TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
LEAD STORY: Police Commissioner Sets Up Advisory Board To Oversee 111 Centre Performance
SCOOP IS IN THE HOUSE:
Scoop Report: Thursday Afternoon Question Time Weirdness
Scoop Photo-Essay: Blumsky Kicks Off Campaign With Shot Of Caffeine
Goff Appears Cold On Raising Drinking Age
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
Police Following Leads On Foot and Mouth Letter
Australia Sets Sights On APEC 2007
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
SCOOP COLUMNS:
Dave McArthur Opines On Bulk Electricity Spin
Graham Reid Addresses Another Hoax
Jay Shaft On The Suffering Of Iraq's Children
MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:
Three Views On The King of Nepal's Coup
OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
Cullen: Budget Will Focus On Long Term Goals
Govt Announces $27.7m Sickness & Invalid's Investment
Unemployment Rate Increases Slightly But Govt's Commitment Ongoing
Maori Party Discuss Key Election Slogans
MORE PARLIAMENT HEADLINES:
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TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS------------
LEAD STORY:
Police Commissioner Sets Up Advisory Board To Oversee 111 Centre Performance
Police Commissioner Rob Robinson has announced the establishment of a National Communications Centre Advisory Board to oversee the performance and strategic direction of police communications centres. The announcement follows the release of the Independent Review of Police Communications Centres which the Commissioner initiated in response to high profile service failures, like events that led to the disappearance of Iraena Asher. See... Advisory Board to oversee Police Coms Centres [1] ALSO: Nats - Helen Clark should say if George Hawkins is hiding [2] Greens - Minister and Commissioner need to front up [3] United - The Thinned Blue Line [4] ACT - Comprehensive police review needed [5] Govt - Restoring confidence in communication centres [6] Police Assn - Centres Report Mana From Heaven [7] Nats - Police review a bombshell [8] NZ First - Hawkins Must Go - Report Confirms Worst Fears [9] ACT - Hawkins must resign over police comms failure [10] United - Dunne welcomes 111 report; calls for action [11] Federated Farmers - 111 Report Backs Farmers' Concerns [12]
SCOOP IS IN THE HOUSE:
Questions & Answers for Oral Answer 12 May 2005 [1] Questions & Answers for Oral Answer 11 May 2005 [2] Questions & Answers for Oral Answer 10 May 2005 [3]
Scoop Report: Thursday Afternoon Question Time Weirdness
- In an exchange during question time today Associate Minister of Education David Benson-Pope denied opposition
allegations that he used tennis balls to discipline students during his time teaching at Bayfield High School. See... David Benson-Pope Denies Tennis Ball Sadism [1] ALSO:Minister rejects allegation of assault [2]
Scoop Photo-Essay: Blumsky Kicks Off Campaign With Shot Of Caffeine
- Kevin List reports that this morning Wellington commuters were treated to free coffee in Manners street brewed by a
phalanx of Mark Blumsky supporters. The reason for this caffeine largesse was the opening of Mr Blumsky's campaign
headquarters. See... Blumsky Provides Good Coffee And Dodgy Fashion [1]
Goff Appears Cold On Raising Drinking Age
- Mixed results in survey on 18, 19 year old drinking The Ministry of Justice's latest survey on youth drinking shows
mixed results on the impact of lowering the drinking age in 1999, says Justice Minister Phil Goff. See... Mixed results in survey on 18 19 year old drinking [1] ALSO: Progressive Party - Robson Speech: Sale of Liquor Amendment Bill [2] Progressive Party -Higher drinking age: needed part of culture change [3]
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
Leaky Building Support To Be Reviewed [1] Unemployment Rate Rises to 3.9 Percent [2] NZ Army campaign wins online advertising award [3] International Nurses Day: May 12 [4] Student debt: Bigger than King Kong [5]
Police Following Leads On Foot and Mouth Letter
- Police investigating the biosecurity threat letter say they're pleased with the response from the public with
suggestions on who might be the author. "We're working our way through people nominated by members of the public and
police as potential suspects. The public response has been very good but we'd welcome a lot more information," Assistant
Commissioner Peter Marshall said. See... Police pleased with public threat letter response [1] ALSO: MAF - Latest Waiheke Island Update [2] MAF - Operation Waiheke News [3] Govt - Minister Confident Of Robust MAF Systems [4] Federated Farmers - Update On Claimed Biosecurity Breach [5] MAF - Operation Waiheke Media Advisory 3 [6] Conservation Dept -Waiheke historic reserve at Stony Batter closed [7] MAF - Operation Waiheke Advisory 2 [8] Federated Farmers -Probable Hoax A Shock To Farmers [9] Meat & Wool - Calm needed over suspected biosecurity threat hoax [10] MAF - Breaking News: Biosecurity Foot & Mouth Threat Investigation [11]
Australia Sets Sights On APEC 2007
- The Australian Government will provide its agencies with $216.3 million to host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) forum in 2007 - the most significant international meeting ever hosted by Australia. Involving the leaders of
APEC's 21 member economies and thousands of representatives, APEC 2007 will be more than twice the size of the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Coolum in 2002. It will be preceded by up to 100 days of ministerial,
officials-level and business meetings across Australia. See... Australia to Host APEC 2007 [1]
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
UN: Privatization of Property Driving Homelessness [1] Afghanistan - Explosive Device Thrown During Riot [2] More Than 12 Million People in Forced Labour [3] 27 Vietnamese Montagnards To Finland As Refugees [4] Hebron Palestinian Families in Crisis [5]
SCOOP COLUMNS:
Dave McArthur Opines On Bulk Electricity Spin
- Have you ever suddenly seen through a massive con? If you are like me, you don’t know whether to rage against the
perpetrator, to be depressed by your ignorance or to laugh at your own gullibility. See... Bonus Joules: Confusion or Concussion? [1]
Graham Reid Addresses Another Hoax
A hoax 111 call yesterday had police, emergency services, the Westpac helicopter and army units mobilised and rushed to
an area of native bush 30 kilometre west of Dargaville. The anonymous caller -- who identified himself as Stephen
Bainbridge, a 23-year old horticulture student from 27 Lone Pine Rd, New Plymouth -- alleged that a kauri tree had been
illegally felled in the remote area of bush. "The prime minister's department was immediately informed of the hoax,"
said the Commissioner of Police Mr Robert Robertson, "and we were very pleased with the speed at which emergency
services and Victim Support groups swung into action. See... Public Address 12/05/05 - Clear And Present Danger [1]
Jay Shaft On The Suffering Of Iraq's Children
- Since the U.S. invaded Iraq on 3/20/03 at least 50,000-100,000 civilians have been killed. A great majority of those
casualties have been women and children. One of the purposes of the invasion was to “free and liberate” the Iraqi
people. See... Jay Shaft: When Silence Becomes Betrayal [1]
MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:
Martin LeFevre - Meditations: Is There Such a Thing as True Hope? [1] Charles Shaw - Full Spectrum Accountability [2] Norman Solomon - Political Bluster & The Filibuster [3] William Rivers Pitt - One of These Days [4] Carolyn Baker - An Anti-American Terrorist Movement [5] Green Left Weekly - A Detention System Out Of Control [6]
Three Views On The King of Nepal's Coup
- On Monday US Secretary of State for S. Asia Christina Rocca arrived in the capital of Kathmandu. She met with various
leaders of the major parties, held a press conference, and dined with the King. See... Michael Van De Veer: 100 Days Of Fascism In Nepal [1] MORE: Sanjay Upadhya - Nepal - Mixed Message Of Moderation [2] Guest Opinion Opinion: Stop Equating Activism With Absolutism [3]
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OTHER NEWS (JUST POLITICS)------------
Cullen: Budget Will Focus On Long Term Goals
- Budget 2005 to focus on long game “Budget 2005 will focus on the long game,” Finance Minister Michael Cullen told a
meeting of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association in Christchurch today. “That means creating an environment in which
businesses can make investment decisions with increasing assurance. It means long term fiscal and monetary stability,
and a programme of careful public investment in those things which underpin a modern, knowledge based economy,” Dr
Cullen said. See... Budget 2005 to focus on long game [1] ALSO: Cullen Speech to Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association [2]
Govt Announces $27.7m Sickness & Invalid's Investment
- $27.7 million will be invested over the next four years to help more Sickness and Invalid's beneficiaries move into
work, Social Development and Employment Minister Steve Maharey announced today. See... Opportunities for Sickness and Invalid's [1]
Unemployment Rate Increases Slightly But Govt's Commitment Ongoing
- New Zealand has recorded its highest ever level of employment with 2,055,000 New Zealanders now employed, according
to the March Household Labour Force Survey. See... Strong growth in full-time employment continues [1]
Maori Party Discuss Key Election Slogans
- This last weekend the National Council of the Maori Party was discussing key slogans as part of our build-up to
Elections 2005. A high scorer from rangatahi was a one-word slogan, the word REPRESENT. It gave me great hope for our
prospects to come. See... Turia - Better representation for Maori? [1]
MORE PARLIAMENT HEADLINES:
Govt - What's Eckhoff's High Country agenda? [1] Govt - Scholarships for early childhood teacher training [2] Govt - New facilities for mountain community [3] Govt - More students leaving school with qualifications [4] Govt - BUDGET 2005: Reducing demand for drugs [5] Govt - Budget 05: Enhancing liquor licensing enforcement [6] Govt - Budget 2005: National depression awareness funding [7] Govt - Foreign fishing crew report released [8] Govt - Interpretation of free education unacceptable [9] Nats - Helen Clark should say if George Hawkins is hiding [10] Nats - Bill English Comments [11] United Future - Alexander: Police being led by lemmings [12] United - Adams closes door on shoddy car repairs [13] United - Adams calls for review of ‘murky’ foreign vessels’ [14] ACT - $53b in minerals locked up in high country grab [15] ACT - Comprehensive police review needed - ACT [16] ACT - Stats add to early election prospects-ACT [17] Greens - 'Helping beneficiaries' is about helping Labour [18] NZ First - VC Medal for Sgt Manahi Would Be Justice [19] NZ First - Hawkins Must Go - Report Confirms Worst Fears [20] Progressives - Robson Speech: Sale of Liquor Amendment Bill [21] Progressives - Higher drinking age: needed part of culture change [22]
ENDS