WELLINGTON, May 15 (Reuters) - Following are some of the lead stories from New Zealand metropolitan newspapers on Thursday.
Stories may be taken from either the paper or Internet editions of the papers.
Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
DOMINION POST(www.stuff.co.nz)
Australia just got more attractive: Low-paid workers looking for a big tax cut in next week's Budget could get a 37 per cent chop by moving to Australia instead, according to a report from an accountancy firm.
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Thompson inquiry: No PhD, says economics school: The London School of Economics and Political Science says it has no record of former Immigration Service boss Mary Anne Thompson receiving a PhD.
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Positive response to airport appointment: Simon Moutter's appointment to the top job at Auckland International Airport <AIA.NZ> has got a mainly positive response from shareholders and analysts.
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NEW ZEALAND HERALD (www.nzherald.co.nz)
Teachers still hard to find in some areas: The supply of teachers will continue to be closely monitored by the Ministry of Education, with latest figures showing high school maths and technology teachers are still hard to hire.
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New airport chief old hand at dealing with rule-makers: Auckland International Airport's incoming chief executive Simon Moutter reckons his experience tangling with regulators will come in handy in his new job.
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Workers overtake bosses' pay rises: Wage increases for workers have overtaken those of their bosses for the first time in two years, a survey by human resources consultancy firm Mercer has found.
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((Wellington newsroom tel +64 4 471 4234, fax +64 4 473 6212 wellington.newsroom@reuters.com)) Keywords: NEWZEALAND PRESS
This diary is updated daily and new items or amendments
are marked with an asterisk.
NOTE: Statistics NZ data 10:45 a.m. (2245 GMT).
For NZ data forecasts, double click on [NZ/POLL]
For main NZ economic indicators, double click on [NZ/STAT]
===============================================================
May 15 - Retail sales, first quarter and March month
- NZ government bond tender, results 1 p.m. (0100 GMT)
- BNZ-Business NZ performance of manufacturing index,
April
- Trustpower Ltd <TPW.NZ> annual result
- Media Technology Ltd <MTG.NZ> special meeting
===============================================================
May 16 - Producers price index, first quarter
- Capital goods price index, first quarter
May 19 - BNZ-Business NZ performance of services index,
April
May 20 - External migration, April
- Infratil Ltd <IFT.NZ> annual result
- NZ government Treasury bills tender, results 1 p.m.
(0100 GMT)
May 21 - Electronic card transactions, April
- Credit card billings, 3 p.m. (0300 GMT)
- Fisher & Paykel Healthcare <FPH.NZ> annual result
May 22 - Rakon Ltd <RAK.NZ> annual result
- Ryman Healthcare Ltd <RYM.NZ> annual result
- Austral Pacific Energy Ltd <APX.NZ> special and
annual meetings
- NZ government annual budget, 2 p.m. (0200 GMT)
- National Bank of NZ regional trends survey
May 23 - Renaissance Corp Ltd <RNS.NZ> annual meeting
- Property For Industry Ltd <PFI.NZ> annual meeting
May 26 - Overseas merchandise trade, April
May 27 - CDL Investments NZ Ltd <CDL.NZ> annual meeting
- Millenium & Copthorne Hotels NZ Ltd <MCK.NZ> annual
meeting
- NZ government Treasury bills tender, results 1 p.m.
(0100 GMT)
- RBNZ survey of expectations, 3 p.m. (0300 GMT)
May 28 - Sanford Ltd <SAN.NZ> half year result
May 29 - NZ government bond tender, results 1 p.m. (0100 GMT)
- RBNZ foreign currency assets and liabilities,
3 p.m. (0300 GMT)
- NZ household claims, 3 p.m. (0300 GMT)
- Tower Ltd <TWR.NZ> half year result
- National Bank of NZ business outlook, 3 p.m.
(0300 GMT)
- Fisher & Paykel Appliances Ltd <FPA.NZ> annual
result
May 30 - Building consents, April
- Mainfreight Ltd <MFT.NZ> annual result
June 2 - Queen's Birthday public holiday
Jun 3 - NZ government Treasury bills tender, results 1 p.m.
(0100 GMT)
Jun 4 - ANZ commodity price index, 3 p.m. (0300 GMT)
Jun 5 - Reserve Bank of New Zealand Monetary Policy
Statement, 9 a.m. (2100 GMT)
Jun 5 - Wholesale trade survey, March quarter
Jun 9 - Value of building works, March quarter
- Quotable Value house price index
Jun 10 - NZ government Treasury bills tender, results 1 p.m.
(0100 GMT)
Jun 11 - Overseas trade indices (price and volumes), March
quarter
Jun 12 - Accommodation survey, April
- Food price index, May
- NZ government bond tender, results 1 p.m. (0100 GMT)
- BNZ-Business NZ performance of manufacturing index,
May
Jun 13 - Retail trade survey, April
Jun 16 - Economic survey of manufacturing, March quarter
- Offshore holdings of NZ govt securities, May,
3 p.m. (0300 GMT)
Jun 17 - NZ government Treasury bills tender, results 1 p.m.
(0100 GMT)
Jun 18 - Turners & Growers Ltd <TUR.NZ> annual meeting
Jun 19 - Electronic card transactions, May
- Restaurant Brands Ltd <RBD.NZ> annual meeting
Jun 20 - External migration, May
Jun 23 - Credit card billings, 3 p.m. (0300 GMT)
- Eastern Hi Fi Group Ltd <EFH.NZ> annual meeting
- CER Group Ltd <CER.NZ> annual meeting
Jun 24 - NZ government Treasury bills tender, results 1 p.m.
(0100 GMT)
Jun 26 - Balance of payments, March quarter
- NZ government bond tender, results 1 p.m. (0100 GMT)
Jun 27 - Gross domestic product, March quarter
- Overseas merchandise trade, May
- RBNZ foreign currency assets and liabilities,
3 p.m. (0300 GMT)
- NZ household claims, 3 p.m. (0300 GMT)
Jun 30 - Building consents, May
- National Bank of NZ business outlook, 3 p.m.
(0300 GMT)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Reuters Terminal subscribers can also access the following
diaries:
- Reserve Bank of NZ <RBNZINDEX>
- Diary of top economic events [NZ-DIARY]
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sources: Statistics NZ, NZ Stock Exchange, NZ govt sources,
event hosts.
((Wellington newsroom +64 4 471 4234, fax +64 4 473 6212
wellington.newsroom reuters.com))
Keywords: NEWZEALAND DIARY
By Robin Pomeroy
ROME, May 14 (Reuters) - Brazil's foreign minister said on Wednesday he was hopeful the Doha round of trade talks could reach fruition by early July, which he said was its last chance.
After a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab, Celso Amorim said the two farm export giants' positions on agriculture -- considered a crucial part of the talks to further open world trade -- were getting closer.
"You can be optimistic, confident or hopeful. I am hopeful," Amorim told reporters after the meeting in Rome, a convenient meeting point for both of them as they are on diplomatic tours.
Amorim said there must be a broad agreement by end-June or early July at the latest if the Doha round were to be concluded before a new U.S. president takes office in January 2009, after which any agreement could be derailed indefinitely.
"If a new administration comes, quite apart from if it is a Democrat or Republican, it will take time," he said.
"On the other hand if we have an agreement I do believe it would be very difficult for a new administration to reject it because it would put the United States in an awkward position."
Schwab has said the United States also aims to get a deal before George W. Bush leaves office and that the next few weeks, when negotiators study new draft texts, were crucial.
The Doha round, launched in November 2001 in Qatar, is also known as the "development round" as it is meant to open markets in a way that will particularly favour poorer countries currently suffering a massive spike in world food prices.
"The elimination of subsidies and access to markets is the best help you can give to the poor," Amorim said.
Agriculture is a key part of the trade talks as poorer countries say state subsidies to farmers in the United States and Europe put their own food producers at a disadvantage.
Amorim said high world food prices strengthened the case for big cuts in farm subsidies by rich countries.
While talks on agriculture were going in the right direction, Amorim warned there could be problems with the chapter on industrial goods where some South American countries would not agree to open their markets too far to imports.
The deal must respect the sensitivities of the Mercosur customs union, he said, and not impose conditions that some of the bloc's members could not tolerate, even if others might be able to accept them.
"On the industrial goods area, if our sensitivities are not taken into account -- and one of them is the integrity of Mercosur -- the same way as the sensitivities of the Europeans, for example on agricultural products are taken into account, then this may be a break point," he said.
((robin.pomeroy@reuters.com; +39 06 8522 4394; Reuters Messaging: robin.pomeroy.reuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: WTO DOHA/BRAZIL
By John Mehaffey
LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - Wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, New Zealand's most dynamic batsman, has been elevated to number five in the batting order for the first test against England at Lord's starting on Thursday.
McCullum has been a sensation as an opener in one-day and Twenty20 cricket, moving down the pitch to the pace bowlers to flay the ball with a mixture of the orthodox and the outlandish.
"We have to acknowledge he is one of our best batsmen, he's always down at seven," New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori told a news conference on Wednesday.
"He can still do a job as one of the best keepers in the world and now we are giving him a chance to be one of the best middle-order batsmen in the world. I think five is a nice balance because he's such an aggressive player."
McCullum scored 96 at number three in the second innings of the Lord's test four years ago when the New Zealand order was reshuffled after Nathan Astle fell sick. Since then he has been the regular number seven between Jacob Oram and Vettori.
New Zealand squandered a 1-0 series lead at home this year against England, losing the final two matches of the series mainly through the frailties of their upper-order batting.
PROMISING START
They have made a good start to their short England tour with number three James Marshall scoring a century in the win over Essex while opener Aaron Redmond scored 146 and 64 in the draw with the English Lions.
"New Zealand cricket has been crying out for a long time for a top three or four who are extremely consistent," Vettori said.
England will field the side who won the final test of the last series in Napier, keeping faith with James Anderson ahead of Matthew Hoggard who was dropped after the Hamilton defeat.
"We have won a series with these guys," Vaughan said. "They have come in and done well."
Vaughan will drop down the order to number three after a disappointing series in New Zealand with Andrew Strauss moving to his preferred spot of opener alongside Alastair Cook.
"It's very important that I score runs," Vaughan said. "I have always preferred batting at number three as a captain. My record at three is quite good."
Teams:
England - Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan (capt), Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Tim Ambrose, Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, James Anderson.
New Zealand (from) - Jamie How, Aaron Redmond, James Marshall, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Flynn, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori (captain), Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Iain O'Brien, Chris Martin.
Umpires: Steve Bucknor (West Indies) and Simon Taufel (Australia).
(Editing by Miles Evans) ((john.mehaffey@reuters.com; +442075427933; Reuters Messaging: john.mehaffey.reuters.com@reuters.net; For the latest Reuters Premier League and international football news see: http://football.uk.reuters.com/))
Please double click on the newslink below:
[CRIC-LEN] for more cricket stories
Keywords: CRICKET ZEALAND/
LONDON, May 14 (Reuters) - New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori confirmed on Wednesday he would play in the first test against England at Lord's on Thursday after having two stitches removed from a split on his spinning finger.
Vettori injured the index finger of his left hand in a warmup match against Essex and did not play in the four-day match against the English Lions.
"I have gone through the last two trainings," Vettori told a news conference on Wednesday. "It's not perfect but it should be fine for the game.
"Batting won't be an issue at all. It's just in the worst possible place for a left-arm finger spinner but it's healed really well."
New Zealand named a 12-man squad on Wednesday with the final place to be decided between middle-order batsman Daniel Flynn and pace bowler Iain O'Brien.
New Zealand (from) - Jamie How, Aaron Redmond, James Marshall, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Flynn, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori (capt), Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Iain O'Brien, Chris Martin.
(Reporting by John Mehaffey; editing by Miles Evans) ((john.mehaffey@reuters.com; +442075427933; Reuters Messaging: john.mehaffey.reuters.com@reuters.net; For the latest Reuters Premier League and international football news see: http://football.uk.reuters.com/))
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Keywords: CRICKET ZEALAND/VETTORI
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