey which ranked countries according to their performance in actively preventing the sexual exploitation of children. New Zealand is among 56 percent of countries which have made "some progress", but falls short of demonstrating "notable" progress.
ECPAT Child Alert says few people know the extent of the problem at home, which leaves children at risk of more abuse.
Gael Ludlow, every Weekend on Easy Mix.
Gael's working in the weekends to make sure you're relaxing, informed and entertained. Send her a text to 9611 and say hi!
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