Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Thursday, 18 March 2004, 5:02 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Scoop Is In The House
LEAD STORY:
Another Apparent Govt. U-Turn On Foreshore
72 Hour Counter Terrorism Response Exercise Monday
… Meanwhile Pete Hodgson's Clock Shuts Down Central Wellington
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
Aus. Immigration Detainees Seize Control Of Compound
INTERNATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Hard News Is There!
Venezuelan General Sees Haiti Coup As A Warning
Poems Of Liberation For St Patrick
UQ Wire: 911 Panel Still Considering Bush Testimony Conditions
Genevieve Cora Fraser: Poems Of Pain
Green Left Weekly: The War One Year On
Kelly Suicide Skeptics Keep Up Pressure On Coroner
Daily Katya Rivas Meditations

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
Winston Claims High Ground In Race Debate
Minister Now Licensed To Flouridate
Local Authorities Out Of Control Says Shirley
Politicians Columns: Democracy Should Rule
Mercury Testing Needed For Fish
When It Is Far From Hip To Be Chill
English Sees Wider Implications In Uni's Court Challenge
Trevor Mallard Called A School Bully
Party Drug Regulation Called For
Matt Robson Tells Blair And Bush Off Over Terror War
Fisheries Fraud Loophole Closed

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...TODAY'S PHOTO STORY...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00405.htm
Prince Edward With A Picture Of His Mum

LEAD STORY:
Scoop Is In The House

- For today's questions see... Questions for Oral Answer -Thursday, 18 March 2004 [1] . For Wednesday's Questions and Answers see… Questions & Answers for Oral Answer 17 March 2004 [2] . For Tuesday's see... Questions & Answers for Oral Answer - 16 Mar. 2004 [3] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00415.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00403.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00343.htm

LEAD STORY

& STORY OF THE WEEK Another Apparent Govt. U-Turn On Foreshore - National Party Maori Affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee is pleased that Labour is finally listening to the vast majority of New Zealanders who agree with National's campaign to secure Crown ownership over the foreshore and seabed. See... National welcomes Labour back-down on foreshore [1] REACTION: - National - Clark's strategy number seven [2] - ACT - ACT Reaction to Peters' U-Turn [3] - ACT - Foreshore Crown Ownership Irrelevant [4] See more on the story of the week coverage…. [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00413.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00404.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00425.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00420.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/index.html#msow

72 Hour Counter Terrorism Response Exercise Monday

- New Zealand’s ability to deal with terrorist attacks is to be tested over a 72-hour period next week. Exercise Lawman 2004 begins in Christchurch on Monday. Several fictitious "serious" events over the following three days will mobilise ... See... Police To Test Counter Terrorism Response Monday [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0403/S00142.htm

… Meanwhile Pete Hodgson's Clock Shuts Down Central Wellington

- Wellington Police say a suspicious package delivered to the Reserve Bank Building - which led to a bomb scare and the evacuation of four buildings - has been identified as a " ticking gift to a cabinet minister." See... NEWSFLASH: Suspected Bomb A Gift To Minister [1] MORE: - NEWSFLASH UPDATE: Reserve Bank Bomb Scare [2] - NEWSFLASH: Reserve Bank Bomb Scare [3] - MORST - Evacuation Sensible and Necessary [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00203.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00202.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00201.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00142.htm

MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00138.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00136.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00133.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00131.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00128.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00123.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0403/S00141.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0403/S00195.htm

Aus. Immigration Detainees Seize Control Of Compound

- Reports have just come to hand that detainees in the WHITE TWO compound at the Baxter have taken control of the compound after fighting and arguments with detention managers Group 4 broke out overnight. See... Baxter detainees take control of compound [1] and Baxter Critical Incident - Update [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00260.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00261.htm

INTERNATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00259.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00258.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00255.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00254.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00253.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00252.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00251.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0403/S00245.htm

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Hard News Is There!

So the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs meets tomorrow to decide the fate of the legal party pills trade. But if the comments in today's Herald story on the subject are any indication, it would be a little difficult to have great confidence in its expertise.See... Public Address 18/03/04 - Party Off, Dudes [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00212.htm

Venezuelan General Sees Haiti Coup As A Warning

- Open or covert illegal aggression has always been a principal tool of US foreign policy. The energy needs of the US and its allies will dictate the next likely savage intervention - in Venezuela. See... Via Haiti US megaphones Venezuela: Will you comply [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00211.htm

Poems Of Liberation For St Patrick

- I wanted to share a great poem on this special day. I recite it every year to the kids at the school, and I recited it last year at the Poets Against the War event. See... D. P. Welch: Happy St. Pat's - A Message Of Hoe [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00210.htm

UQ Wire: 911 Panel Still Considering Bush Testimony Conditions

- Recent comments indicate the independent 911 panel is still listening to the court of public opinion regarding open testimony by officials at the very highest levels of government. See... 9-11 Panel Still Discussing Bush Subpoena [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00209.htm

Genevieve Cora Fraser: Poems Of Pain

- Another day in Palestine : Executed under purgatorial : Skies cloudy with menace : Dark figures stalk : The roots that sprang : From Jesse's seed : Arms rigid as steel : Squeeze cold fingers : Executed in perfect : Obedience to Israeli Will See... Genevieve Cora Fraser: Two Poems Of Palestine [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00208.htm

Green Left Weekly: The War One Year On

- One year since US President George Bush announced the beginning of the invasion of Iraq, the plans for an imperial ''new American century'' have come seriously unhinged. See... Iraq One Year On: Has Washington Won? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00207.htm

Kelly Suicide Skeptics Keep Up Pressure On Coroner

- Following the coroner's decision to disregard expert medical opinion on Dr David Kelly's death..... See... Coroner Will Not Conduct Dr David Kelly Inquest [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00206.htm

Daily Katya Rivas Meditations

- Look at Me, My dear ones. Letting Myself be led with the meekness of a lamb to the terrible torture of the scourging. See... Katya Rivas: The Scourging of Jesus [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00205.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00199.htm
Mel Martinez - A Modern Day Pirate?

Winston Claims High Ground In Race Debate

- Rt Hon Winston Peters has urged Don Brash to take a deep breath and start thinking seriously about extricating National from its impossible position over Treaty of Waitangi issues and the foreshore and seabed. See... Peters Tells Nats To Think Of NZ [1] and Fingerprints On The Treaty, Footprints In The Sand [2] . See also United… Dunne welcomes Treaty inquiry support [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00408.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00407.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00406.htm

Minister Now Licensed To Flouridate

- Subsidies to fluoridate drinking water can now cover the whole cost of the capital works of a fluoridation project at the discretion of the Health Minister. See... Fluoridation projects can now be subsidised 100% [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00424.htm

Local Authorities Out Of Control Says Shirley

- Local authority statistics released today confirm that local councils are out of control in spending and rate increases, ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader and Local Government Spokesman Ken Shirley said today. See... Council Rates And Spending Out Of Control [1] and Local Authority Surplus Up [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00423.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0403/S00213.htm

Politicians Columns: Democracy Should Rule

- Recently the Papakura District Council voted on whether or not to give an unelected Maori Standing committee voting rights. See... Collins Comments - 18 March 2004 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00422.htm

Mercury Testing Needed For Fish

- Green MP Sue Kedgley today called on the government to urgently test the mercury levels of commonly consumed high-risk fish to ensure that they are safe for consumers to eat. See... Govt inaction on mercury-testing fishy - Kedgley [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00421.htm

When It Is Far From Hip To Be Chill

- National Party Social Services spokeswoman Katherine Rich is calling on the Government to explain why hip-hoppers travelling on taxpayer funding 'went to Hawaii and Fiji ... basically to chill out', and she is calling on the Minister to review the entire project. See... Maharey must explain hip-hoppers 'chill out' [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00418.htm

English Sees Wider Implications In Uni's Court Challenge

- The High Court injunction preventing the release of comparisons between New Zealand and British universities throws the validity of the ranking of universities and their staff for the Performance Based Research Fund into doubt, says National's education spokesman Bill English. See... Court injunction casts doubt over rankings [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00417.htm

Trevor Mallard Called A School Bully

- ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader and Tauranga-based MP Ken Shirley was today appalled that Education Minister Trevor Mallard, and his officials, had stripped Bellevue School of its authority to enrol pupils. See... Trevor 'School Bully' Mallard [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00414.htm

Party Drug Regulation Called For

- Green MP Nandor Tanczos today called for the government to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act to allow drugs like benzylpiperazenes (BZP) and trifluromethylphenylpiperazenes (TFMPP) to be made R18 and to restrict where they could be sold. See... Nandor calls for regulation of 'legal highs' [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00412.htm

Matt Robson Tells Blair And Bush Off Over Terror War

- Political leaders of the U.S. and the U.K. are in danger of seriously under-mining international co-operation against terrorism says Progressive MP Matt Robson. See... War against terror needs better leadership [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00411.htm

Fisheries Fraud Loophole Closed

- A legal loophole that thwarted some prosecutions for alleged fisheries poaching and black market trading is closing with the passage of the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 2) in Parliament last night. See... Fisheries Fraud Law Tightened [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0403/S00409.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.

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