Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Thursday, 14 April 2005, 10:12 am
Article: Alastair Thompson

Catch up edition ... for afternoon of April 13th 2005

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
LEAD STORY: Cullen Details Income Increase For Pensioners
SCOOP IS IN THE HOUSE:
Gerald Thorns: Man At Centre Of "Spy" Claims Issues Statement
PM Slams SIS Maori Bugging Spooks Scoop
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
Aid Watch Claims Australia Lied On Aid Funding Increase
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Martin Lally: A Review V8 Car Race Proposal (revised)
Hard News & More Is There!
Marjorie Cohn: John Bolton At The Senate
MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
Prime Minister Experiences Life And Death Air Incident
Anderton Announces Aviation Initiative
Hawkins Submits Arms Bill To Parliament
Election Policy: Prime Minister Announces Rates Relief For Aged
Election Policy: Driving Tests For Aged Would Be Eased
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:

LEAD STORY:
Cullen Details Income Increase For Pensioners

[1] - Thousands of Government Superannuation Fund recipients will have their incomes lifted as a result of proposed amendments to the GSF scheme, Finance Minister Michael Cullen said today. Funding of $3.3 million in 2006-07, $3.5 million in 2007-08 and $3.4 million in 2008-09 and out years would be allocated in the coming budget to support the proposals which had been sought by the Government Superannuitants’ Association and the New Zealand Railway Superannuitants’ Association. See... Income lift for thousands of GSF superannuitants [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00300.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00300.htm

SCOOP IS IN THE HOUSE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00297.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00259.htm

Gerald Thorns: Man At Centre Of "Spy" Claims Issues Statement

[1] Scoop co-editor's note: Gerald Thorns, the senior figure named in Inspector General Justice Neazor's report into claims that the New Zealand SIS had bugged Maori has emailed Scoop a statement detailing his background within the NZ Labour Party. His statement includes descriptions of his executive staff roles in the Lange Labour government and prior while Labour was in opposition. See... Man At Centre Of "Op Leaf" Inquiry Makes Statement [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00109.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00109.htm

PM Slams SIS Maori Bugging Spooks Scoop

- The Prime Minister has released a report on the SIS Maori bugging affair slamming the coverage of the story by the Sunday Star Times and Scoop.co.nz, and blaming the affair on a trio “trouble makers”. See... NEWSFLASH: PM & Justice Neazor Slam Scoop & SST [1] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00094.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00103.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00220.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/pdfs/neazorsis.pdf
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0504/S00145.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0504/S00133.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/features/spooks.html

MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0504/S00160.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0504/S00036.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00274.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00263.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00260.htm

Aid Watch Claims Australia Lied On Aid Funding Increase

Figures from the OECD today blew out of the water the Foreign Ministers suggestion of a 9.9% increase in Australian aid, according to AID/WATCH, Australia’s leading aid watchdog. See... Australian Government caught out on aid generosity [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0504/S00219.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0504/S00214.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0504/S00209.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0504/S00208.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0504/S00207.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0504/S00205.htm

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Martin Lally: A Review V8 Car Race Proposal (revised)

- ...the economic benefits to Wellington will be substantially less than $8.6m per year rather than the $22.9m repeatedly claimed in the Council‘s Proposal, both because of inappropriate definitions of benefits and through failure to allow for capacity constraints... See... A Review Of The Wellington V8 Car Race Proposal [1] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00119.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00081.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00082.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00187.htm

Hard News & More Is There!

- And so, a political solution. Not so much the only solution as the only one that wasn't completely horrifying to contemplate. Really, would you rather be savaged by a dead sheep Don Brash, or face the very real possibility of your renegade MP ... See... Public Address 13/04/05 - Fear And Loathing [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00118.htm

Marjorie Cohn: John Bolton At The Senate

- John Bolton refused to come clean at his confirmation hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday, playing down his contempt for the UN and for international law. See... Cohn: Senators Challenge Bolton on Contempt for UN [1] Earlier: Marjorie Cohn: Bolton Nominated to Destroy UN [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00117.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00037.htm

MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00116.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00115.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00114.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00113.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00112.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00111.htm

Prime Minister Experiences Life And Death Air Incident

[1] The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand coordinated the emergency landing of a Piper Aztec aircraft at Paraparaumu Airport which had the Prime Minister on board, this morning. At 8.59am, when the aircraft was just five miles away from landing, the RCCNZ received a mayday distress call relayed by Airways Corporation in Christchurch stating that the aircraft was making an emergency landing as the door of the aircraft was open. See… RCCNZ coordinates emergency landing of aircraft [2] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0504/S00158.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0504/S00158.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0504/S00110.htm

Anderton Announces Aviation Initiative

- Govt - A boost to Waikato’s aviation capability is expected to increase exports and help secure future training, research and investment in New Zealand’s burgeoning aviation industry, says Industry and Regional Development Minister Jim Anderton. See…Waikato aviation sector gets Govt. investment [1] ALSO: Waikato aviation initiative - Speech [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00277.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00276.htm

Hawkins Submits Arms Bill To Parliament

- Police Minister, George Hawkins is encouraging the public to make submissions on the Arms Amendment Bill (No.3), which passed its first reading in Parliament today. "The Bill updates New Zealand's firearms regulations for the first time since 1992," said Mr Hawkins. "It also incorporates provisions that will be required if New Zealand is to sign up to the international Firearms Protocol, which is consistent with this country's stand against trans-national organised crime, gun-running and terrorism." See... Minister welcomes submissions on Arms Bill [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00264.htm

Election Policy: Prime Minister Announces Rates Relief For Aged

- Prime Minister Helen Clark today announced that a Labour-led government in its third term will be making big improvements in the rates rebate scheme. Helen Clark told the annual meeting of Grey Power in Rotorua that under a Labour-led government up to 300,000 low-income New Zealanders will be eligible to have up to $500 deducted from their annual rates bill. See... 300,000 New Zealanders to get relief from rates [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00263.htm

Election Policy: Driving Tests For Aged Would Be Eased

- Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today that Labour intends to abolish the mandatory requirement for age-based driving tests for people aged eighty years and over. See... Labour to abolish age-based driving tests [1] ALSO: Review of Older Driver Licensing Policy Q&As [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00261.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00262.htm

MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00267.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00265.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00260.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00268.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00281.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00278.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00271.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00280.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00273.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00270.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00272.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00269.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00266.htm
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0504/S00279.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