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TOP SCOOPS
Gandalf’s “Wizard” Looks
- "Peter Jackson suggested a droopier moustache. I suddenly looked like a double for the Beatles' Maharishi", actor Ian
McKellen on his transformation into the mage Gandalf - a Lord Of The Rings snapshot. See... The Grey Beard of Gandalf [1] in the General wire.
Campbell’s Win
- Kiwi golfer Michael Campbell made it second-time lucky beating 1998 winner Thomas Bjorn in the NZ$2.1 million (A$1.6
million) Heinekin Classic, as thunder and lightening crackled ominously overhead. Now he looks set to get an invitation
to the prestigious US Masters Golf Tournament. See... Campbell Beats the Aussies [1] in the Headlines wire.
Logging Ok, Says Expert
- The government's decision to axe beech logging on the West Coast has been criticised yet again, with a foreign
forestry expert saying the move was shortsighted. Scoop's West Coast correspondent John Howard reports. See... Timberlands, Emails & Beech Trees [1] in the Headlines wire.
Life’s A Beech, And Then You Resign
- Kit Richards, the Timberland's executive caught sending emails criticising the government, has agreed to resign.
Meanwhile, ACT have found the e-mail from the head of the Native Forest Action Network which reveals the Labour Party
funding the group's “guerrilla warfare”; campaign ... However the Native Forest Action says this email was created to
flush out a leak in their service and that ACT are "fools". See... Labour Funding Anti-Logging 'Guerrilla' Warfare [1] in the Parliament wire and see... Act Foolishly Reveals Link With Timberlands -NFA [2] in the Politics wire. Also see the original letter from the Royal Forest And Bird Society alerting the government to the "guerilla
warfare" of a Timberland's executive, along with the email which started the controversy. See... Timberlands Guerilla Warfare - Original Email [3] in the Politics wire.
Prada 3 AmericaOne 1
- A foul at the finish line, meant Italian Team Prada stole a second victory off AmericaOne, in the fourth race of the
Louie Vuitton finals on Sunday. See... AmericaOne Robbed of Victory [1] in the Headlines wire.
Opinion: WTO Good, Not Bad
- International cooperation and the rule of law are fundamental to ensuring global peace and prosperity. It concerns me
deeply when commentators begin to portray these as a some kind of evil - opinion by Jim Sutton. See... The Trade Negotiations Minister On the WTO [1] in the Parliament wire, also see... Clinton Remarks to World Economic Forum [2] in the Business wire.
Opinion: On The Meaning Of Freedom
- Ironically enough, the spur to think again about the nature of `freedom' was provided by a phrase in a Young
Nationals column - Jordan Carter in his From The Left Column. See... Opinion: On The Meaning Of Freedom [1] in the Headlines wire.
Opinion: Timberland’s Email 4
– The Timberlands Executive who resigned last week is defended by Chris Perley, a forest management consultant, in a
heartfelt email. See... Email 4 : Kit's Persecution, The Backstory [1] in the Politics wire.
MORE SCOOPS
TVNZ Hobbled
- Prime Minister Helen Clark and Minister of Broadcasting and Minister in Charge of Television New Zealand Marian
Hobbs, said today that the Government had decided not to approve the joint venture proposal for Television New Zealand
to set up a digital television service. See... Government to develop new charter for TVNZ [1] in the Parliament wire.
Dental Study Fees Halved
- The Government today announced that there would be major increases in subsidies for fees for dental education at
Otago University this year. See... Govt cuts cost of dental study [1] in the Parliament wire. The Alliance says this is one of the first steps to removing barriers to tertiary education. See... Alliance pleased fees are finally coming down [2] in the Parliament wire.
Biosafety Protocol
- New Zealand has signed an international deal on the trade of genetically engineered organisms linking environmental
and trade issues. The Green co-leader, the Foreign Minister and the Environment Minister have all welcomed the
agreement. See... Biosafety Protocol A Good Balance - Minister [1] and... Environment Minister Pleased With Montreal Outcome [2] and See... Biosafety Protocol Protects Right To Say No To GE – Green Leader [3] all in the Parliament wire.
Banks Under Fire
- Banks are charging too much in fees and misleading the Banking Ombudsman say a group to meet with the Minister of
Consumer Affairs, Phillida Bunkle, on Tuesday. See... Government Meetings Finally Put Banks Under Fire [1] in the Politics wire.
GST Sales On Increase
- Statistics New Zealand's latest quarterly analysis of GST sales shows the trend has been increasing steadily since
May 1998. See... Increasing Trend in GST Sales [1] in the Business wire.
World: Clinton’s WTO Remarks
- US President Bill Clinton is currently at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland where he is urging forward
movement on WTO round, and debt relief for poorest nations. Meanwhile, anti-trade activists in Switzerland are reported
to have destroyed a McDonalds' restaurant nearby the conference in protest at the conference. For a transcript of
Clinton's comments, see... Clinton Remarks to World Economic Forum [1] in the Business wire.
Hawkesby's 5 million Arbitration Cheque?
- The Minister of Broadcasting, Marian Hobbs, has told TVNZ she supports their decision to appeal an arbitration
finding in its dispute with former newsreader, John Hawkesby. See... Minister Briefed On Hawkesby Arbitration [1] in the Parliament wire. TVNZ have defended their termination of John Hawkesby’s news presenter company contract a year ago. See... TVNZ Defends Hawkesby Contract [2] in the Politics wire. Also see... TVNZ Emphatic It Will Fight Hawkesby [3] in the General wire. In Parliament, the Prime Minister is being called on to demand the details of the payout. See... PM Should Order Payout Disclosure - Nats [4] and.. Taxpayers Should Know Hawkesby Payout [5] both in the Parliament wire.
The Bee Decision
- World Trade Organization (WTO) rules have helped New Zealand beekeepers win access to the British bee market, Trade
Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said today. See... Bee Decision Shows Merit Of WTO, Trade Minister [1] in the Parliament wire.
Alexandra Floods Inquiry Needed - ACT
- ACT’s conservation spokesperson Gerry Eckhoff will take fellow ACT MPs on a trip down Lake Roxburgh on Wednesday
evening, as part of a fact finding mission into the Alexandra floods. See... ACT Politicians To View Dam Problems [1] in the wire.
Frankensheep
- Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley said today that a commercial herd of 10,000 genetically modified sheep in
the Waikato made a mockery of “field trial”; approvals granted by the environmental risk management authority. See... 10,000 Human-Gene Sheep Not a Trial - Greens [1] in the wire.
Women Can Rape
- Parts of the Crimes Act are still based on a Nineteenth Century assumption that woman are incapable of committing a
range of sexual offences, Justice Minister, Phil Goff, said today. See... Gender Crime Laws In For A Revamp - Minister [1] in the Parliament wire.
Kiwi An Aussie Tour-De-Force
- Former Wellington College pupil Darryl Courtney-O'Connor's company Austzeal Pty Ltd has acquired 100 percent of the
Touraust Corporation, Australia's sixth largest hotel operator. See... Touraust : New Zealander Emerges As Aussie Force [1] in the Business wire.
Rankin Rebuked
- Head of WINZ, Christine Rankin has been criticised in a report which examined the procedures used to settle a dispute
between WINZ and a former staff member. See... SSC review into WINZ settlement released - Minister [1] . See also... WINZ Report Does Nothing To Lift Public Confidence - ACT [2] , both in the Parliament wire.
Cervical Inquiry Begins
- The Inquiry into the Gisbourne Pathologist who misdiagnosed hundreds of cervical smears began last week, with
controversy over where it would be held. See... Cervical Screening Inquiry Venue [1] in the General wire.
Taskforce Scrap Shortsighted
- Scrapping the independent Superannuation Taskforce in a month’s time is shortsighted, Opposition Superannuation
spokesperson Simon Upton said today. See... Government shortsighted over future of super [1] and... Disestablishment of the Super 2000 Taskforce [2] both in the Parliament wire.
Sex, Drugs and Now - Retirement Studies
- The Retirement Commissioner, Colin Blair, will take responsibility for a secondary schools competition on retirement
issues following today's announcement officially disestablishing the Super 2000 Taskforce. See... Retirement Commissioner Gains Taskforce Schools [1] in the General wire.
Big Sister Is Watching
United New Zealand Party leader, Hon Peter Dunne, describes the Prime Minister’s reaction to private e-mail comments by
a Timberlands executive against the government as a “chilling and eerie over-reaction.” The "Thud" Of Jackboots Is Growing Louder - Dunne [1] . Also see... PM Wants Answers on New Timberlands Allegations [2] . The Green Party is urging the Government to call for the sacking the executive. See... Greens say Timberlands' head must roll [3] both in the Paliament wire.
Native Forests
- The energy that foresters are putting into subverting government policy could be harnessed to establish new native
forests intended for harvest, Green Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said today. See... Native Plantations For Harvest say the Greens [1] in the Parliament wire.
Trade Deficit “A Ticking Time Bomb”
- The Green Party has described today's $3.6B trade deficit as a ticking bomb and is calling on the Government to take
urgent action to address the crisis. See... Trade Deficit Blowout a Ticking Bomb - Greens [1] . Also see... Cosgrove Urges Restraint In Government Spending [2] both in the Parliament wire.
In Parliament
- There were five committee meetings, all held in Parliament House. See... Select Committee Business [1] in the Parliament wire.
Theatre Therapy
- Underway at the new Lower North Youth Justice Residential Centre in Mohaka Place, Palmerston North, is a ten-week
Theatre Therapy Programme. See... Mokopuna-Our Daughters-Our Sons-Our Future [1] in the General wire.