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Executive Producer
BRIAN SWEENEY
brian@nzedge.com
　

Don't dream it's over 
A new album and world tour by Crowded House, has made headlines across the globe. According to chief songwriter Neil Finn, he and bass player Nick Seymour have been considering regrouping since the tragic death of drummer Paul Hester in 2004. "It just feels like something good and true," says Finn, "We sought each other out in the shadow of Paul's passing. That helped us reconnect and gave me a reminder of what bands are and what they bring." The new album is titled Time on Earth and will be launched - along with the world tour - at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in California this April. Finn and Seymour will be joined by keyboardist Mark Hart and are currently auditioning for a new drummer in Melbourne. "It feels right to us that the band should re-emerge at this time and together with Mark Hart we look forward to reconnecting with the audience that we established and for whom we still hold a deep respect," says Finn. 
(26 January 2007)
　

Designer of the moment 
NZ fashion newcomer Cybèle Wiren (of label Cybèle) has caught the attention of international media with her Winter 2007 "Blue Blood" collection, first shown at last year's Air New Zealand Fashion Week. Runway Reporter.com called it "original, clever, pretty, sexy and very much of the moment" and Nylon magazine praised it as "the sort of stuff Debbie Harry would be proud to rock." Back home, Cybèle is this year's guest designer at Dunedin's Vodafone ID Fashion Show and joins Kate Sylvester, Karen Walker, Zambesi, Trelise Cooper and Ruby in providing a t-shirt print for Glassons' annual Breast Cancer Research Trust fundraising project. 
(2 February 2007)

　

This is NZ: Take two 
A NZ film made over 30 years ago has won an award at the prestigious New York Festivals Film and Video Competition. This is NZ was originally screened at the Expo 70 in Osaka, Japan, where it was viewed by more than two million visitors. The remastered edition won a Bronze World Medal in the festival's special venue film section, which was accepted by NZ's ambassador to the UN Rosemary Banks. "This award is a great credit to all those involved in both the making and recent remastering of the film," said Archives Minister Judith Tizard. The original film has not been available for public viewing for over 30 years because three projectors were required to screen it. Wellington's Park Road Post Production facility restored and remastered the film using a digital intermediate process so the three images can now be screened using one projector. 
(3 February 2007)

　

Rev Cardy on breaking the language barrier 
The Rev Glynn Cardy of Auckland's progressive Anglican church, St Matthew-in-the-City, recommends an overhaul of traditional liturgy in an opinion piece for the Guardian. Cardy believes that the gendered language and sometimes archaic metaphors used in the Book of Common Prayer and the more contemporary Common Worship risk alienating new worshippers, and are in drastic need of an update. He uses the NZ Prayer Book, produced in the 1980s, as an example of positive change: "Despite initial fears that it would stifle creativity, this has not proved to be the case. Rather the book has inspired people to become more liturgically imaginative … The motivation behind such liturgical change is primarily to communicate truths about God in a form that people who are regular attendees, strangers, or who have been estranged from the Christian faith can recognise and respond to." 
(19 August 2006)
　

Free at last 
Kiwi Fox News cameraman, Olaf Wiig, has walked free after being held hostage for two weeks in Gaza. Wiig and Fox correspondent Steve Centanni were captured by a previously unknown militant group, the Holy Jihad Brigades, in what was longest forced imprisonment of foreigners in the Gaza Strip in recent years. "Olaf is absolutely convinced that if it wasn't for the work of the NZ [diplomats], they would not have got out," said his father, the Rev Roger Wiig, in the NZ Herald. "The NZ effort was quite staggering." Much of the credit has also gone to Olaf Wiig's wife, journalist Anita McNaught, who helped create a "groundswell of opinion amongst the Palestinian people" through her frequent televised appeals. 
(28 August 2006)

Bro' Town goes global 
With a slew of national awards under its belt, NZ animation series Bro' Town is now taking its unique brand of humour to a world audience. The cartoon is already showing in Australia, Canada and Fiji and will soon add the Caribbean, Latin America and possibly the US to the list. "When we started it, one of the visions we had in our heads was the thought that one day little children in Iceland would be saying 'not even ow' and eating their sardine sandwiches out of Bro' Town lunch boxes," says co-writer Oscar Kightely. "That would be nice." Bro' Town has been a hit for Australian free-to-air channel SBS, with its weekly viewing figures of 250,000 just slightly less than those for cult US series South Park. Auckland production house Firehorse Films is currently working on a fourth series as well as feature-length movie. 
(2 February 2007)

Not your average leading man 
Not one to be pigeon-holed, Martin Henderson is busy building a reputation in Hollywood for his impressively diverse range of acting roles. For every Britney Spears music video (Toxic) or action flick (Torque) there is an unexpected and brilliant performance, such as his portrayal of an amputee speed dealer in the acclaimed Australian film Little Fish. Henderson is currently appearing in movie theatres as a WW1 fighter pilot in Flyboys, as an anti-WTO protestor The Battle in Seattle and a former cop in Smokin' Aces. He has also just won his first US television role, starring in the highly anticipated small-screen version of Mr & Mrs Smith - last year's blockbuster film featuring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. "I think the buzz of acting is playing people different to you and, for me, that means traversing all genres", said Henderson in a recent NZ Herald interview. "There are many sides to all of us. I like dramatic stuff and I have a goofball side too. I like to do comedy and off-beat things as much as something really, really serious." (January 2007)

　

"A country waiting to be explored"  
South Africa's Cape Times features a travel special on NZ, with a focus on Auckland and Wellington. "[It] is not difficult to see what makes NZ attractive, both as a holiday destination and a potential new home. Many from our shores have chosen to make NZ home and they come from all walks of life." Visitors to Auckland are advised to check out the bookshops and eateries in Parnell, Ponsonby and Mount Eden, the historic sites of Devonport and the "Arcadian idyll" that is Titirangi. In Wellington, must-see destinations include Katherine Mansfield's house, the cable car and Victoria University. 
(2 February 2007)

Tourists flock to favourite destination 
According to new figures released by Statistics NZ a record 2.4 million tourists visited NZ last year - 1.6 per cent more than in 2005. The number was boosted by 903,504 Australian tourists, the most ever to visit NZ in one year. "Reaching the 900,000 mark is a real milestone," said Tourism NZ chief executive George Hickton, who credits his organisation's high profile What's On advertising campaign in Australia for the increase. A four per cent decline in British visitor numbers was countered by news that NZ had topped the favourite destination poll in UK travel magazine Wanderlust. "I wasn't at all surprised to see NZ voted the favourite," said Wanderlust editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes. "It always appears in the top three and with very good reason. It truly is a world-class destination." 
(2 February 2007)

Abstract revisited
NZ artist Angela Dwyer is staging two solo exhibitions in Italy in early 2007. The first is at the AMT Gallery in Como, the second at Milan's Magrorocca Gallery. Born in Palmerston North, Dwyer has based herself in Berlin since 1984. The exhibition at AMT is based around her latest major work; a 180cm by 700cm oil entitled This is Sexy. According to the gallery's press release, "This is Sexy challenges preconceptions about abstract painting ... Angela Dwyer is a master of colour and her new work proves it."
(January 2007)
　

Science or commerce? 
NZ conservation minister Chris Carter has taken a bold stand against Japanese whaling by releasing footage of the country's operations in Antarctic waters. The film, taken from a Royal NZ Air Force Orion, shows two Japanese vessels harpooning whales before taking them on board for processing. The film's release coincides with the departure of Greenpeace flagship Esperanza for the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, where it will confront the Japanese fleet. Despite a 1986 global moratorium on commercial whaling, Japan kills hundreds of whales each year for what it claims is scientific research. Carter believes the footage will help the public make up its own mind on the issue. 
(25 January 2007)
　

Fuel of the future 
Two national institutes are hoping to reduce NZ's national oil consumption by developing the production of cellulosic ethanol. Ag Research and Scion (formerly the NZ Forest Research Institute) are working with US company Diversa on turning byproducts from the country's forestry and paper businesses into cellulosic ethanol. While ordinary ethanol is made from corn or sugar cane, the cellulosic variety comes from agricultural products with little or no other value, thus driving down the cost of production. Diversa spokesman William Baum predicts that a cellulosic-ethanol plant could be built in NZ in approximately three years. He believes that, if successful, the plant could help NZ offset a significant portion of its oil imports. (26 January 2007)

Hurricane warning 
NZ artist Lisa Ferguson is aiming to crack the competitive New York market after a successful period in London. The former graphic designer has already made a strong impression, with Art World News (USA) praising her ability to "[conjure] images of a hurricane of colours and emotions that [invoke] a new story with each viewing." Ferguson is showing a collection of her abstract expressionist pieces at Monkdogz Urban Art Gallery in Chelsea, New York, from February 1 to March 10. 
(January 2007)

　

Australian foothold for TrustPower
NZ company TrustPower has won a NZ$200 million contract to build a wind farm in Snowtown, South Australia. Construction of the 42-turbine plant begins on the Hummocks and Barunga ranges in April. "Over time, for TrustPower generally, the New Zealand market is going to be limited," says chief executive Keith Tempest. "The process for us is to gradually, not quickly or aggressively, develop our experience and expertise in the Australian market." The Snowtown wind farm will provide electricity for around 60,000 South Australian homes. 
(14 January 2007)

　

More Scottish than Scotland
Otago University has launched a global search to fill its inaugural chair in Scottish studies. The newly created position is one of a small number of its kind in the world and is intended to position Otago as an alternative location for Scottish studies for students from NZ and abroad. In his official announcement of the new chair, Vice-chancellor David Skegg described the position as a "natural academic fit for an institution of higher learning founded in the early days of the Otago settlement, a move which reflected the Scottish settlers' strong belief in higher education as an uplifting social force." According to current census figures, approximately 25% of New Zealanders whose ancestry pre-dates the 1950s claim Scottish descent. 
(9 January 2007)

Life of a legend 
A film based on the life of NZ motorsport legend Bruce McLaren is rumoured to be in the works. According to Grand Prix website, the production has been linked to "some of those involved with the Lord of the Rings trilogy." McLaren was one of the first New Zealanders to enjoy racing success in Europe, winning his first Grand Prix at 22. He launched his own formula one racing team - Team McLaren - in 1964, which has continued to dominate the sport long after its founder's death in 1970. 
(8 January 2007)
　

Sailing event a "Kiwi blackwash"
This year's 420 World Championships have been described as a "Kiwi blackwash" after NZ sailors took out all podium positions in both the Open and Women's events. Carl Evans and Peter Burling, Simon Cooke and Scott Illingworth, and Rowan Swanson and Bruce Kennedy came first, second and third respectively in the Open competition, while Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie, Shelley Hesson and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher, and Sarah Bilkey and Rosie Sargisson won gold, silver and bronze in the Women's. Top sailors from 17 different countries competed in the event, which was held in NZ for the first time at Auckland's Takapuna Boating Club. 
(8 January 2007)

　

Photonz edges out global competitors 
A tiny Henderson-based company is reportedly leading the global race to extract a brain acid from algae which may offer a cure for depression. Photonz is growing micro-organisms which produce eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), one of two highly desirable omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids found in fish which eat the algae. Along with its close relative DHA, EPA is used to treat conditions ranging from heart disease and dyslexia to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression. According to Photonz chief executive Karl Geiringer, his company chose to focus on depression because NZ suffers from of the world's highest rates of depressive disorders. "We are using a naturally occurring organism so we are not genetically engineering anything, and we are inducing it to produce the EPA in a way that makes it much easier to get out, and we are using new technology to get it out," says Geiringer. Photonz already has three patents pending and its financial backers include Warehouse founder Stephen Tindall. 
(27 December 2006)
　

Scene stealer 
The Guardian introduces its readers to up-and-coming NZ actress Emily Barclay, star of In My Father's Den and Suburban Mayhem. Born in Plymouth, Devon, Barclay escaped the period drama/soapie route of her English acting contemporaries by moving to NZ at age three. Guardian: "Two movies in and she's already stealing films from more experienced actors. She'll go far." 
(22 December 2006)

　

Renaissance master 
The Honolulu Star Bulletin has recognised NZ-born restaurateur Dave Stewart as one of ten people who "changed Hawaii" for the better in 2006. Stewart has been a leading figure in the renaissance of Honolulu's Chinatown, which is gradually shedding its seedy image for a reputation as a night-life hub. Stewart opened his first restaurant - Indigo - in 1994, and has since opened Bar 35 in 2005 and French restaurant Du Vin in October last year. Stewart eschews market research in favour of gut instinct. "Everything I do is for me," he says, "I wanted a bar that serves pizza and really cold beer, hence Bar 35. And my other thing is I love French food and good wine, so Du Vin was a no-brainer." Next in Stewart's sights is nearby Waikiki, which is also in the midst of a major redevelopment.
(28 December 2006)
　

Life after savvy 
A Massachusetts newspaper feature on NZ wine covers the country's world famous sauvignon blanc, increasingly renowned pinot noir and the cool climate whites now waiting for their turn in the spotlight. The author talks to winemakers from both ends of the production spectrum: industry heavyweight and "screwcap revolutionary" Kim Crawford and acclaimed boutique producer Kathy Lynskey. "If New Zealanders aren't quite the good-time, good-value blokes or such big producers as the Aussies, they are self-reliant, inventive and egalitarian, which gives their young industry a bit of green-clean purity, experimentation and pluck." 
(27 December 2006)

Defender of oceans 
A Guardian article on the uncertain future of wild fish stocks features long-time Rainbow Warrior photographer and marine biologist Dr Roger Grace. Grace has been documenting Greenpeace actions for over 30 years and is now part of the organisation's campaign to save Mediterranean fish stocks (currently the most threatened in the world.) Grace was also responsible for setting up some of the world's first no-intervention fishing reserves, in his native NZ. "In all that time [working for Greenpeace], I've never had a fisherman explain to me why they need to fish in 100 per cent of the sea," he says. "Why not have 20 per cent set aside? Fish life functions best when the ecosystem is entirely set aside. If you're forever pulling fish out on a string around the entire damned coastline there's no respite anywhere." 
(10 December 2006)
　

Australasia's fab four 
Crowded House: Farewell to the world featured in the LA Times' DVD gift guide for Christmas. The two-disc set captures the band's 1996 finale on the steps of the Sydney Opera House and features "some of the catchiest and most melodically fresh tunes since the heyday of the Beatles." 
(23 December 2006)

　

Beauty with depth 
Bic Runga's third album - Birds - has been named one of the records of the year in Australian Vogue. "This year, one of the most beautiful women in modern music made the most sadly beautiful music of her career. Birds is a stunning set of dimly lit, deeply-felt torch-pop ballads, a late-night red wine essential that was created with a little help from mentor (and fellow New Zealander) Neil Finn." 
(January 2007)
　

Edge experiment 
The New York Times calls the appointment of Nicole and Michael Colovos as joint creative directors at Helmut Lang "one of the most interesting experiments in recent fashion memory." Lang - whose androgynous utilitarian designs changed the face of work wear in the 1990s - resigned from his eponymous label shortly after it was purchased by the Prada Group in 2005. The label was then acquired by Japanese company Link Theory Holdings, which signed the Colovos's at the recommendation of US Vogue. Nicole, a New Zealander (Hamilton) and former fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar, and Michael, a fashion designer, previously ran a successful LA-based denim label called Habitual. The new Helmut Lang is pitching itself as more accessible in both price and design, while retaining the core aesthetic for which it is known. "We are so respectful of Helmut Lang, says Nicole Colovos, "So we are not trying to recreate what he did." 
(2 November 2006)

 

Fringe dweller
American graphic arts magazine, Print, features the work of Wellington designer Catherine Griffiths (www.epitome.co.nz). Unbounded by convention, Griffiths has marked the built environment through iconic experiments such as the series of concrete text sculptures in Wellington’s waterfront using excerpts from the work of New Zealand writers, and a radical typographic treatment of the exterior of a Wairarapa residence. The artist relishes her position at the edge of the world and her discipline: “As an individual, I am on the fringe, really, a practitioner with ideas,” she says. “I find that fringe territory useful to explore my ideas, to focus, with an occasional foray into the mainstream…. I do my own thing, my own way.” While the formative years of her career were spent in the UK, Griffiths sees New Zealand cultivating a unique identity by reshaping outside influences: “There’s very strong DIY mindset here…. While we’ve never really had our own culture of design – our aesthetic is adopted and rehashed – what is emerging is a sense of this place, and an attitude.”
(December 2006)

Darkly brilliant 
Award-winning NZ author Carl Shuker has released his second novel to immediate acclaim. Set in NZ, The Lazy Boys is a harrowing account of a group of friends spiralling out of control during their first year at university. Shuker's US publisher Shoemaker & Hoard describes the book as "a punch in the stomach, a sustained cry; as harsh as Less Than Zero, as brutal as A Clockwork Orange." Shuker discusses his novel's difficult gestation in NZ's Herald on Sunday: "I wrote this book during a very dark time in my life, and when it was finished, I was a very dark person ... The novel had been such a trauma to finish that when I did so, I still remember counting the hours of peace." A graduate of Bill Manhire's creative writing course at Victoria University, Shuker won NZ's 2006 Glen Schaeffer Prize in Modern Letters for his debut novel, The Method Actors. 
(10 December 2006)

Steven Jaymes Black 17 
New Zealand-born singer/songwriter Steven James reaps acclaim for his new album Black 17, "draped in blues, jazz and roots." "It's like joining Sting on a picnic with Van Morrison where Don Henley is showing up with the dessert. Steven Jaymes has enough heart and soul to spread love through his music over the Pacific Ocean" "One of the rare breed of singer/songwriter able to combine harsh reality and romance, and still come off as a convincing artist." Born the son of a builder and shearer, he grew up in remote areas of New Zealand. Based in Australia and New York, he has a 20 year gig calendar stretching through the US, Europe, Scandanavia and Asia. Says Jaymes, "Australia and New Zealand per capita have the best musicians in the world, the audience is demanding and exacting, so if you can win an audience here most other countries it is a walk in the park. Because of our isolation we only hear the best the rest of the world has to offer and that has always been where the bar is set." His music practice included a year studying harmony and composition at Canterbury University.
(December 2006)

　

On the edge of his voice 22-year-old Will Martin is on the verge of securing the biggest ever recording contract by a NZ musician. The classical singer has become hot property in the UK since performing alongside Ronan Keating and Jamelia in a high-profile Welsh charity concert. Martin's NZ promoter Gray Bartlett is currently weighing up "monstrous" offers from EMI and Universal Records. "It's the biggest [recording] deal in New Zealand's history," he told Stuff. Bartlett has already launched the hugely successful career Yulia Townsend. 
(3 December 2006)

The ties that bind 
A Scotsman feature examines the historical links between Scotland and NZ, and their ongoing importance to contemporary NZ culture. According to the article, around 20% of NZers claim Scottish heritage. While the most obvious site of Scottish influence is in Dunedin (the entry point for most Scottish settlers) the tiny North Island town of Turakina boasts a 20 member Caledonian society and has held the Turakina Highland Games annually since 1863. In a separate article for the BBC, Scotland's Minister for Parliamentary Business Margaret Curran recounts her experience of Scottish heritage in NZ after visiting the country in November. "Visiting Dunedin, I saw for myself the close ties that bind New Zealand with Scotland," she writes. "The influence of those early Scots settlers - their work ethic and values - is still very much evident in that beautiful city." On St Andrew's Day (30 November) Otago University announced the creation of a Centre for Scottish Studies. 
(4 December 2006)

Fisherman's friend 
Queenstown's River Lochy features in the Guardian's guide to the top ten fishing spots in the world. "There are only two ways into the Lochy River - by helicopter or by boat across Lake Wakitipu," writes Andy Pietrasik. "Sheltering beneath trees and behind rocks in the gin clear waters that run through the folds of the Eyre Mountains, the wild brown and rainbow trout grow to thumping great sizes, although they are notoriously skittish." He recommends fishing fans stay at nearby luxury hotel, The Dairy. 
(2 December 2006)

Picture perfect 
US citizen Jon Overcash raves about his new life in NZ in his home-town paper, the Charlotte Observer (North Carolina). The Observer is running a weekly Foreign Correspondence column, which interviews American living in exotic locations around the world. Overcash, 26, works at the Waimea plant nurseries near Nelson. "[This part of NZ] looks like the travel posters - absolutely amazing," he says. "New Zealand has everything outdoors you could want." 
(27 November 2006)
　

Quality not quantity 
A US agricultural magazine discusses the rise of Pinot Noir from NZ's South Island, comparing it to the newly acclaimed Oregon region in America and the traditional benchmark of Burgundy in France. NZ's Southern Lakes region lies 45 degrees south of the equator while Oregon and Burgundy are 45 degrees north, creating similar growing conditions in both with an added market advantage for NZ. NZ has earned its high standing with global Pinot Noir aficionados thanks to the boutique nature of its vineyards and the widespread use of screw caps, which have effectively eliminated the corkage problems of the 1990s. Paul Tudgay of Waitiri Creek Wines believes the quality of NZ Pinot is unlikely to slip: "We're not really making enough. Ours is more about quality." 
(4 December 2006)

Edge classic revisited 
US cultural criticism magazine Pop Matters features a fantastic and insightful review of An Angel at My Table in its November issue. Author Bill Gibron makes a strong case for Jane Campion's 1989 film to be an international as well as a NZ classic. "[Campion] seems to be saying that Frame's story of growing up and maturing is almost in sync with the expansion of New Zealand's national identity," writes Gibron. "Both are closed off and isolated universes. Both contain talents and terrors. Each has a rugged desire to endure, and both come out as survivors of a sort in the end. It is not easy to name another film that allows tranquility to so readily slip into fear as An Angel at My Table. New Zealand is still a wild and woolly environment during Frame's childhood, much like the girl herself." 
(7 November 2006)

Two times two 
NZ cyclists excelled at the Oceania Track Championships in Melbourne, November 24-26. Veteran rider Greg Henderson won gold in the men's 15km scratch race and 30km points race, while newcomer Eddie Dawkins won bronze in the men's under-19 time trial and gold in the under-19 keiran. 
(27 November 2006)

The big chill 
Antarctic icebergs floating off the east coast of NZ's South Island have made headlines around the world. It is unusual for whole icebergs to drift so far north without melting, but the huge blocks have been aided in their travels by favourable ocean currents and unseasonably cold weather in the south of the country. Local pilots are turning the rare occurrence into opportunity, with tourists paying up to NZ$500 for a return viewing trip. One Dunedin couple even planned to wed on one of the icebergs, until the operation was deemed too dangerous by helicopter pilot Richard "Hannibal" Hayes. 
(23 November 2006)

 


Kudos for Kahurangi 
The Kahurangi Maori Dancers made a big impression on natives of Penticton, British Columbia, this month. The dance group, which comprises graduates of NZ's Takitimu Performing Arts School, regularly tours North America, as well as NZ and Australia. They performed at Penticton's Cleland Theatre on November 24. 
(24 November 2006)

　

Bring on the sheep jokes...
Following a rousing reception at this year's Toronto Film Festival, NZ film Black Sheep has sparked a "bidding frenzy" amongst distributors in Asia, Latin America and Europe. The film was recently acquired by IFC Entertainment and The Weinstein Company for theatrical release in North America, after equally intense negotiations. A horror-comedy in the vein of Peter Jackson's Bad Taste and Braindead, Black Sheep is about a murderous pack of genetically mutated sheep. It is written and directed by Jonathan King and features special effects by Wellington's Weta Workshop. 
(11 November 2006)

　

Starlet with an edge 
Rising NZ star Emily Barclay has been named Best Actress at Australia's Inside Film Awards for her role as an amoral teenage single mother in the black comedy Suburban Mayhem. In what are referred to as the people's choice awards, the Australian public voted via the internet and SMS to give Barclay the accolade, over more established nominees including Hollywood actress Laura Linney. Barclay has also been nominated for Best Lead Actress in the prestigious Australian Film Institute Awards, announced on 7 December. A Sydney Morning Herald profile calls Barclay "New Zealand's hottest acting export since Keisha Castle-Hughes and Anna Paquin" and includes glowing tributes from those who have worked with her so far. "Em is pretty special," says Suburban Mayhem director Paul Goldman. "She's going to go off and have an amazing career." Next up for the 22-year-old is Bronte, in which she stars along with Michelle Williams and Nathalie Press as the Bronte sisters. Filming begins in England in March. 
(18 November 2006)

　

Kiwis fly in Wellington 
Putting a week of controversy behind them, the Kiwi rugby league team put the English away in emphatic style over the weekend 34-4 at Wellington's Stadium. The result puts pressure on England, who must now win their final pool game against the World Champion Australians to deny the Kiwis a place in the Tri-Nations grand final. Confidence is high in the Kiwi camp following their win, with the team already booked in to a Sydney hotel in anticipation of what they hope will be an Australian victory, and a lifeline for the defence of their Tri-Nations title. According to Kiwi coach Brian McClennan, Reuben Wiki and his boys will be "blowing up green and gold balloons, getting streamers and putting them around the room and cheering for the Aussies".
(11 November 2006)

Next-gen stitches 
A revolutionary tissue repair gel developed at Auckland University has secured NZ$15 million in US funding, thanks to the efforts of key developer Professor Colin Green. The US financial backing will help commercialise the drug - Nexagon - which is aimed at an international market worth billions. If trials are successful, Nexagon will initially be used for treating eye and skin wounds. The drug could then be further developed for use on burns, skin grafts and possibly even surgery on joints. 

(6 November 2006)
　

Beautiful on the inside too
Novelist Emily Perkins points out the lesser-known urban pleasures to be found in her NZ homeland in a travel feature for the Observer. It is the latest in a line of "yes, but..." travel features on NZ, all stressing that there is much more to the country than (admittedly jaw-dropping) rural scenery. She writes: "The reality of New Zealand is that the urban and the rural are never entirely separate. You can find luxuriant greenery in Auckland, wild seas in Wellington and the perfect caffe latte in most small towns down the country. But if you're after a lively, uniquely New Zealand culture, it would be a shame to overlook the cities. Away from the clean, green, home-spun wool version of the country there is a dynamic urban life that is neither 100 per cent pure nor exactly impure, just life-stained enough to provide a bit of grit and traction to your travels." 
(15 October 2006)
　

Try before you buy 
NZ company Ruatuna has attracted the attention of global business trend-spotting website Springwise. A joint venture between design company Sustainable Structures and construction firm Straw Built Homes, Ruatuna is essentially a show-home with a twist. Potential customers can book a night's accommodation in one of the company's straw bale homes - kids and pets included - to get a hands-on appreciation of the design. Springwise calls the novel practice tryvertising: "They can test-drive a car - why not a test-live a home? It will be interesting to see if this catches on with traditional home developers and extends to other big-purchase industries, especially those introducing new (or revived) technologies."
(November 2006)
　

Living the good life 
Auckland and Wellington came fifth and twelfth respectively in the 2006 World's Most Liveable Cities list, published by Mercer Human Resource Consulting. The top four spots went to Zurich, Geneva, Vancouver and Vienna. Sydney was ranked ninth, Tokyo 35th, London 39th and New York 46th. The Liveable Cities list is part of the annual Mercer Quality of Living Survey. Mercer is a US-based HR firm founded in 1937. 
(November 2006)

Land of opportunity 
British citizens looking to work Down Under rushed to the Opportunities New Zealand expo held in Manchester last month. High on most people's reasons for moving was the laidback Kiwi lifestyle - as well as low unemployment, a warmer climate and the relative ease of buying property. "There are plenty of opportunities for migrants who have the qualifications that employers are looking for," said Department of Labour regional manager Andrew Lockhart in the Guardian. "If you add in what New Zealand has to offer in terms of lifestyle, there are compelling reasons for UK nationals with the right skills to explore their career options." In-demand immigrants include IT workers, health professionals, civil servants, accountants and trades people. 
(22 October 2006)
　

42 set for icon status 
Kiwi vodka brand 42 Below has been bought by Bacardi Limited for a cool US$91 million. Based in Bermuda, Bacardi Limited is the world's largest privately owned spirits company. According to 42 Below founder Geoff Ross, the sale has the potential to turn a NZ brand into an "icon in the luxury goods world and a major global force." 42 Below has earned a cult following around the world thanks to its award winning spirits and clever marketing. Its range is currently stocked at more than 4,500 bars in 25 different countries. 
(27 September 2006)

　

Jackson gets his game on 
Peter Jackson has extended his relationship with Microsoft by signing on for two further film adaptations of the company's computer games. Wingnut's Jackson and Fran Walsh are currently executive-producing a film adaptation of the best-selling Halo franchise; next he will produce a sequel to Halo as well as an original film with an interactive game spin-off. He has also announced the imminent launch of Wingnut Interactive Studio, a NZ-based production house which will develop new properties for Microsoft's Xbox 360 next-generation console. "Microsoft has built an amazing living canvas with Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, which allows the storytellers of our time to express themselves in a new medium," says Jackson. "...From a movie-maker's point of view, it is clear to me that the Xbox 360 platform is the stage where storytellers can work their craft in the same way they do today with movies and books, but taking it further with interactivity." 
(29 September 2006)

　

 


Film delves into darkest past
Cinematical reviews Out of the Blue, Robert Sarkies' controversial new film about the 1990 Aramoana massacre. The film stars Matthew Sunderland as David Gray, the gunman who killed 13 of his neighbours in the small coastal town. Cinematical: "The film handles the dreadful events of that day, and the grief of the town, quite respectfully, while staying as true to the facts as possible, based on police reports and survivor accounts and, perhaps more importantly, by keeping the focus on the people of Aramoana and their response to the tragedy, rather than focusing heavily on Gray." Out of the Blue has caused considerable consternation in NZ, with many feeling it is too soon to see the tragedy unfold on screen. Chief censor Bill Hastings will meet with families of the victims to discuss the classification of the film. "People are still alive that have had to deal with the original event - it's not as if it's a film about World War 1," he says in Stuff. "It's a live issue, so it presents an unusual situation." 
(17 September 2006)

　

Another classic set for Edge treatment 
Peter Jackson is heading a big budget remake of classic British war film, The Dam Busters. Jackson will produce the movie, with fellow Kiwi and long time collaborator, Christian Rivers, making his directing debut. The 1954 film told the true story of how British forces developed bouncing bombs to destroy German dams in World War II. Jackson fell in love with the film after seeing it as a child. "There's that wonderful mentality of the British during the war - that heads-down, persevering, keep-on-plugging-away mentality which is the spirit of Dam Busters," he told industry trade paper, Screen Daily. The US$30-40 million project is due to start filming next year. 
(31 August 2006)
　

Ex-Neighbour a star in US
Dunedin-born Alan Dale has scored a lead role in yet another hit US TV series. Fresh from his success in The West Wing, CSI: Miami and The O.C, Dale is now playing publisher Bradford Meade in the Golden Globe-winning comedy Ugly Betty. "Ugly Betty is a unique ugly duckling story," says America Ferrera, who plays Betty, the frumpy assistant to the editor of a leading fashion magazine. "It's not about her becoming a gorgeous swan; [rather] you're waiting for people around her to realise she already is a beautiful person." 59-year-old Dale was a well known actor in Australasia (Flying Doctors, Neighbours) before making the move to LA in 1999. "I felt that in my 50s if I didn't do it now, I never would," he said in the Sydney Morning Herald. "I must admit I didn't really think about it too much. If I had, I wouldn't have come." 
(5 February 2007)

A new sheriff in town 
Russell Crowe has signed for US$20 million to play the Sheriff of Nottingham in a "revisionist" version of the Robin Hood story. Titled Nottingham, the Hollywood film will follow "the premise that Robin Hood is less virtuous and the sheriff more noble than previous depictions." The Guardian places Nottingham at the centre of a current trend in Hollywood for British stories and British and Antipodean lead actors: "[To] the presumable despair of the ghost of Senator Joseph McCarthy, the best thing to be in Hollywood today is un-American." 
(2 February 2007)