Top Scoop Stories October 20th 2009 News Summary
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LEAD STORY------------
The first referendum on the MMP voting system will be held in conjunction with the 2011 general election, Justice
Minister Simon Power announced today. "The National-led Government made a pre-election promise to hold a referendum on
MMP by no later than 2011, and we are honouring that promise," Mr Power said. More »[1]
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NZ POLITICS------------
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The Maori Party caucus has decided to support the introduction of the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation
Amendment Bill, to be referred to a Select Committee. More »[1]
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As a free fire exercise in which anything at all can be raised, the Prime Minister’s post Cabinet press conference
should be a rewarding experience... Yesterday though was a prime example of the lean pickings in actual content. More »[1]
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News today that the Government is considering weakening the Water Conservation Order (WCO) on the Rakaia River is just
the tip of the iceberg, with the Government declaring open season on our most protected rivers and lakes, the Green
Party said. More »[1]
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Kevin Hague [2]
Rajen Prasad [3]
John Boscawen [4]
Information obtained under the Official Information Act shows that the National government has failed to implement the
welfare policy promises it made during the 2008 election campaign. Welfare commentator Lindsay Mitchell said that she
had been provided with information which confirms that none of the promises laid out below has been implemented... More »[1]
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- Turia hints that Foreshore and Seabed Act will be repealed: “I’m really satisfied with the progress we have made” -
“Faults on both sides” in handling of Maori TV rugby bid - The government now “wastes” a billion on social services -
Turia “very concerned” about ACC reforms; privatising Work Account would drive up levies “exorbitantly” More »[1]
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Transport Minister Steven Joyce is being mischievous and is just plain wrong to suggest that local roading funding has
increased, Labour’s Transport spokesperson Darren Hughes said today. “Regional Mayors don’t believe him, Labour doesn’t
believe him, and that’s because he is 100% wrong,” Darren Hughes said. More »[1]
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BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH------------
Proving size isn’t everything, the critically endangered kākāpō population has shown their combined pulling power can
draw people in from all over the world, after a Youtube video featuring the now famous Sirocco the kākāpō received more
than million hits this weekend. More »[1]
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Your trusty Wellington correspondent turned up to the Solid Energy “annual general meeting” in the Ilott Theatre at the
Wellington Town Hall this week, keen to sample an SOE’s version of a listed company AGM. More »[1]
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Listed electricity retailer TrustPower Ltd has been fined $17,000 for failing to give adequate information about low
user tariff options in letters purporting to advise customers about their best choice of tariff. More »[1]
Organisers of the Brother Christmas in the Park event in the Hutt Valley... were informed recently that the 'Christmas
in the Park' moniker is in fact a Coca Cola registered trademark. More »[1]
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COMMENT------------
The US flag atop the new drilling rig next to the road to my birthplace was in tatters by the time I left town a week
later, shredded by the south wind that had brought unseasonal snowfalls early in the week of my visit and dressing my
beloved mountain... More »[1]
As a free fire exercise in which anything at all can be raised, the Prime Minister’s post Cabinet press conference
should be a rewarding experience – and it commonly does set the political agenda for the next 48 hours. Yesterday though
was a prime... More »[1]
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Newly obtained documents, prepared by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), portray an
elaborate sting operation to capture alleged weapons trafficker Viktor Bout in Bangkok, and America's current appeal to
extradite him ... More »[1]
In August 2008, while British resident Binyam Mohamed still languished in a prison cell in Guantánamo, two British High
Court judges attempted to inform the public about what, in May 2002, the CIA had told their British counterparts about
how they... More »[1]
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It's a time-honored Washington tradition. If you want to bully the government into doing something unpopular and the
public into accepting it, manufacture a false emergency. Iraq war? If you don't approve it, mushroom cloud. Banker or
IMF bailout? If you ... More »[1]
The fraudulent Afghan election of last August 20th has delayed the possibility of a new regime taking over promptly to
replace the corrupt rule of the discredited, U.S. hand-picked President Hamid Karzai. More »[1]
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LIFESTYLE------------
Critically acclaimed theatre troupe, The Naked Samoans are coming out of retirement for a special one-off performance of
their ‘Go Home’ show to raise money for those affected by the recent tsunami in Samoa. More »[1]
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WORLD------------
Ururú was the oldest member of this close-knit, tiny group and an integral part of it. Altair Algayer, head of the FUNAI
(Brazilian government Indian affairs department) team which protects the Akuntsu’s land said, ‘She was a fighter,
strong, and ... More »[1]
Taliban extremists operating against Australian and coalition forces continue to suffer significant setbacks with the
discovery and destruction of two weapon caches by Australian soldiers in Oruzgan province. More »[1]
In the opening speech to the World Forestry Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, IUCN Deputy Director General Dr William
Jackson said given the rate at which climate change is happening, no country, rich or poor, could afford to neglect its
forests. More »[1]
WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is throwing its weight behind strong climate legislation, a spokesman for
Chamber President Tom J. Donahue announced today at the National Press Club. More »[1]
The international community should withhold support for Burma's 2010 elections and not accept the results of the vote
unless the government amends the country's constitution to end impunity for human rights violations, the International
Centre for Transitional ... More »[1]
14 October 2009 - A statue of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, who led the Royal Air Force (RAF) forces over London and
the South East of England throughout the Battle of Britain, will be unveiled on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square on
Wednesday ... More »[1]
A military government website, “Kyaymon” [meaning “the mirror”], which operates as an online daily newspaper in Burmese
has criticised two well-known Buddhist monks’ organisations and warned that the Burmese military authorities will take
action against ... More »[1]
ENDS