Today's Top Scoop Stories - News Summary

"When asked whether he made it clear to parties in his report that he had received legal advice, that some of the expenditure in the 2005 election could be unlawful, the Auditor General conceded that he had not stated that. The Auditor General also conceded that, in hindsight, he now realises that he should have provided specific examples of appropriate and inappropriate expenditure to illustrate his legal advice on the interpretation of the rules governing Parliamentary advertising by political parties..." See... New doubts about Auditor's spending report [1]

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- Seasonally adjusted manufacturing sales increased 2.7 percent in the September 2006 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. Two-thirds of this increase was due to the meat and dairy product manufacturing, and machinery and equipment manufacturing industries... The strengthening trend since the December 2005 quarter has coincided with a depreciating New Zealand dollar and increased volumes of exported primary products. See... Sales Increase Continues for Manufacturing [1] ALSO:EMA Northern - Manufacturers on a roll [2] EMA Central - Manufacturing upturn in central region [3] UN - Asia-Pacific Region Set to Enjoy Strong Growth [4] Other Statistics:Statistics NZ - Recorded Crime Continues to Decline [5]

- Auckland Issues Minister Judith Tizard today officially opens the $200 million Central Motorway Junction, which she says will help get Auckland moving and get through-traffic off city roads. "As well as reducing congestion these links will make travel times more predictable, provide all the missing cross-city connections and improve access to public transport," says Judith Tizard. See... "Spaghetti junction" opening gets Auckland moving [1] ALSO:Waitakere City - Waitakere Votes on Regional Governance [2] Auckland City Council - Consultation on proposed signs and billboard rules [3]

- Prime Minister Helen Clark and the Leader of the Opposition, John Key are both being “auctioned” as part of the country’s biggest online auction this year, to help New Zealand children. Bidders at Air New Zealand’s Christmas Charity Auction on award-winning site, zillion.co.nz are battling it out to win morning tea with the Prime Minister or lunch with John Key (among other things). See... Prime Minister & John Key Hot Favourites [1]

- The death of Agusto Pinochet Ugarte has reopened old wounds in Chile and rekindled debate about the relative merits of his rule versus that of socialist authoritarians like Fidel Castro. A majority in and out of Chile considers him to be a poster boy for despotism... Others, including a significant number of New Zealanders, hold him up as a champion who saved Chile from Communism and set the bases for a stable market democracy. See... Paul G. Buchanan: On Markets and Murderers [1] ALSO:Business Roundtable - Roger Douglas: Visionary Leader [2] More Comment on Pinchet's Death [3]

- New Zealand troops serving in Afghanistan have been giving Santa a helping hand in the lead up to Christmas, distributing 1000 teddy bears and dolls to children at a hospital in North West Bamyan province. The toys were distributed by a New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZ PRT) patrol during a recent visit to Nayak Hospital in Bamyan’s Yakawlang district. See... Santa Given a Helping Hand in Afghanistan [1]

- The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) informed the Security Council today that he is almost ready to bring cases about some of the worst war crimes committed in the Sudanese region of Darfur during the past three years. See... ICC Prosecutor: First Darfur Cases Almost Ready [1] ALSO:Next Steps for U.S. on Darfur [2]

- With prolonged applause the 192-member United Nations General Assembly today paid warm tribute to Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the end of his 10-year tenure as it prepared to swear in his successor Ban Ki-moon, who will take over as the world’s ... See... General Assembly Pays Warm Tribute To Annan [1]