By Pam Graham of NZPA Wellington, Dec 23 NZPA - It was carnage out there at times on the New Zealand sharemarket this year and yet the price market operator NZX trades at on its own exchange doubled.

Wellington, May 8 NZPA - Critics say the Government has gone too far in reducing the number of health targets it sets. Health Minister Tony Ryall is defending his "slimmed down" set of targets for district health boards, saying he inherited a system bogged down by bureaucracy.

Wellington, May 8 NZPA - Health Minister Tony Ryall is defending his "slimmed down" set of targets for district health boards and says he inherited a system bogged down by bureaucracy. Mr Ryall has announced three hospital targets and three preventative programme targets.

1. Public Health and Illness Prevention Programmes aimed at health promotion and preventing illness and injury are an investment in the future health of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Their success will have a major bearing on the level of treatment services that are needed in later years.