THE WEEKEND’S TOP SCOOPS:
SCOOP IS IN THE HOUSE:
Media: Political Editor Snaffles Nine Till Noon Slot -
Chinese Premier's Visit: Tibetan Scarf Makes Silky Smooth Protest
MORE HEADLINES:
Treasury: Debt and Operating Balance up on Forecasts
Official Languages: NZ Sign Language Bill Passed
Advertising: Junk Food Peddlers Face New Challenges
Economy: Reserve Bank Reports on New Ways to Deal with Inflation
Lifestyle: International Judges Face Slick Operators At Hair Awards -
Theatre Review: Never Swim Alone at Bats
Intelligence: Bush Authorised Classified Leaks, Says Libby -
International Corporations: McDonald's linked to Amazon destruction
Scoop Audio: Life for Miners In Bolivia...
Australia: Howard Tries Another Tampa Dogwhistle Round over West Papua
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
SCOOP COLUMNS:
Has George Bush Been Caught Lying Through His Teeth?
Russell Brown On Public Address's Netguide Victory
Richard S. Ehrlich On The Fall Of Thaksin Shinawatra
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:
Katya Rivas's Passion: Serialised For Lent (Mary's Reflections)
OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
POLITICAL NEWSLETTERS:
Health: Should Apocalyptic Plagues Strike NZ Legislation Will Be In Place -
Immigration: Locke Decrys 'Big Brother' Review Proposals -
Parliamentary Privilege: Kedgley Slams State Broadcaster For Intimidation Of Fraser -
Race Relations: Cullen Not Happy with UN Maori Report
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:
POLITICAL COLUMNS
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TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
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[1] In the latest issue of the Listener it looks like the graphic designer has been given access to Investigate magazine's hoard of spectacularly unflattering shots of the PM. A Week of It tracked down James Gilberd of Wellington's Photospace studio/gallery and asked him to run his eyes over the green PM. Also this week TVNZ got a new yet somehow familiar Chief Executive in the form of Rick Ellis. Trawling through the archives of yesteryear A Week of It dredges up a run-in Rick Ellis had in 2002 with Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove. See... A Week of It: Cover Shocker + TVNZ CEO Pay Problem [2]
SCOOP IS IN THE HOUSE:
Questions And Answers - Thursday, 6 April 2006 [1] Questions And Answers - Wednesday, 5 April 2006 [2] Questions And Answers - Tuesday, 4 April 2006 [3]
Media: Political Editor Snaffles Nine Till Noon Slot -
Radio New Zealand Political Editor, Kathryn Ryan, will replace Linda Clark as presenter of the high profile Nine To Noon
current affairs programme on National Radio. Making the announcement today, Radio New Zealand Chief Executive, Peter
Cavanagh, said he was delighted to be able to appoint such an accomplished and respected broadcaster to one of National
Radio’s flagship programmes. Peter Cavanagh emphasised the importance of the appointment for National Radio listeners.
See... Kathryn Ryan to Front Nine to Noon [1]
Chinese Premier's Visit: Tibetan Scarf Makes Silky Smooth Protest
- Yesterday Green MP Keith Locke attended the official luncheon in honour of Wen Jiabao the Premier of the People’s
Republic of China wearing a natty scarf. The colourful scarf was worn in support of the struggle of the Tibetan people
for national, cultural and religious freedom. Later on during question time the issue of Tibet and any discussions
around the land made famous by the Tintin book (Tintin in Tibet) was raised by Mr Locke and fellow Green MP Sue Kedgley.
See... MP Pushes Human Rights In Sartorial Style [1] ALSO: Scoop Report - Free Trade and Falun Gong Intersect At Parliament [2] Scoop Audio - Audio: China's Premier And NZ PM Post Trade Talks [3] NZ Govt - Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with China Signed [4] NZ Govt - NZ/China renew MoU on Cooperation in Education [5] AND:Greens - China must be given a human rights message - Locke [6] Scoop Link - Frogblog: Greens silently protest arrival of Wen Jiabao [7] Amnesty International - NZ Must Urge Human Rights Reforms [8]
MORE HEADLINES:
Cheating employers should be ashamed [1] International Criminologists Coming To NZ [2] Record $3.6 million in cartel penalties [3] Vasectomy Patients Fail To Verify Their Sterility [4] Levi’s® 501® Keeps Fashion Honest [5]
Treasury: Debt and Operating Balance up on Forecasts
- The Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the eight months ended 28 February 2006 were released
by the Treasury today. These financial statements are compared against monthly forecasts based on the 2005 Half Year
Economic and Fiscal Update (Half Year Update). The forecasts for the Half Year Update were based on actual results to 31
October. See... Crown Financial Statement to 28 Feb 2006 [1]
Official Languages: NZ Sign Language Bill Passed
- Community and voluntary sector groups have congratulated the deaf community on yesterday’s recognition of sign
language as an official New Zealand language. With the passing of legislation today, New Zealand Sign Language has been
recognised as the nation’s third official language, alongside English and Maori. “This is a major achievement for the
deaf community, as they have been striving to have sign language officially recognised for 20 years. See... A voice for the deaf community [1] ALSO:NZ Govt - Dyson: NZ Sign Language Bill Third Reading [2] NZ Govt - NZ Sign Language to become third official language [3] Maori Party - Sharples: New Zealand Sign Language Bill [4] Christchurch City - Deaf community gathering to celebrate sign language recognition [5] OTHER NEWS:Foundation for the Deaf - Foundation Welcomes Move by Apple to Set iPod Volume Cap [6] Apple - Apple Provides Volume Limit Setting for iPod [7]
Advertising: Junk Food Peddlers Face New Challenges
- Changes to advertising codes for children and food are a welcome addition to the fight against childhood obesity in
New Zealand, Health Minister Pete Hodgson said today. Among the changes announced by the Advertising Standards
Authourity (ASA) is a new guideline will limit celebrities from promoting foods or drinks in such a way that undermine a
healthy diet consistent with the Ministry of Health's Food and Nutrition Guidelines for children. See... http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00144.htm [1] ALSO:Greens - New food code doesn't go far enough - Greens [2]
Economy: Reserve Bank Reports on New Ways to Deal with Inflation
- The Reserve Bank and the Treasury today released a joint report on possible additional instruments to supplement the
role of interest rates in managing demand pressures and inflation. This report, prepared under terms of reference issued
in November 2005, was prompted by the recent strength and persistence of domestic household demand, the scale of the
accompanying external imbalances, and the key role played by the house price cycle. See... Report on supplementary tools released [1] ALSO:Reserve Bank - Letter to Dr Cullen on SSI Report [2] Reserve Bank - Supplementary Stabilisation Instruments Report [3] National - Housing study confirms futility of Cullen’s ideas [4]
Lifestyle: International Judges Face Slick Operators At Hair Awards -
19 finalists from around the country have been selected by a team of international judges for this year’s Schwarzkopf
Professional New Zealand Hairdressing Awards. One of the judges is Tyler Johnston, an international session and catwalk
stylist, working the international fashion weeks of London, New York, Paris and Milan. See... Int'l Judges Select Finalists For Hair Awards [1]
Theatre Review: Never Swim Alone at Bats
- A circle of sand on the stage invoke a school-holiday beach and also serve as a kind of symbolic sumo-wrestling ring.
Two men in suits play out vignettes of male interaction, each one a new round in a tournament of masculinity. The woman
in the raised seat with the bathing suit and the whistle is a referee something like the opposite of a lifeguard. See... Scoop Review: Never Swim Alone [1]
Intelligence: Bush Authorised Classified Leaks, Says Libby -
Attorneys and current and former White House officials close to the investigation into the leak of covert CIA operative
Valerie Plame Wilson said Thursday that President Bush gave Vice President Dick Cheney the authorization in mid-June
2003 to disclose a portion of the highly sensitive National Intelligence Estimate to Washington Post reporter Bob
Woodward and former New York Times reporter Judith Miller. See... Jason Leopold: Bush at Center of Intelligence Leak [1] ALSO:Scoop Link - The Smoking Gun: Extracts from Fitzgerald court filing [2]
International Corporations: McDonald's linked to Amazon destruction
- Greenpeace today exposed the role played by McDonald's in the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. As part of a new
campaign to tackle the latest threat to the Amazon, Greenpeace has completed a year-long undercover investigation into
the global trade in Amazon soya. The findings are today published in a new report, Eating up the Amazon (2). Using
satellite images, aerial surveillance, previously unreleased government documents and on-the-ground monitoring,
Greenpeace traced soya from criminal rainforest destruction to McDonald's restaurants and to supermarkets across Europe.
See... McDonald's linked to Amazon destruction [1] ALSO:Coca-Cola Misleading Public on Water Issues [2]
Scoop Audio: Life for Miners In Bolivia...
Independent journalist and photographer Dawn Paley is interviewed by Lorraine Chisholm. Paley has documented the
working lives of mining families in Bolivia. Producer: Producer: Redeye Collective
Australia: Howard Tries Another Tampa Dogwhistle Round over West Papua
- "The fact that the Australian Prime Minister John Howard stated yesterday that he doesn't want more West Papuans, and
that he had the audacity to suggest that 'the majority of Australians' have that view shows he once again tries to
introduce dirty population seduction and dog-whistle politics into the mix, and the Prime Minister should be condemned
because of it," says WA Rights group Project SafeCom this morning. See... Howard Tries Another Tampa Dogwhistle Round over W. Papua [1] ALSO:US Should Not Cozy With Kopassus, Indonesian Military [2] Aust.: Media reports re-alleged arrival of Papuans [3]
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
UN looks for US backing for Human Rights Council [1] UN Asia-Pacific Meeting: Jobs, global economy, cooperation [2] Nepal: Annan concerned over confrontation brewing [3] Dutch probe: Milosevic died of natural causes [4] European GMO Conference: A Missed Opportunity [5]
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SCOOP COLUMNS
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Has George Bush Been Caught Lying Through His Teeth?
- "I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information," said George W. Bush on September
30, 2003. "If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action."
See... William Rivers Pitt: The Leaker-in-Chief [1] MORE from Jason Leopold: Evidence Suggests White House Conspiracy [2] Bush at Center of Intelligence Leak [3]
Russell Brown On Public Address's Netguide Victory
- We won a People's Choice NetGuide Web Award last night: Best Blog. I'm really pleased. Thanks everyone, and big ups
to the other finalists, Kiwiblog and IdolBlog... See... Public Address 07/04/06 - Thanks Everyone [1] . Earlier… Public Address 06/04/06 - Read Graham [2]
Richard S. Ehrlich On The Fall Of Thaksin Shinawatra
- BANGKOK, Thailand -- Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra resigned on Wednesday (April 5), and appointed a loyal
colleague, to end anti-Thaksin street protests before the June arrival of the world's kings, queens and other royalty to
honor Thailand's revered monarch. See... Thailand's PM Thaksin Shinawatra Resigns [1]
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:
William Fisher - Amnesty Takes On Rendition [1] & And This Guy Wants to Be President? [2] Remi Kanazi - Assaulting Cynthia McKinney [3] Sheila Samples - UQ Wire: Thompson's Dog Won't Hunt [4] Fitrakis & Wasserman - Shocking Diebold Conflict Of Interest Revelations [5] David Swanson - Hawaii Legislature Takes Steps to End War [6] & David Swanson: Public Energy Is Misdirected [7] John Bishop - Communications Line of 6 April [8] Lyndon Hood - Theatre Review: Never Swim Alone [9] Marc Alexander - Marc My Words - 7 April 2006 [10] Ramzy Baroud - US & Hamas: The Disturbing Parallel With Nicaragua [11] D. Michael Van De Veer - Has Nepal’s Orange-Revolution Begun? [12] Narconews - Michoacán Peasant Farmers Defend Their Lands [13] Green Left Weekly - Iraq: US Massacres Unarmed Civilians [14]
Katya Rivas's Passion: Serialised For Lent (Mary's Reflections)
- Many prophets spoke about me: they prophesied that it was necessary for me to suffer to become worthy of being the
Mother of God. On earth they anticipated knowledge of me but it had to be in a very guarded way. See... Katya Rivas: The Sorrows of the Virgin Mary [1] SEE ALSO: Part 24 - Katya Rivas: God The Father [2]
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OTHER NEWS (JUST POLITICS)
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POLITICAL NEWSLETTERS:
Molesworth & Featherston (Weekend) – April 8 2006 [1] Transtasman Political Letter – 6 April Digest [2]
Health: Should Apocalyptic Plagues Strike NZ Legislation Will Be In Place -
New Zealand's work to prepare for possible flu pandemic has been significantly progressed by the introduction of new
legislation in Parliament today. The Law Reform (Epidemic Preparedness) Bill will improve the government's ability to
respond to an outbreak of pandemic flu or a similar highly infectious disease capable of becoming an epidemic in New
Zealand. Health Minister Pete Hodgson said the bill was an important part of the whole-of-government work programme that
is currently underway. See... Pandemic preparedness legislation introduced [1]
Immigration: Locke Decrys 'Big Brother' Review Proposals -
The immigration review signals an unfortunate extension of powers of arrest and detention to highly fallible immigration
officials and security agencies, at the expense of migrants and refugees, Green Party MP Keith Locke says. "New Zealand
should be a welcoming country, not one where bureaucrats have greater powers of surveillance and detention," said Mr
Locke. "If the report's worst options are chosen, refugees and migrants will have a lot less rights than they do now.
See... No need to go down US road and clamp down on migrants [1] ALSO:Scoop Link Immigration Act Review Discussion paper (PDF) [2] NZ Govt - Bo Fan case less likely again thanks to review [3] NZ Govt - Sweeping review of immigration laws unveiled [4] National - National will scrutinise immigration changes [5] National - Labour immigration 'review' underwhelming [6] NZ First - Immigration Review Opens The Door For Real Change [7] NZ First - Nats not sure if coming or going on Immigration [8] NZ Govt - Launch of new Education Kit on Immigration Law [9]
Parliamentary Privilege: Kedgley Slams State Broadcaster For Intimidation Of Fraser -
TVNZ's behaviour in pressuring a witness who gave evidence before a select committee inquiry amounted to an attack on
freedom of speech, the Green Party says. "For the health of our democracy, we must jealously protect freedom of speech
in Parliament - including for witnesses appearing before it," Broadcasting Spokesperson Sue Kedgley says. See... TVNZ's actions an attack on freedom of speech [1] ALSO:National - Privileges Committee findings welcomed [2]
Race Relations: Cullen Not Happy with UN Maori Report
- Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen has described the final report of the UN Special Rapporteur for indigenous
issues as disappointing, unbalanced and narrow. "It's hardly surprising that Mr Stavenhagen has come to selective
conclusions when he only spent about eight working days consulting in the country all up. " See... Response to UN Special Rapporteur report [1] ALSO:UNCHR Mission To NZ Report Addendum [2] Full Report (PDF) [3] National - File UN report in the dustbin - Brownlee [4] Maori Party - Party 'Astonished' at PM’s Dismissal of UN Report [5] Maori Party - Turia: Report of the Special Rapporteur [6] NZ First - Special Rapporteur Report Disappointing – Peters [7] Aotearoa Indigenous Rights Trust - Trust Welcomes independent United Nations report [8] AUT - UN Waitangi recommendation based on ignorance [9]
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:
NZ Govt - Import of honey, bee products subject to scrutiny [1] National - No guarantee honey imports free of disease [2] National - National should be briefed on immigration changes [3] National - National wins more scrutiny of Greens' funding [4] Greens - China must be given a human rights message - Locke [5] Greens - Greens applaud Sealord action over whaling [6] NZ First - Inaction On HIV Baby Risk Scandalous [7] Maori Party - Bungled fisheries plan pits Maori against Maori [8] Maori Party - Ka Koi Rolls into Town [9] Maori Party - Te Ururoa Flavell MoJ Financial Review Speech [10] NZ First - Warnings About Licence Cheats Ignored - Mark [11] United Future - 1 April Super Increase not due to NZ First [12]
POLITICAL COLUMNS
Wayne Mapp - The Mapp Report - 7 April 2006 [1] Marc Alexander - Marc My Words - 7 April 2006 [2] Pansy Wong - Pansy Speak - 7 April 2006 [3] Richard Worth - News Worthy - 7 April 2006 [4]
ENDS