Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics
TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:
Economy: There is No Recession in New Zealand
Biosecurity: Bee Mites Suspected in Nelson Outside Initial Radius
Weather: Roads Closed But Trains On In Central NI
MORE HEADLINES:
Arts: Barrowman awarded Michael King fellowship
Scoop Video Podcast: Football World Cup Mystery, High-Tech/Low-Coms & Scoop's Invitation To You
Workplace Safety: Hard Hats Needed In NZ's Most Dangerous Profession -
Arts: Wellington Pupil Wins Composition Competition -
RECOMMENDED AUDIO:
Policing: Horde Of British Bobbies Join NZ Ranks
Iraq: Defense Lawyer in Saddam Hussein Trial Murdered
Scoop Audio: Latest UN News Brief…
Scoop Audio: Mind Over Matters: Refusing to Deploy to Iraq…
More Corruption in the Solomon Islands? Opposition calls for Minister to be sacked over IWC vote
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES
SCOOP COLUMNS:
United States: Greg Palast on why Rather was right
NZ Trade: Exporters look to India - it's about time
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION
American Coup: Michael Collins Scoop Exclusive Defence Of RFK Jnr.
OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
Politics: Peters Retaliates Against "Lazy Piece of NZ Herald Reporting"
Legislation: Greens Send Microchipping Bill to the Dogs -
Economy: Cullen Says Widening Deficit + Tax Cuts = Inflation -
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES
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TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
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Economy: There is No Recession in New Zealand
The March quarter GDP result flies in the face of those who predicted doom and gloom for the New Zealand economy, Finance Minister Michael Cullen said today. Over the March quarter the economy expanded by 0.7 per cent, at the high end of market expectations. Annually, GDP grew 2.2 per cent. "National leader Don Brash predicted recession. His credibility on economic matters is well and truly shot. See... Doomsayers wrong over economy [1]
Biosecurity: Bee Mites Suspected in Nelson Outside Initial Radius
- Nelson Varroa bee mite incursion – Update 3 Following continued testing for the varroa bee mite in the Nelson area,
another two apiaries are suspected to be infected. This brings the total number of apiaries suspected or confirmed as
infected with varroa to 20, Biosecurity senior policy analyst Paul Bolger said today. See... Nelson Varroa bee mite incursion – Update 3 [1] ALSO:National - Why put bee industry at further risk? [2]
Weather: Roads Closed But Trains On In Central NI
- Despite many roads including State Highway One being closed in the centre of the North Island there is one form of
transport getting through, rail. All Tranz Scenic services moving passengers by rail between Auckland and Wellington are
still operational as well all Toll Rail freight trains. Train drivers report seeing some of the heaviest snowfalls of
their driving careers around the centre of the North Island. See... Rail Still Moving Through Central NI [1] ALSO:InterCity Coachlines - Severe Weather Causes Cancellations and Disruption [2]
MORE HEADLINES:
'Let's Put an end to this Savagery': Harawira [1] Mozart’s Opera Magic To Descend Upon Auckland [2] Riley’s soccer dream come true with Hyundai [3] Illegally-taken human body parts not in NZ [4] Plane transfers two seriously ill patients [5]
Arts: Barrowman awarded Michael King fellowship
- Rachel Barrowman awarded New Zealand’s largest literary fellowship Historian Rachel Barrowman has been awarded the
$100,000 Creative New Zealand Michael King Writers’ Fellowship to write a major biography of leading New Zealand writer
Maurice Gee. See... Rachel Barrowman wins largest literary fellowship [1]
Scoop Video Podcast: Football World Cup Mystery, High-Tech/Low-Coms & Scoop's Invitation To You
- Scoop's co-editor Selwyn Manning presents this issue of Scoop's video podcast, today reporting on the Football World Cup blue boots mystery, what exactly is
going on between three lions, a world famous soccer star, and a brand new pair of football boots? Also how high-tech can
lead to low-coms; And an 'Uncle Sam Needs You-Styled' invitation for you to email Scoop with your video podcast submission ideas. Yes Scoop's opening the gates on video
content. (Drop Selwyn an email via Selwyn@scoop.co.nz). See... Video Podcast: Solving The World Cup Blue Boots Mystery [1]
Workplace Safety: Hard Hats Needed In NZ's Most Dangerous Profession -
Minister of Labour Ruth Dyson has welcomed the release of the New Zealand Construction Industry Health and Safety
Strategy as a way to bring down this country's workplace injury toll. "Construction is the third most dangerous industry
in New Zealand. In the year to June 2006 construction fatalities have risen to 12," said Ruth Dyson, at the launch in
Parliament's Grand Hall. See…Strategy aims to improve construction safety [1] ALSO:NZCIC - Gale Force Southerlies Fail To Deter Dyson [2] NZ Govt - Dyson: Construction Industry Council Speech [3]
Arts: Wellington Pupil Wins Composition Competition -
A Wellington student from Onslow College, Tabea Squire, has won the SOUNZ prize for Original Composition in the New
Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest. Entries were received from young composers around the country as part of
the New Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest held during June. See... Wellington student wins national contest [1]
RECOMMENDED AUDIO:
Scoop Audio: Selwyn Manning and 95bFM's Simon Pound discuss: [1] Punters, Scoop has opened the gate. We want your video podcasts (Interested? Drop Selwyn an email via Selwyn@scoop.co.nz). Also discussed was how Labour MP's seem intent on digging into union politics.
Scoop Audio: Kevin List on Radio Active discusses: [2] Pita Sharples and his abandonment of the Mapp Bill; How John Key benefited from free tertiary education; that very scary Taser DVD that Keith Locke is pushing for all MPs to see; and Scoop's whales podcast.
Policing: Horde Of British Bobbies Join NZ Ranks
- Ninety-six UK police officers finished the 11-week conversion course at The Royal New Zealand Police College
yesterday. They will now take up positions as operational police officers throughout the country from Kerikeri to
Queenstown. See... Ninety-Six UK Officers Join the New Zealand Police [1] ALSO:NZ Police - Rhodes Scholar Among Graduating Constables [2] NZ Police - Police Review Private Security Guard Calibre Issue [3] NZ Police - Police Say Reason for Arrest Valid [4] NZ Security Officers Association - Minister/Police warned about security licensing [5]
Iraq: Defense Lawyer in Saddam Hussein Trial Murdered
- The senior United Nations envoy in Iraq today condemned the abduction and killing of a defence lawyer in trial of
ousted President Saddam Hussein before the Iraqi Higher Tribunal. The attack on Khamis Al-Obeidi follows the
assassination of two trial defence lawyers and the wounding of another in 2005. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special
Representative Ashraf Qazi expressed his concern that the significant number of killings, intimidation and threats
against judicial personnel would undermine Iraq’s efforts to rebuild the rule of law and democracy in the war-torn
country. See... Hussein trial, Iraq: UN condemns murder of lawyer [1]
Scoop Audio: Latest UN News Brief…
UN Secretary-General Calls for Revival of Nuclear Disarmament - UN Envoy to Iraq Condemns Killing of Hussein Defense
Lawyer - Secretary-General Deplores Killing in Gaza - Security Council Hears Briefing on the Middle East - Violence and
Bureaucracy Block Darfur Humanitarian Relief.
Scoop Audio: Mind Over Matters: Refusing to Deploy to Iraq…
Mike McCormick interviews Lt. Ehren Watada of the U.S. Army who publicly announced last week that he would refuse to
deploy to Iraq and Jeff Paterson who in 1991 also refused to deploy to Iraq.
More Corruption in the Solomon Islands? Opposition calls for Minister to be sacked over IWC vote
- The Solomon Islands opposition has called on the Prime Minister to sack the fisheries minister for not conforming
with cabinet decisions. The fisheries minister , Nollen Leni, voted in support for Japan at the International Whaling
Commission although the cabinet had decided that Solomon Islands abstain from voting. See... SI oppos. calls for MP to be sacked over IWC vote [1] ALSO:Whaling: 10 activists arrested in protest [2]
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
French Socialist leaders could marry in Tahiti [1] Alleged Fiji coup funders to be charged soon [2] UN 'deplores’ Israel’s killing of 3 children, Gaza [3] Indonesia: Military Threatens Human Rights [4] Fiji’s Chaudhry warns possible coalition collapse [5]
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SCOOP COLUMNS
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United States: Greg Palast on why Rather was right
- They finally put Dan Rather out of his misery. Today, CBS finally terminated him and sent him to the electronic glue
factory -- all for reporting the truth. But not all of it. Rather's "unsubstantiated story of Bush's military service"
(says USA Today) got him canned. Yet, all the poor man did was repeat a story we put on BBC Television a year earlier --
that Poppy Bush put in the fix to get his son out of 'Nam and into the Texas Air Guard, spending his war years guarding
Houston from Viet Cong attack. See... Greg Palast: Dan crashes - Bush flies high [1]
NZ Trade: Exporters look to India - it's about time
- A recent Auckland seminar reiterated to the New Zealand audience what rest of the world already knows - doing
business with India is not only profitable but also inevitable. Organised by the India New Zealand Business Council and
aptly titled "India Ascends", the seminar was attended by over 100 people from a range of industries, and was a
testimony to New Zealand's awakening to the changing global economic order - albeit late! See... India: New Zealand's Fastest Growing Export Market [1]
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:
Russell Brown et al - Public Address 21/6/6 - Thinking About The Future [1] Richard S. Ehrlich - Richard S Ehrlich: Turkey Political [2] William Rivers Pitt - William Rivers Pitt: Seeking a Better Debate [3] John Gideon - 'Daily Voting News' For June 20, 2006 [4] William Fisher - Reaching Out To Iran: Too Little, Too Late? [5] Bernard Weiner - A Graduation Report: Dems Need to Sharpen Up [6] Ramzy Baroud - Ramzy Baroud: Al-Zarqawi Death: Myth vs. Reality [7] Evelyn Pringle - Lawmakers Demand Answers About Ketek From FDA [8] Siddhi B. Ranjitkar - Nepal Relapsing into Regression [9] Tanveer Jafri - Nepal: Let Us See Which Way The Wind Blows [10]
American Coup: Michael Collins Scoop Exclusive Defence Of RFK Jnr.
- The prevailing silence on election fraud 2004 was interrupted June 1 by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his article Was the
2004 Election Stolen? He argues clearly and forcefully that the 2004 election was stolen, basing his analysis and
evidence on events and outcomes in the state of Ohio. Had Kerry won the Ohio race, he would be president today. Hence,
the theft of Ohio was the theft of the election. See... Salon, Mother Jones & the Tortured Dialogue [1] & Robert F. Kennedy Jr: Was the 2004 Election Stolen [2] MORE: Cliff Arnebeck - Response To RFK Jnr. 04 Election Article [3] Katherine Yurica - A Vast Political Misfortune [4] John Gideon - Daily Voting News For June 14, 2006 [5] ALSO:Evelyn Pringle - Pringle: Bush Election Theft Saga Heats Up In Ohio [6] John Gideon - Daily Voting News For June 19, 2006 [7] , June 18, 2006 [8] , June 17, 2006 [9] & June 16, 2006 [10] Mark Crispin Miller - Mark Crispin Miller: Some Might Call It Treason [11]
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OTHER NEWS (JUST POLITICS)
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Politics: Peters Retaliates Against "Lazy Piece of NZ Herald Reporting"
- Foreign Minister Winston Peters says a Weekend Herald story alleging acute sensitivities between himself and Trade
and Defence Minister Phil Goff is a typically lazy piece of New Zealand Herald journalism that has at least 14
inaccuracies in it. "It is such a pitiful piece it is worth covering off the inaccuracies and lies – all of which could
have been avoided if the journalist had the decency to attempt to check her facts with either myself or Mr Goff." See... Lazy Herald reporting gets the facts all wrong [1]
Legislation: Greens Send Microchipping Bill to the Dogs -
National Party Agriculture spokesman David Carter is delighted that common sense has prevailed in the fight to get farm
dogs exempted from Labour’s draconian microchipping measures. “I’m pleased that we’ve been able to roll the Government
on this aspect of the microchipping legislation. But I’m obviously disappointed that other responsible dog owners will
still be stuck with this new dog tax.” See... Victory for common sense - farm dogs get exemption [1] ALSO:ACT New Zealand - Small Parties 'Wag The Dog' On Microchipping [2] United Future - David Carter - confused and wrong [3] National - Labour puts councils between rock and hard place [4] Federated Farmers - Common Sense Prevails [5] NZ Govt - Councils supported to manage microchipping [6] National - Anderton a fraud on microchipping [7]
Economy: Cullen Says Widening Deficit + Tax Cuts = Inflation -
The wisdom of the government's fiscal strategy has again been underscored by the latest current account figures, Finance
Minister Michael Cullen said today. The March year current account deficit widened to $14.5 billion or 9.3 per cent of
GDP, slightly worse than market expectations. "The result shows just how reckless National's multi-billion tax cuts
would have been. See... Current account deficit underlines fiscal prudence [1] ALSO:Statistics NZ - Imports Widen Current Account Deficit [2] Employers and Manufacturers - Capital gains tax would accelerate deficit [3]
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:
NZ Govt - Lottery Grants for Community, Arts, Sports Boosted [1] NZ Govt - Study confirms importance of primary health [2] NZ Govt - Peters to encourage European links with Pacific [3] NZ Govt - NZ/US officials talk trade and investment [4] NZ Govt - Benefits for ratepayers in local govt legislation [5] NZ Govt - Position on Bashir made abundantly clear [6] NZ Govt - Improving productivity the key [7] NZ Govt - Small employer payroll subsidy set [8] NZ Govt - Porirua's Radiola Aerospace finds success [9] NZ Govt - MPs to promote Books in Homes [10] NZ Govt - New Zealand continues to attract skilled migrants [11] NZ Govt - New women's prison focussed on rehabilitation [12] NZ Govt - Funding for Centres of Research Excellence [13] National - Kiwi meets Kangaroo - the single market challenge [14] National - Cullen's tertiary reassurances hollow [15] National - Dyson drags the chain on child abuse [16] National - Peters failed New Zealanders over Bashir [17] National - Quick BBQ tax backtrack points to policy chaos [18] National - Shame of 10-year-olds on party pills [19] National - New prison example of Labour's waste [20] National - Karori Sanctuary: vital criteria not available [21] National - ACC levy: part-timers all liars [22] Maori Party - When an official language, isn't official [23] Maori Party - Harawira - Speech On Dog Microchipping [24] Maori Party - 'Let's Put an end to this Savagery': Harawira [25] Maori - Maori Party Co-leader Corrects the Public Record [26] Greens - Cruel crates need investigation - Greens [27] Greens - Economy needs futureproofing from oil price [28] United Future - Turner: Blackout not good enough [29] United Future - Turner: Abuse & neglect prevention services a must [30] Libertarianz Party - Capitulation By GPs Angers Libz [31] Outdoor Recreation New Zealand - Moreporks becoming 'more-porkies' as government [32] Maxim Institute - Maxim Institute - real issues - No 210 [33]
POLITICAL COLUMNS
Richard Worth - News Worthy - 23 June 2006 [1] Marc Alexander - Marc My Words - 23 June 2006 [2] Pansy Wong - Pansy Speak: Immigration NZ's big con [3] Matt Robson - Robson-on-politics, 17 June 2006 [4] Heather Roy - Private Roy's Diary [5] Murray McCully - www.mccully.co.nz 9 June 2006 [6] Wayne Mapp - The Mapp Report - 9 June 2006 [7] Jim Anderton - JPA's E-News: June 2 2006 [8] Judith Collins - Collins' Comments, 19 May 2006 [9] Judith Collins - Celebrating Families - 18 May 2006 [10] Bill English - Plain English, 15 May 2006 [11] Muriel Newman - Newman Weekly: Lucky for Some - 14 May 2006 [12] Don Brash - What Really Matters - 14 May 2006 [13] Don Brash Writes No. 78, 11 May 2006 [14]