TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Scoop Is In The House
LEAD STORY:
Today Is International Human Rights Day
Story Of The Week: Parliament Revolts Against Health Treaty With Oz
NZ NEWS HEADLINES:
Bid To Keep 911 Inquiry On Track
INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
SCOOP COLUMNS:
Uri Avnery: Israeli Public Opinion Is Turning
Meditations On Defeating The Shrub
More On The Importance Of Defeating The Shrub
Freepressed.Com: The Shrub On The Moon
Sam Smith: Big Al Bites Back
John Kerry - A Democrat Who Will Go Down Fighting
Chuckman: A Pyrrhic Victory In Samarra
Daily Katya Rivas
OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
Beneficiaries On Big Pay Entitled To It - Barker
Has Project Aqua Received Kyoto Credit?
English Discovers Massive NCEA Cheating
Defence Equipment Purchases Announced
Environment Court Delays Reduced
Money For Top Sports Mentors
Farmers Knock And The Door Is Opened
Taskforce On Teacher Pay Reports Back
Transport Bureaucracy Shakeup Planned
Lower Alcohol Limits Vs Higher Penalties
Sexual Offences To Be Made Gender Neutral
Brash Offers His Assistance With Auckland Roads
New Maori Tertiary Education Framework
Two Views On Zaoui Case Bungling
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Being Still In The Blue
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TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS------------
Scoop Is In The House
– For today's questions see... Questions for Oral Answer - Wednesday, 10 December [1] . For yesterday’s questions for oral answer see... Questions & Answers for Oral Answer - 9 December [2]
LEAD STORY:
Today Is International Human Rights Day
- On International Human Rights Day, 10 December, Amnesty International NZ welcomed the New Zealand government's
ongoing commitment to strengthening human rights in NZ but questioned its commitment to making those rights a reality
for everyone. See... NZ Govt - Committed To Making Rights A Reality? [1] and First Feedback Points To Key Human Rights [2] MORE: - Voluntary Commitments By Companies Are Not Enough [3] - AI on Commonwealth commitment to human rights [4] - Business & HR: AI makes case for legal regulation [5]
Story Of The Week: Parliament Revolts Against Health Treaty With Oz
- United Future today took part in a Health Select Committee walkout and joined protesters on the steps of Parliament
in opposition to the Government selling out New Zealand's complementary medicines industry, MP Bernie Ogilvy says.
See... Ogilvy: UF Won't Sell Out Complementary Health [1] MORE: - Govt - Signing of treaty to regulate therapeutic products [2] - NZMA supports complementary medicine regulation [3] - ACT - ACT Condemns Labour Arrogance [4] - Green - An unhealthy disrespect for democracy [5] - NZ First - NZ Healthcare Handed To Aussies [6] - CFHC - Stores Support Campaign Against Aussie Rules [7] & At Last Someone Is Listening, Says Health Group [8] CLICK FOR MORE STORY OF THE WEEK COVERAGE [9]
[9] - #msow
NZ NEWS HEADLINES:
VIP Party To Celebrate New $25Mn City Venue [1] Retail Sales Growth Continues [2] Fonterra Lifts Payout Forecast To $4.15 [3] Fonterra Estimated Fair Value Share Price Up 3% [4] Fairfax appoints new editorial manager [5] 30mns With John Mitchell And Stephen Mcivor On SKY [6] Visual Artists Awarded International Residencies [7] Otago University - Return to the Dark Ages [8]
Bid To Keep 911 Inquiry On Track
- A mass email campaign has begun reaching out to tens of thousands of concerned citizens encouraging them to lobby
Senator Daschle to appoint Kristen Breitweiser to take the place of departing Max Cleland. See... Campaign To Appoint 9/11 Widow On 9/11 Commission [1] . See also… Media Alert: 9/11 Widow Sues Bush, Cheney, et. al. [2]
INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
NGO letter to Powell re. Group on Indonesia [1] From ISM Rafah, Gaza Strip: A Shaheed at Mabaar [2] Magazine Names Australian PM Man Of The Year [3] Russia: Amnesty Condemns Indiscriminate Attacks [4] Ethiopia: Long-Term Emergency Food Warning [5] Bush Calls U.S., China "Partners in Diplomacy" [6] Voter Verification Newsletter -- December 8, 2003 [7]
SCOOP COLUMNS:
Uri Avnery: Israeli Public Opinion Is Turning
- It is not yet a tidal wave. But it is more then a ripple. It is a wave in the process of formation. See... Uri Avnery: The Weathercocks Are Turning [1]
Meditations On Defeating The Shrub
- The thought of another four years of the devil's right hand man as "leader of the free world" is too horrible to
contemplate. But can Bush, and what he represents, be defeated? See... Martin LeFevre: What Will It Take To Defeat Bush? [1]
More On The Importance Of Defeating The Shrub
- A very important question was posed to me the other day, regarding the aftermath of the police’s abusive handling of
the Miami protests, ''What do we do now?'' This is a simple question that brought me to a simple but dramatic
conclusion: See... The Next Step: Securing Our Democracy [1]
Freepressed.Com: The Shrub On The Moon
- Washington, D.C.-- Just two weeks after the Bush Administration first announced its “bold, visionary and completely
original” plan to send a manned spacecraft to the moon, Americans woke up last Saturday morning to find that President
George W. Bush had made a secret two and a half hour trip to the lunar surface. See... Satire: Bush Makes Secret Trip To The Moon [1]
Sam Smith: Big Al Bites Back
- Al Gore's endorsement of Howard Dean gives the former vice president a chance to revenge the damage Bill Clinton did
to his political career. The relationship between Clinton and Gore was always far more complicated that the media
understood. See... Al Gore: Getting Revenge, Making History [1]
John Kerry - A Democrat Who Will Go Down Fighting
- One of these days, this will be a textbook case for political science professors to use as a teaching tool. Here is a
Democratic candidate for the Oval Office in a year when the liberal base of the party is almost completely unified in
its disgust for the sitting Republican President. See... UQ Wire: The Trial of John Kerry [1]
Chuckman: A Pyrrhic Victory In Samarra
- Front-page stories announced the greatest battle since the end of combat in Iraq with fifty-four insurgents killed
and not an American soldier lost. See... John Chuckman: The Parable Of Samarra [1]
Daily Katya Rivas
- My blessed children, I return to your little hearts to give you nourishment. During the time of hunger and misery,
you must not hide the bread nor the water of Life; the more you give, the more you will receive. See... Katya Rivas: Hasten to Reform [1]
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=fc
IMAGE: Our PM In Abuja
Scoop Feature - Selwyn Manning reports from Nigeria.
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OTHER NEWS (JUST POLITICS)------------
Beneficiaries On Big Pay Entitled To It - Barker
- The Government was providing the highest claimants of welfare, supplementary payments and family support benefits
with no more than they were legally entitled to, Associate Social Development and Employment Minister Rick Barker said
today. See... Legal Entitlements To Hi-Needs Beneficiaries [1]
Has Project Aqua Received Kyoto Credit?
- Green MP Jeanette Fitzsimons is calling on the Government to come clean about whether Meridian Energy's controversial
Project Aqua power scheme is one of the 15 ventures to have been awarded Kyoto Protocol carbon credits. See... Credits Only Where Credit's Due [1]
English Discovers Massive NCEA Cheating
- National Party Education spokesman Bill English says the Government has admitted to "a deliberate attempt to mislead
parents and employers over NCEA failure rates." See... National exposes bid to hide NCEA failures [1]
Defence Equipment Purchases Announced
- Minister of Defence Mark Burton has today announced Cabinet approval for several Army acquisition projects outlined
in the Defence Long Term Development Plan (LTDP), including the purchase of the first tranche of Light Operational
Vehicles (LOVs), ... See... Govt. continues to invest in Defence Force [1]
Environment Court Delays Reduced
- The Environment Court backlog has been slashed from more than 3000 cases in 2001 to 1596 in October 2003, Environment
Minister Marian Hobbs said today. It's expected that that number will be cut even further over the next few months.
See... Praise for Environment Court as backlog slashed [1]
Money For Top Sports Mentors
- Sport and Recreation Minister Trevor Mallard said a record 86 Prime Minister's Coach Scholarships have been awarded
to support high performance coaches next year. See... $1.2 million to support NZ's top coaches [1]
Farmers Knock And The Door Is Opened
- Finance Minister Michael Cullen will meet Federated Farmers tomorrow to discuss their concerns relating to the
foreshore and seabed. See... Cullen to meet Federated Farmers [1] and Maori Given Preferential Treatment [2]
Taskforce On Teacher Pay Reports Back
The recommendations of the Ministerial Taskforce on Secondary Teacher Remuneration provide a sound basis on which
future secondary education policy can be developed in a cooperative and constructive manner, PPTA president Phil Smith
said today. See... Taskforce report out: will the Minister deliver? [1] and Ministerial Taskforce reports [2]
Transport Bureaucracy Shakeup Planned
- The government is to review its agencies in the transport sector, State Services Minister Trevor Mallard and
Transport Minister Paul Swain announced today. See... Government transport sector to be reviewed [1]
Lower Alcohol Limits Vs Higher Penalties
- Lowering the blood alcohol limit will divert police attention from killer drivers, says National's Police spokesman
Tony Ryall. See... Increase penalties, don't decrease limit [1]
Sexual Offences To Be Made Gender Neutral
- Justice Minister Phil Goff introduced into Parliament today legislation that makes all sexual offences gender
neutral. See... Goff makes sexual offences gender neutral [1] and Dunne: Protection for boys a big step forward [2]
Brash Offers His Assistance With Auckland Roads
- National Party Leader Don Brash is offering to work with the Government to get Friday's roading package for Auckland
on the fast track. See... Olive Branch Offered To Fix Auckland Transport [1]
New Maori Tertiary Education Framework
- A framework to improve the responsiveness of tertiary education to Mäori was launched this evening by Associate
Education Ministers Parekura Horomia and Steve Maharey. See... New framework paves way for Mäori tertiary ed. [1]
Two Views On Zaoui Case Bungling
- "It's alarming that the Government is refusing to rule out interfering with the Inspector General of Security's
review of the Ahmed Zaoui case," says National's Immigration spokesman Dr Wayne Mapp. See... Govt must reassure they won't interfere in Zaoui [1] and SIS bungling "inhumane" [2]
ENDS