Traffic on the Scoop site is presently running roughly 200% over normal levels... we are having a BIG news day and so
Scoop Today readers today get a bumper edition....
TOP SCOOPS
Cops Called After Bradford Shoves Student - Bradford Responds
- According to Canterbury University Student Radio RDU, the police were called to Canterbury University this morning
around 11.30 after a student claimed he was assaulted by Tertiary Education Minister Max Bradford. Bradford was at the
university to deliver a speech on tertiary education but his speech was drowned out by chanting from angry students.
Students blocked his car and during his attempt to make a quick getaway a student was allegedly shoved. The student then
called the police claiming Bradford had assaulted him. Two police cars arrived at the scene. Details are sketchy but we
will keep you up to date. To see the speech Bradford was supposed to give see it further down the wire. See Bradford's
account of the incident... University of Canterbury Visit [1] in the Parliament wire. The president of the Canterbury University Postgraduate Students' Society, Donald Anderson saw things rather
differently. See his account of the incident… Bradford Assaults Canterbury Student [2] in the Education wire.
NEWSFLASH: PAKISTAN MILITARY COUP
The Pakistan government of Nawaz Sharif has been dismissed by the army. The army chief says the PM pushed him into it.
Television stations and PM’s residence have been overrun by troops. Former Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto – in London - says
it is a very serious situation. She has since appeared on CNBC saying it is nothing to do with Kashmir and that Mr
Sharif shouldn't have sacked so many people. The financial markets are reeling.
What Is Going On? Scoop Has The Answers
- Scoop posted the following questions this morning on an internet news forum… Shahid Mahmud.. smahmud@qis.net.. has
kindly replied. See... Scoop Q & A: Pakistan Coup [1] in the Headlines wire.
Scoop Online: Coup As Reported On The Net…
- THOUSONDS OF FAIMLIES ARE REACHING TO AZIAABAD 90 TO LISTEN SOMETHING NEW . BUT THERE IS SILENCE FROM OFFICIALS BUT
SLOGANS AGAINST THE GOVERMENT AND IN FEVER OF ALTAF HUSSAIN CAN LISTEN See... Messages From Pakistan... [1] in the Headlines wire.
Nawaz Sharif Not Particularly Well Liked
- The military coup in Pakistan comes at a time of rising unpopularity of its Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. John Howard
reports. See... Pakistan Prime Minister Unpopular [1] in the Headlines wire.
FOR FULL COVERAGE SEE FURTHER BELOW...
SCOOP WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Pictures From Lord Of The Ring's Set
The following pictures show the inside of the set for the town of Bree from the Lord of The Rings Trilogy which began
shooting in New Zealand yesterday under the direction of Peter Jackson. These pictures will be seen nowhere else. See… Scoop Images: And Not A Hobbit Was Stirring [1] in the Headlines wire. NOTE: This is Scoop's highest rating story ever and has so far been read around 3000 times.
OTHER SCOOPS
Dunne Releases Damning IRD Report
- United New Zealand leader and Finance and Expenditure Committee chair, Hon Peter Dunne, has released the report of
the Finance and Expenditure Committee on its inquiry into the powers and operations of the Inland Revenue Department.
See… Dunne Releases IRD Inquiry Report [1] . Finance and Revenue Minister Sir William Birch today congratulated the Finance and Expenditure Committee for a
“positive, helpful and constructive” report on the policy and operations of the Inland Revenue Department. See… Minister Congratulates FEC for Constructive Report [2] in the Parliament wire. Labour have said they support the findings of the select committee inquiry into the IRD and will implement them
in government. See… Labour pledges action on IRD report [3] . ACT Finance Spokesman Rodney Hide said today that the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee’s report into
IRD's operation and culture was pleasing for taxpayers but didn’t go far enough in its recommendations. See… FEC Report : Victory for all Taxpayers [4] . Rodney Hide has also very kindly highlighted some of the key findings of the report. See… FEC Key Findings on IRD [5] . All in the Parliament wire.
Inland Revenue Say Changes Already Underway
- Inland Revenue says it has already begun work in line with the recommendations of the Finance and Expenditure
Committee inquiry to improve the tax system further. See… FEC recommendations: improvements under way [1] in the General wire.
Bradford Launches National’s Energy Policy
- Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today. I would like to begin by affirming the Government’s commitment to
ensuring there is a continuing supply of energy, at the lowest cost to the economy, consistent with sustainable
development. See… Bradford - Speech To Launch National Energy Policy [1] in the Parliament wire.
Alliance Launch Pay Equity Legislation
- For the last decade women have consistently been paid on average only four fifths of their male counterpart's pay'.
Clearly the market has not delivered. Even Mrs Shipley must now accept that gender gaps don't disappear without
intervention. See… Pay equity legislation ready to go [1] in the Parliament wire.
Bradford Into Real Danger Zone – Speech To Canterbury Students
- I am aware that the issue of tertiary fees is a hot topic here following last weeks’ events. I want to say a couple
of things about this. The first is that it is your university and not the Government that sets the level of fees. See… The Real Danger Zone - Bradford To Canterbury Uni [1] in the Parliament wire.
Flights Between NZ and Tonga Liberalised
- “More flights between New Zealand and Tonga are in prospect following recent air services negotiations between
officials of the two Governments,” Transport Minister Maurice Williamson announced today. See… Air Services With Tonga Liberalised [1] in the Parliament wire.
New High Court Appointment
- The Attorney-General, Rt Hon Sir Douglas Graham, today announced the appointment of Mr Rodney Harold Hansen QC as a
temporary Judge of the High Court. See… Appointment of Judge of the High Court [1] in the Parliament wire.
Luxton Speech On Sustainability Fisheries
- For New Zealand, as an island nation, the importance of our Oceans cannot be overstated. In global terms, New Zealand
is not the tiny player it usually is on the world stage. Our Exclusive Economic Zone is the fourth largest in the world…
See… Sustainable Development of Ocean Resources: Luxton [1] in the Parliament wire.
Auckland Students Evicted - Four Arrested
- Auckland University students who were staging a sit-in in a university building to protest rising fees were evicted
by police at 5am this morning. Four people were arrested. University vice chancellor John Hood said he had no choice but
to evict the students because they were threatening exam schedules. A spokesperson for the occupation Kane Forbes said
this was not true and students and staff were free to come and go from the building. See the report in the Auckland wire from Scoop's Selwyn Manning… Student Protesters Evicted From Uni Sit-in [1] .
Ban Herbal Ciggies Too – Delamere
- Parliament should consider banning sales of herbal cigarettes to children, Associate Health Minister Hon Tuariki
Delamere said today. See… Delamere: Herbal cigarettes unsafe [1] in the Parliament wire.
Labour Into The Wine Over Wine Policy
- Labour's Wine Industry Policy is the classic Claytons Policy - it's the policy you're having when you're not having a
policy, Health Minister Wyatt Creech said today. See… Labour's Been 'Into The Wine' Over Its Wine Policy [1] in the Parliament wire.
NZFirst Congratulates Firefighters
- New Zealand First Deputy Leader, Peter Brown, MP, has congratulated firefighters on winning their appeal court cases,
but says they should not have had to take their case to court in the first place. See… Court Case Should Not Have Happened [1] in the Parliament wire.
SCOOP PAKISTAN COUP FULL COVERAGE
Pakistan Coup Leader’s Statement
- The Pakistani military commander General Parvaiz Musharraf has just addressed the Pakistani people via a live
television and radio address explaining the circumstances behind this mornings coup. The address was carried live on
International television. See... Pakistan’s Commander In Chief Addresses The Nation [1] in the Headlines wire.
Situation In Pakistan Calm
- Reports from Pakistan this morning indicate the situation is calm. Pakistan is around 6 hours behind New Zealand
meaning it is presently early morning.
White House Briefing On Pakistan Coup
- MR. LOCKHART: "Well, we know from our embassy there and from other sources that, clearly, there's a political crisis
unfolding. We are trying to ascertain hard and certain information as we speak. This is, obviously, a fluid situation."
See… White House Briefing On Pakistan Coup [1] in the General wire.
TRANSCRIPT: BBC Profile Of Pakistan Coup Leader
- Little is known about General Pervez Musharraf - but he was one of the most significant players in the recent Kashmir
crisis. See… TRANSCRIPT: BBC Profile Of Pakistan Coup Leader [1] in the Headlines wire.
McKinnon Says Coup “Very Worrying”
- Foreign Minister Don McKinnon said the military takeover of the Government in Pakistan is very worrying. See… Coup Step Backwards For Democracy In Pakistan [1] in the Parliament wire.
US State Department Briefing On Pakistan Crisis
– See… US State Department Briefing On Pakistan Crisis [1] in the General wire.
Pakistani PM Unpopular Before Coup
- The military coup in Pakistan comes at a time of rising unpopularity of its Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. John Howard
reports. See… Pakistan Prime Minister Unpopular [1] in the Headlines wire.