Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Wednesday, 11 February 2004, 4:07 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
LEAD STORY:
Scoop Is In The House
New Zealand Teenager Arrested In Australian Fed Drug Bust
Sky City Announces Purchase Of Darwin Casino
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
STORY OF THE WEEK – WAITANGI AFTERMATH: Hard News Is There!
Ivan Eland: The President Unplugged
INTERNATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Inside NZ Politics With Molesworth & Featherston
ZZZZZzzzzt Scoop Has Feedback
Sam Smith: What Do We Know About Skull & Bones
A View From Inside The Israeli Peace Movement
Uri Avnery On Sharon's Gaza Deception
Lynn Landes: The New Hampshire Primary Is Questioned
The Cheney-Halliburton Administration – A Recap
The Stupefication of a Nation
Freepressed Satire: When Evil Dick Met Holy John Paul
Daily Katya Rivas Meditations

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
PM Stakes Out The Political Map For 2004
Coddington Proposes March On Parliament In Opposition To School Closures
Corruption Claims Against Corrections Called Groundless
Michael Cullen Accused Of Losing Plot On Trade
Employment Statistics Consolidate Gains
Environmental Over-kill Warning From United
Ryall Wants Younger Criminals
Boarding Bursaries Funding Boost
NZ Ranks Top In Patient Survey Of Healthcare Quality
More Action Needed In Battle Against Asian Flu
Akaroa Fishery Maori Land Court Report Released
Writeoffs Show Labour Soft On Welfare – Newman
Removing The Tax On Local Govt Tax

TO CHANGE MY SCOOP OPTIONS OR UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/myscoop/signin.html
IF YOU HAVE LOST YOUR PASSWORD
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/myscoop/newpass.html

...TODAY'S PHOTO STORY...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/CU0402/S00109.htm
FRINGE '04: Atamira
See also... http://scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=fringe04
Scoop Fringe 2004 Feature

LEAD STORY:
Scoop Is In The House

– For today’s questions for oral answer see... Questions for Oral Answer - Wednesday, 11 February [1] . Come back this evening for the uncorrected transcript of the answers.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00161.htm

New Zealand Teenager Arrested In Australian Fed Drug Bust

- Australian Federal Police (AFP) agents in Melbourne recently arrested three men in connection with the detection by Customs of just under 800 grams of cocaine imported into Australia inside children's books. See... Australian Fed Cocaine Bust - NZer (19) Arrested [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0402/S00094.htm

Sky City Announces Purchase Of Darwin Casino

- New-Zealand based gaming and entertainment company SKYCITY Entertainment Group (SKC) today confirmed that, further to its recent announcement regarding its interest in the MGM Grand Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory, it has now completed due diligence and this morning signed a sale and purchase agreement with American owners MGM MIRAGE Inc. See... Skycity Confirms MGM Grand Darwin Acquisition [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0402/S00118.htm

MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0402/S00111.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0402/S00068.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/GE0402/S00027.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0402/S00067.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0402/S00106.htm

STORY OF THE WEEK – WAITANGI AFTERMATH: Hard News Is There!

- Oh great. The first day back in Parliament and the National Party's new Maori Affairs spokesperson asks if he can call a Maori MP a "bl*ck fella". Ever get the feeling your country is being flushed down the t*ilet? See... Public Address 11/02/04 - Flushed [1] Click For More Story Of The Week Coverage

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00081.htm

Ivan Eland: The President Unplugged

- Only in the U.S. can the halftime show at the Super Bowl cause more public outrage than a president’s floundering attempts to justify getting more than 500 American soldiers killed and more than 3,000 wounded in an unnecessary invasion and occupation on the other side of the globe. See... Ivan Eland: U.S. Iraq Policy Uncovered [1] MORE: - Muqtedar Khan - Intelligence Crisis And Bush Admin’s Immorality [2] - Washington File - Saddam Posed Threat Through Ability to Produce WMD [3] - White House - President Bush Appears On NBC's Meet The Press [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00080.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00065.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0402/S00079.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0402/S00078.htm

INTERNATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES

War Crimes: Miloševic’s Communications Limits With Outside World Eased - The United Nations war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has eased the telephone communications restrictions on former Yugoslav President Slobodan Miloševic and Serbian politician Vojislav Šešelj. See... War Crimes: Miloševic Communications Limits Eased [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0402/S00096.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0402/S00082.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0402/S00095.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0402/S00090.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0402/S00088.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0402/S00085.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0402/S00055.htm
IMAGE: When Dick Met John-Paul II

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Inside NZ Politics With Molesworth & Featherston

- Parliament is back in business this week, with the Prime Minister’s statement opening the action for the year. With political and economic news beginning to pick up again, Molesworth & Featherston is back in business, with exclusive and informed analysis. See... Molesworth & Featherston - Back in the game [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00073.htm

ZZZZZzzzzt Scoop Has Feedback

- In this edition of Scoop Feedback: French Ban on headscarves - Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" Set in 1st Century Palestine - Grenades or WMD's? - Biting The Hand That Feeds- Maori Version Of The Treaty See... Scoop Feedback: Headscarves, The Treaty & Jesus [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00083.htm

Sam Smith: What Do We Know About Skull & Bones

- As we learn more of the strange little society called Skull & Bones, it is useful to remember that what we know already is enough: See... Sam Smith: Why Skull & Bones Matters [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00084.htm

A View From Inside The Israeli Peace Movement

- First we settled on occupied territory in the mostly densely populated place in the world. Then we expropriated the best plots of land for ourselves. We killed them and were killed by them. See... Shulamit Aloni: Do Uproot That Which Is Planted! [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00079.htm

Uri Avnery On Sharon's Gaza Deception

- Do you want to make the deal of a lifetime? Go to Gaza! The government has kindly laid on armored vehicles for this purpose. Once there, you can obtain the villa you have dreamt about all your life, with two floors and a green lawn, for next to nothing. See... Uri Avnery: Go To Gaza! [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00082.htm

Lynn Landes: The New Hampshire Primary Is Questioned

- It's been all downhill for Howard Dean since he lost the New Hampshire primary by a significant margin. But, now questions are being raised about the security of New Hampshire's voting system in the wake of a recent analysis of the election results. See... Questions Mount Over New Hampshire's Primary [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00078.htm

The Cheney-Halliburton Administration – A Recap

- We'll leave it to future historians to sort out the bizarre single term of the Cheney-Halliburton Administration (sometimes incorrectly called the 'Bush Presidency'), but here's what we've figured out so far.... See... Douglas O'Rourke: Dick'd [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00077.htm

The Stupefication of a Nation

- He who controls the media controls the masses. Today, America's media is controlled exclusively by fewer than a dozen multinational conglomerates and their many interests. See... Manuel Valenzuela: The Stupefication of a Nation [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00076.htm

Freepressed Satire: When Evil Dick Met Holy John Paul

- In ceremony at the Vatican, Vice President Dick Cheney presents Pope with black dove. See... Satire: The Most Evil Meets The Most Holy [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00075.htm

Daily Katya Rivas Meditations

- You are the one who should re-examine your attitude. And when you are convinced of having failed, then you will lift the iron dam and the impetuous waters that arise from My Love will run towards you. Esteem Me; trust Me, and the sun will shine upon ... See... Katya Rivas: Offer Yourself, Even if Not Asked [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0402/S00074.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/CU0402/S00108.htmFRINGE '04: Asleep In Mid Air
See also... http://scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=fringe04
Scoop Fringe 2004 Feature

PM Stakes Out The Political Map For 2004

- Under Parliament’s Standing Orders, I have the opportunity through this formal Prime Minister’s statement to review public affairs and set out the government’s key policy and legislative intentions for the year. See... PM's Statement to Parliament 10 February 2004 [1] MORE ADDRESS IN REPLY SPEECHES & PRS: - Jim Anderton - Anderton: Speech - Opening Of Parliament [2] - Ken Shirley - Prime Minister's Energy Statements Alarming [3] - Peter Dunne - Dunne calls for national identity [4] - Jeanette Fitzsimons - Address In Reply Speech - [5] - Winston Peters - Address IN Reply Debate Speech [6]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00137.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00149.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00146.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00143.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00141.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00140.htm

Coddington Proposes March On Parliament In Opposition To School Closures

- ACT New Zealand Education Spokesman Deborah Coddington today urged New Zealanders to voice their anger over Labour's school closures by marching on Parliament on February 24. See... Time To Show Mallard We've Had Enough [1] MORE: - Bill English - Reviews cut a swathe through education [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00154.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00148.htm

Corruption Claims Against Corrections Called Groundless

- The Corrections Minister Paul Swain says the New Zealand First MP Ron Mark has once again made groundless claims about the Corrections Department, without producing a shred of evidence. See... Drug testing claims groundless [1] and Corrections Corrupt, Come Clean Says Mark [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00150.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00139.htm

Michael Cullen Accused Of Losing Plot On Trade

"Michael Cullen's either lost the plot or he's starting to believe his own spin as he attempts to cover up the Labour Government's failure to initiate free trade negotiations with the US," according to National Party Foreign Affairs and Trade ... See... Attempt To Cover Up NZ's Failure In Trade Talks [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00163.htm

Employment Statistics Consolidate Gains

- An increase in full-time employment, a decrease in part-time employment and an increase in the total number of hours worked has seen the labour market consolidate. See... Labour market consolidating [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00162.htm

Environmental Over-kill Warning From United

- Conservation Minister Chris Carter's immediate 'lock up the hinterlands' reaction to the near-disastrous Milford Sounds diesel spill gave a worrying insight into the Government's "fear-based" approach to conservation issues. See... Baldock: Putting a cap on environmental overkill [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00160.htm

Ryall Wants Younger Criminals

- The age of criminal responsibility should be dropped to 12 years of age if increasing youth crime is to be stopped, says National's Police spokesman Tony Ryall. See... Youth justice in crisis, says National [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00159.htm

Boarding Bursaries Funding Boost

- Boarding bursaries for thousands of rural students are to increase by 17 per cent ($350) to $2,340 annually per student as a result of a $1 million annual funding boost, Education Minister Trevor Mallard said today. See... Boarding bursaries to increase for rural students [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00158.htm

NZ Ranks Top In Patient Survey Of Healthcare Quality

- Health Minister Annette King says the Government takes considerable satisfaction from a Commonwealth Fund survey that ranks New Zealand top overall of five countries in terms of patient assessment of the quality of healthcare. See... NZ top overall in Commonwealth survey of patients [1] . See also... Flaws Common, And Commonwealth, Knowledge [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00157.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00152.htm

More Action Needed In Battle Against Asian Flu

- Green MP Sue Kedgley today welcomed the decision to make the bird flu a notifiable disease but said this must be backed up by precautionary measures, such as banning 31,000 tonnes of imported poultry products from bird flu-affected countries. See... Bird flu notification a good start - more needed [1] and

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00156.htm

Akaroa Fishery Maori Land Court Report Released

- Maori Land Court report on Akaroa taiapure released Fisheries Minister Pete Hodgson today released the Maori Land Court Tribunal's report on a proposal for a taiapure-local fishery at Akaroa Harbour. See... Maori Land Court report on Akaroa taiapure [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00155.htm

Writeoffs Show Labour Soft On Welfare – Newman

New information on Labour's benefit debt write-offs highlights the Government's soft-on-welfare approach, and willingness to allow benefit fraudsters to break the law with impunity, says ACT New Zealand Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman. See... Are Beneficiaries Above The Law? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00153.htm

Removing The Tax On Local Govt Tax

- United Future local government spokesman Larry Baldock echoed party leader Peter Dunne's call for the removal of GST on rates today. See... GST off rates - a tax cut that makes senses [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0402/S00151.htm

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

Contact Alastair Thompson

• Linkedin
• Twitter - @althecat
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz