INDEPENDENT NEWS

Scoop Top 30 Daily Ratings 18 December 2007

Published: Wed 19 Dec 2007 10:39 AM
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Yesterday's top 30 rating items on Scoop were...
1: Department of Internal Affairs Signs With BMW
Department Of Internal Affairs
The Department of Internal Affairs has signed a contract with BMW Group New Zealand to replace the existing chauffeur-driven VIP Transport Service fleet with a cleaner, more energy-efficient model.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00233.htm
2: Dunne: Third Reading Electoral Finance Bill
United Future NZ Party
UnitedFuture supported the development and introduction of the Electoral Finance Bill because we believed it was important to tidy up the excesses of the last election to ensure that New Zealand continued to have a fair and open electoral system into ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00416.htm
3: Gambling harm heightened during holiday season
Gambling Helpline
With the festive season upon us, the Gambling Helpline is urging problem gamblers and affected friends and family to come forward for help. Chief executive of the Gambling Helpline, Krista Ferguson, said harm from problem gambling was particularly ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0712/S00071.htm
4: Bill of Rights Is Dead; Long Live Bill of Rights!
Solo New Zealand
In what is destined to be remembered as a Day of Infamy, December 18, 2007 is set to see the passing of the Clark-Cullen government's Electoral Finance Bill. This Bill kills the Bill of Rights, specifically the provisions allowing for freedom of ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00226.htm
5: Fascist—Shut Up and You Can Have Your Free Speech
SOLO - Sense of Life Objectivists
SOLO-NZ Op-Ed: New Zealand Fascist—Shut Up and You Can Have Your Free Speech
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00220.htm
6: Casinos Losing Sleaze Competition
Problem Gambling Foundation
Casinos Losing Sleaze Competition New Zealand's casinos are losing a battle for the bottom end of the gambling market says the Problem Gambling Foundation. CEO John Stansfield says that figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs today ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00228.htm
7: Harawira: Electoral FInance Bill
The Maori Party
"The sweet scent of power, and the lust for control'. Third Reading – Tuesday 18 December 2007; 4.30pm Hone Harawira, Member of Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00417.htm
8: Labour still not listening – even to its own
New Zealand National Party
Outspoken criticism of the Electoral Finance Bill by former Labour Prime Minister Mike Moore shows Labour needs to dump it, says National Party Leader John Key.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00369.htm
9: Government luxury BMWs exceed own energy targets
Green Party
The Government agreement to purchase 34 luxury six cylinder BMWs over the next three years contravenes their own fuel efficiency standard for diesel vehicles as laid out in the Energy Efficiency Conservation Strategy, Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00423.htm
10: Outbreak Of Bird Flu Claims Two Lives In Pakistan
United Nations
Pakistani health officials informed WHO of eight suspected human cases of infection with the H5N1 virus - the virus responsible for outbreaks of bird flu around the world in recent years - in the area around the city of Peshawar.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S00917.htm
11: Nepal: The growing crisis
Hari Bansha Dulal
The Maoist comrades have done it again. And, this time, the victim is a Swiss national Steve Jeannereet. It is a matter of national shame that we cannot ensure safety of tourists that enrich our public purse and enhance our national image.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0712/S00231.htm
12: Worst Oil Spill In History Of Republic Of Korea
United Nations
The United Nations will lead an eight-person team of marine pollution and civil protection experts being deployed today to assess the 7 December oil spill in the Republic of Korea, the worst in the Asian nation's history
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S00856.htm
13: 2007 NZ Comedy Guild Awards – The Winners
New Zealand Comedy Guild
The 2007 NZ Comedy Guild Awards, presented on Sunday night in Auckland, recognized some outstanding international success, local stars, and the odd surprising newcomer. Rhys Darby , home for the event between filming scenes in "The Yes Men" alongside ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0712/S00227.htm
14: Video: PM's Post Cabinet Presser 17 December 2007
Alastair Thompson
The cabinet readout was followed by Q on the Eden Park World Cup 2011 re-development decisions, the Government's pasting in recent polls and the Electoral Finance Bill which is scheduled to have its 3rd reading in the Parliament tomorrow.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0712/S00234.htm
15: Telecom Launch World Edition Blackberry In NZ
Telecom New Zealand
Telecom announced today that it will be launching the first World Edition BlackBerry smartphone to New Zealanders.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0712/S00044.htm
16: Green light for Eden Park’s enhanced design
Eden Park Redevelopment Board
The Eden Park Redevelopment Board today announced it had received Crown approval for an enhanced design for the redevelopment of Eden Park for hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00219.htm
17: Burma: Junta Jail Rangoon Abbot
Terry Evans
The abbot of Zantila Rama monastery, in Rangoon, has been sentenced to a two year prison term. He was convicted of defamation after complaining about the seizure of money from the monastery during a raid by government security forces in early October.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S00962.htm
18: Electoral Finance Law Simply Big Brother Bullying
Family First
Family First NZ is labeling the passing of the Electoral Finance Bill as yet more evidence of politicians being seriously out of touch with the views of a huge majority of NZ’ers.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00237.htm
19: Nats’ commitment to democracy called into question
Progressive Party
“It sticks in the throat to hear the National Party pretending it cares about democracy when its record is sleazy and opportunistic,” Leader of the Progressive Party Jim Anderton said, speaking at the third reading of the Electoral Finance Bill ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00425.htm
20: SAIL NZ Partners With Emirates Team New Zealand
Sail NZ
Match racing in America's Cup class yachts on the Waitemata Harbour has become a whole lot more realistic this summer.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0712/S00226.htm
21: Good News For Callplus, Slingshot And Consumers!
Slingshot
and, Tuesday 18th December 2007 CallPlus are delighted to be the successful bidder for the rights to use 30MHz of nationwide 2.5GHz spectrum, a critical spectrum band for deployment of WiMax technology, in the spectrum auction which concluded today.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0712/S00320.htm
22: Information needed over unexplained seal deaths
New Zealand Government
Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick says more information is needed to find out what happened to 15 fur seals found dead on the Marlborough coast. Steve Chadwick says our worst fear is that the seals may have been deliberately killed.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00397.htm
23: Medicines NZ - world-class medicines system for NZ
New Zealand Government
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne today unveiled Medicines New Zealand - a bold new strategy to guide the future access to, and use of, prescription medicines by all New Zealanders.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00400.htm
24: Cambodia: Leading Rights Groups Support UN Envoy
Human Rights Watch
Five leading international human rights organizations today called upon the Cambodian government to respect its international human rights commitments as well as United Nations officials mandated to monitor them.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S00970.htm
25: 2008 Billy T Award Nominees
NZ International Comedy Festival
The annual quest to find New Zealand’s most promising new comedic talent has begun. A record number of comedians fought it out to secure a coveted spot for the 2008 Billy T Award, the most respected and long-standing award in New Zealand Comedy.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0712/S00224.htm
26: Has Trevor Mallard got a steer on SSC report?
New Zealand National Party
National Party State Services spokesman Gerry Brownlee says Trevor Mallard needs to explain why he waited until today to apologise to Environment Ministry whistleblower Erin Leigh.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00419.htm
27: An Assault on Democracy
Republic Of New Zealand Party
Labour’s insistence on ramming The Electoral Finance Bill through the House is an assault on democracy says the Party’s constitutional spokesman Wayne Hawkins
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00227.htm
28: Coalition saddened by passage of Elect Finance Act
Free Speech Coalition
The Free Speech Coalition, set up to campaign against the Electoral Finance Bill, is sad that MPs from Labour, NZ First and the Greens have ignored the massive public sentiment against the bill.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00236.htm
29: Nuclear Weapons, Fools, Folly, & The War Business
Douglas Mattern
The existence of nuclear weapons presents a clear and present danger to life on Earth. Nuclear arms cannot bolster the security of any nation because they represent a threat to the security of the human race. These incredibly destructive weapons ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0712/S00225.htm
30: Retirement Income Review identifies new concerns
Retirement Commission
Diana Crossan, the Retirement Commissioner, has completed the 2007 Retirement Income Policy Review - an independent assessment of government retirement income policies that is statutorily required every three years.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00218.htm
ENDS
Scoop Daily Ratings
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Scoop is NZ's largest independent news source; respected widely in media, political, business and academic circles for being the place on the internet for publishing "what was really said", and for the quality of its analysis of issues.

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