Tax Cuts Dumped Before Election - Pete Hodgson's Moment of Glory - Members Night - Producer Board Reforms - Smoking -
David Bale Resigns - The Wages Of Lotto
Today's Scoops
Failed Tax Cut Deal Nail In Govt. Coffin - Clark
- Labour Leader Helen Clark said today that the Prime Minister's failure to stitch up a deal over tax cuts with Mauri
Pacific had driven a final nail into the government's coffin by revealing the limits of the naked expediency which had
characterised her term in office. See... Clark: Naked expediency tips govt over edge [1] in the Politics wire. Further reaction is lower down this page.
National Reject Tax Cuts Before Election
- National is committed to continuing to reduce tax for hard working New Zealanders as the economy continues to grow,
Prime Minister Jenny Shipley said today. But it will not be happening before the election. See... Nats Will Deliver Tax Cuts By 1 April 2000 - PM [1] in the Parliament wire. United New Zealand leader, Hon Peter Dunne, says bully-boy politics from Tau Henare and
Mauri Pacific are the main reason the Government has dropped plans for tax cuts legislation before the election. See... Peter Dunne - Thank You Tau [2] , also in the Parliament wire. Labour's finance spokesperson Michael Cullen today said the move makes a nonsense of
National's election campaign. See... It's official - National stands for nothing [3] in the Parliament wire. Labour Leader Helen Clark
said today that the best way of ensuring a change of government at the next election was for voters to support parties
who are committed to change. See... Clark: NZ First offers confusion, not change [4] in the Parliament wire. Also in the Parliament wire, ACT says New Zealanders should get Tax Cuts Because New Zealanders Deserve Them - ACT [5] .
Pete Hodgson's Moment Of Glory
- How Pete Hodgson was granted leave to deliver a 5 minute speech on what Labour will do to the ECA during question
time - and what he said. See... Pete Hodgson's Moment Of Glory? - Question 3 [1] . See also... Questions Of The Day (7-12) [2] - APEC - Tauranga Nurses Strike - CIA and Norman Kirk - PMs Mistakes - ACC Premiums - Human Capital In IT Sector
and Questions Of The Day (1 and 3- 6) [3] - Ministry Of Fisheries Travel Claims - Tax Cuts -Housing - Asbestos - Tertiary Education Funding. Both in the
Headlines wire.
House: Members Day And House Mechanics
- Today is probably the second to last Private Members day of this Parliament and past patterns would indicate that
none of the private members bills currently on the order paper have much life left in them. See... House: Members Day And House Mechanics [1] in the Headlines wire.
Rough Road Ahead For Producer Board Bills
- The government is planning to push through three significant bills reforming the Kiwifruit, Apple and Pear and Dairy
boards over the next four sitting days, however the passage of the legislation is not expected to plain sailing. Scoop's
Alastair Thompson reports. See... Rough Passage Expected For Producer Board Bills [1] in the Headlines wire.
Smokers Of The World Unite! Protest March
- For those few who still think this is just a protest for bleating 'scumbag smokers', Joy Faulkner has a message for
you: "Wake up!! This march is," she says," about getting big brother government off our backs and out of our lives." For
more info on the Libertarian led march see... Smokers Of The World Protest March [1] in the Politics wire.
Lotteries Commission Boss Resigns
- The head of the Lotteries Commission David Bale has resigned over the scandal concerning his $400,000 salary. - David
Bale says for the first time in 12 years he no longer appears to have the confidence of the PM. See... Lotto CEO David Bale - Resignation Press Release [1] . - "I believe David Bale's resignation as Chief Executive of the Lotteries Commission is appropriate,"; Prime
Minister Jenny Shipley said today. See... Resignation is appropriate says PM [2] . - The Minister of Internal Affairs, Jack Elder, to whom the Lotteries Commission is responsible, has thanked
David Bale for his 12 years service as Chief Executive. See... Resignation Of Lotteries Chief Executive [3] . - The Alliance said it is the ineffective State Services commission and the government croni
es on the lotteries board that should resign not the Chief Executive of the lotteries commission. See... The wrong head has rolled [4] . - Labour state services spokesperson Trevor Mallard said while Lotteries Commission chief executive David Bale
had 'done the honourable thing' in resigning, the main culprits in the lottery commission salary saga still had their
jobs. See... The real culprits still have their jobs [5] . - Green Party MP Rod Donald says Lotteries Commission Chairman Geoff Thompson should resign over the Lotteries
salaries scandal, not Chief Executive David Bale. See... Chairman Should Have Resigned - Greens [6] . - ACT Finance Spokesman Rodney Hide said the whole issue raised questions about State Services boss Michael
Wintringham's performance. See... State Sector Boss Must Take Responsibility [7] .
Delamere To Stand For Te Tawharau
- Independent MP Tuariki John Delamere announced today he would stand as a candidate for Te Tawharau. Read his
speech... Speech - Delamere To Stand For Te Tawharau [1] in the Parliament wire.
News Flash - Independent WACO Inquiry Ordered
- Hot off the wire John Howard's informed sources in the US say Attorney General Janet Reno and FBI Director Louis
Freeh have jointly agreed on calling for an "outside investigation" into their agencies' failure to disclose the use of
incendiary devices within hours before the Branch Davidian compound at Waco was burned in 1993.
Goodman Fielder Statement To Ernest Adams Shareholders
- Goodman Fielder is a Trans-Tasman company with a proud New Zealand heritage. The Goodman family started the company
with a single bakery in Motueka in 1867 and built it into a global company with over NZ$3 billion in turnover. See... Goodman Fielder Statement To Ernest Adams Holders [1] in the Business wire.
Lockwood Challenges Anderton On Trade
- Trade Minister Lockwood Smith has given Jim Anderton a month to come clean with New Zealand families and outline the
detail of the Alliance's policy on import tariffs. See... Lockwood Smith Challenges Alliance On Trade Policy [1] in the Parliament wire.
Kiwi Quake Experts Fly Out To Turkey
- A team of New Zealand specialists is to spend 10 days in the earthquake-hit region of Turkey collecting information
aimed at helping New Zealand minimise the impact of a similar disaster. See... Kiwi Earthquake Experts To Visit Turkey [1] in the General wire.
Labour Defence Policy "Immoral" - Australians Don't Like it
- Max Bradford and Don McKinnon say Australia defence experts have warned that New Zealand could shut itself out of
regional security co-operation if it accepted the recommendations of the Quigley report and policies of Labour leader
Helen Clark. See... Labour Defence Policy Immoral, Aus. Supports Govt. [1] in the Parliament wire.
Reports Of Coalition Preference Incorrect - Peters
- Surprise, surprise... NZ First Leader Winston Peters, said today that reports about New Zealand First being more
likely to go with Labour had been too "literal an interpretation" of comments he made on a Saturn Television programme.
See... No Coalition Position Decided - Peters [1] in the Parliament wire.
Asian Banks In Serious Trouble
- Banks in Asia are still in serious trouble and could spark further financial turmoil in the region, according to an
international banking authority. John Howard reports. See... Asian Banks In Serious Trouble [1] in the Headlines wire.
East Timor Press Briefing by UN at End Of Polling
- A press briefing from Carina Perelli, chief of the electoral assistance division at United Nations headquarters. The
conference at the close of voting covers the death of the UN worker and the procedures in terms of counting and security
of the vote count. See... Transcript Of Press Conf. After Timor Poll Closes [1] in the General wire.
Fisheries Bill Creates Global Criminals
- The New Zealand Seafood Industry Council is bitterly disappointed that the government is promoting a bill which they
say will effectively turn honest New Zealand fishermen into global criminals. See... Fishery Bill Turns Fishermen Into Global Criminals [1] in the Politics wire.
Ansett Cancels 50 Flights
- Ansett has cancelled 50 flights today after pilots called in sick en masse. This action is the latest move in a
lengthy contract dispute.
Shirley Talks From Timor About Tauranga Strategy
- ACT Deputy Leader Hon Ken Shirley said from East Timor today that the ACT team in Tauranga was considering whether he
should withdraw as a constituency MP for Tauranga and just go for the list vote .See... ACT Tauranga Team Considering Tactics [1] in the Parliament wire. Tauranga MP Winston Peters has welcomed the news that Shirley is considering pulling out.
See... Tauranga Deserves Better than Shirley [2] in the Parliament wire. This attack angered Richard Prebble who in turn said Peters Clearly Rattled In Tauranga [3] .
Auckland APEC 'Clean-up' Déjà vu For APEC Protestors
- APEC Monitoring Group organiser Aziz Choudry says the current makeover of Auckland for the upcoming APEC Leaders
Summit follows in the footsteps of controversial 'clean-ups' at previous Summits. See... Auckland APEC Clean-Up Deja Vu For Choudry [1] in the Politics wire.
Electricity Competition Flourishing - Bradford
- "When you look at the electricity industry in New Zealand today, it's hard to believe how far we've come in such a
short time." See... Electricity retail competition is flourishing [1] in the Parliament wire.
Plan Launched To Save 200 Threatened Native Plants
- Conservation Minister Nick Smith today launched a plan setting out the conservation priorities for New Zealand's most
threatened native plants at a site where recovery is taking place, pest-free Moutohora (Whale) Island in the Bay of
Plenty. See... Plan To Prevent Extinction Of 200 Native Plants [1] in the Parliament wire.
Peters Speech - Leadership Crisis
- "A recent television survey about the New Zealand political scene pointed to a crisis of leadership as the main issue
facing the country this election. This has come as no surprise to people close to the political scene." See... Peters Speech To Windsor Club [1] in the Parliament wire.
Young Nats New Web Site
- "The Young Nationals are the youth branch of New Zealand's (if not the world's) greatest political party - the New
Zealand National Party. Come and surf our new site for information about ourselves! See the Young Nationals Executive
Committee posing with 'Big Spice' in the Beehive. See... http://www.youngnationals.org.nz/ [1] . (This photo may well be a useful historical document... Ed).
CYPFA Call For Discussion About Concerns Over Buller Services
- CYPFA is calling on the local community to directly discuss with the agency any worries about social work services in
Buller. See... CYPFA Respond To Concerns Regarding Buller Service [1] in the General wire.
WINZ Pay $210,000 for Maori Advice, Still Fail To Meet Own Targets
- Work and Income New Zealand has failed to meet its own targets for Maori unemployment despite paying consultants over
$200,000 for advice on improving Maori outcomes, said Green MP Rod Donald. See... WINZ Pays $207,500 for Maori advice [1] in the Parliament wire.
Wages Of Lotto: Wintringham Replies, Labour Still Outraged
- State Services Commissioner Michael Wintringham has issued a further statement on his part in the Lotto salary row.
"The consultation process on the chief executive's contract was inadequate. It took too long for Lotteries to supply the
State Services Commission (SSC) with the information that the SSC required to consider the chief executive's employment
terms and conditions in their entirety," he says. See... Media Statement from the State Services Commission [1] . Following Mr Wintringham's statement Labour state services spokesperson Trevor Mallard said he agreed that the
State Services Commissioner should have alerted the Government, but says that does not absolve SSC Minister Simon Upton.
See... Government not innocent over lottery salary [2] . Both releases are in the Politics wire.
Wintringham Should Have Told Me - Williamson
- Maurice Williamson yesterday said the State Services Commissioner Michael Wintringham should have alerted him to the
lack of information he was receiving from the board of the Lotteries Commission over its contract negotiations with
Chief Executive David Bale. See... SSC Should Have Alerted Minister-Williamson [1] in the Parliament wire.