Top Scoops galore, a convergence of polls and the latest from the waves and the hustings.... Scoop has it all.
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Peters and NZ First - Are The Wheels Falling Off?
TOP SCOOPS
Well, Are They? When All Else fails...
- After a hard week with not much media attention and poor polling Winston Peters has lashed out at not one but two
newspapers. Peters says the Christchurch Press is using dirty tricks and sheer malice to malign the local candidate, Dr
Andrew Gin. See... Christchurch Press Using Smear Tactics - Peters [1] . He is also promising legal action against the NBR. See... Peters Responds To NBR Allegation [2] . Both in the Parliament wire.
ELECTION 1999: Polls, Personal Attacks, Pressure
- There is a real risk in placing too much trust in the polls, however this week definite and consistent trends suggest
New Zealand is preparing to vote for a new government. Jonathan Hill writes. See... ELECTION 1999: Polls, Personal Attacks, Pressure [1] in the Headlines wire. See the polls… The National Business Review - Latest Poll [2] , TV3 Poll Shows Left Breaking Away [3] and Herald Digi Poll Shows Greens Over Five Per Cent [4] . The Waikato Election Study Poll has just been updated (Friday midday), confirming the general trends. See... http://www2.waikato.ac.nz/politics/nzes/nzes99.htm [5] .
The Cannabis ‘Debate’ - Nats Get Nasty Over Green Threat
– Jonathan Hill looks at the beginning of a National Party campaign to discredit the Greens and to save their MP in the
Coromandel. The first blows have been over the Greens cannabis policy but a proper debate on the issues seems no closer.
See... Cannabis Debate - Nats Get Nasty Over Green Threat [1] in the Headlines wire.
Ryall 'Makes It Up' In Cannabis Debate
– In a National Radio debate on Thursday over cannabis decriminalisation, National Minister Tony Ryall claimed that
Whakatane Hospital’s psychiatric ward was “full of young people with drug-induced psychoses”. He said: “These people
have had to be admitted to get help because of their excessive use of cannabis. It’s destroyed their lives.” Whakatane
Hospital has said Ryall’s comments were false and Ryall has since apologised. ACT and NZ First have said they would
support some kind of review of the law, leaving National completely isolated.
Celebrate the Last ‘Odd Digit Day’ For 1100 Years
- Today - Friday, 19/11/1999 - will be the last day that has all odd digits in its date until 1/1/3111. That's right,
you will have seen the last ‘odd digit day’ in your lifetime, and for approximately 37 generations to come! Find some
way to celebrate it.
Mr Delamere: Enough Is Enough! -
How much longer do we have to endure the shame of having asylum seekers hunger striking while locked up inside Mt Eden
Prison? A long time yet if today's media release from Immigration Minister Tuariki Delamere is anything to go by. See. Mr Delamere: Enough Is Enough! [1] in the Headlines wire.
Cash-Strapped Romania Puts Taxi Meters in Ambulances
- Health authorities in parts of Romania have started fitting ambulances with taxi meters because of a shortage of
cash. People who are dead or in a coma are exempt. John Howard reports. See... Bankrupt Romania Puts Taxi Meters in Ambulances [1] in the Headlines wire.
Web Site Launched To Monitor Global Spy Network
- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has launched ‘Echelon Watch’ a website designed to prompt worldwide
governmental investigations into the global electronic surveillance system called Echelon. John Howard reports. See... Web Site Launched To Monitor Global Spy Network [1] in the Headlines wire.
AMERICAS CUP SCOOPS
Twas Another Strange Day's Sailing:
Thursday's racing started under heavy conditions, the wind blowing from the North at near 20 knots, the seas heavy with
a two metre swell. What followed was a day of postponements, withdrawals, penalties and an outstanding display of
aggressive match racing. See… Twas Another Strange Day's Sailing [1] in the Auckland wire.
Redress Hearings Set For Friday:
AmericaOne and Prada Challenge have both lodged Requests for Redress in the wake of International Jury Decision Number
13, handed down this morning. See… Redress Hearings Set For Friday [1] in the Auckland wire.
Americas Cup - Prada Team Cheered On By Pavarotti:
Italy's Prada Americas Cup challenger team has won its tenth match of the Louis Vuitton Cup in Round Robin. Prada beat
the French yacht Le Défi by 3 minutes 49 seconds. The win followed a cheer session between the crew of Luna Rossa and
world acclaimed tenor Pavarotti. See… Prada Team Cheered On By Pavarotti [1] in the Auckland wire.
CAMPAIGN 1999
Prebble: Why NZ First Supporters Should Vote ACT
- This election the polls say the people of Tauranga want a change in representation. It's not just that you are tired
of Mr Peters, it's the company he keeps. Last election it was the NZ First Party that introduced us to $89.00 underwear
… See... Why NZ First supporters should vote ACT [1] in the Parliament wire.
National Launch Conservation Policy – Commit To saving Kiwi
- Prime Minister Jenny Shipley and Conservation Minister Nick Smith have announced National's commitment to
establishing five new kiwi sanctuary zones on the mainland to ensure the survival of our national icon. See... National Committed To Saving Our National Icon [1] . However native Forest Action protested at the launch asking how they could commit to saving the kiwi when they
supported logging of its prime habitat. See... Dead native bird symbolises National Conservation [2] . Both in the Parliament wire.
Nats and ACT Challenged to Justify $6 Million Timberlands Subsidy
- The logging of West Coast rimu forests by Timberlands is being subsidised to the extent of nearly $6 million a year
claims the Forest and Bird Protection Society. See... Nats/ACT Asked To Justify $6m Timberlands Subsidy [1] in the Politics wire.
PSA Members at IRD Strike
- PSA members at Inland Revenue – angry at the lack of progress in negotiating a new collective contract - will stop
work at offices across most of the country today and hold lunchtime rallies to highlight their dispute. See... Tax workers stop work in push for new contract [1] in the Politics wire.
Absenteeism and Illness Cost Industry $3 Billion Per Annum
- New Zealand industry is suffering hidden costs of between $2.5 - $3 billion a year through workplace absenteeism and
a subsequent loss of productivity, says one of the country's leading specialist health insurers. See... Costs Of Workplace Illness & Absenteeism $3b [1] in the Business wire.
Burn Down The House of Political Opponents
- In a fit of pique, upset that his Green counterpart is getting more publicity, Bernard Darnton, Libertarianz
spokesman for law and order and leader of Wild Libz - The New Freeland Liberation Army, today announced his plan to burn
down the houses of his political opponents. See... 'Green' Light for Terrorism [1] in the Politics wire. See also… Simich and Tanczos in agreement over Cannabis [2] in the Politics wire.
I Haven’t Been Calling Old People Late At Night – Peters
- The New Zealand First Leader and MP for Tauranga, Rt Hon Winston Peters, has today lodged a formal complaint with the
police regarding late night phone calls to elderly Tauranga residents, claiming to be from Mr Peters’ office. See... Late Night Phone-calls Not From My Office — Peters [1] in the Parliament wire.
Dramatic Reduction In Disqualified Drivers
- Six months into the new driver licensing regime and after more than 1 million photo licences have been issued, we've
seen a dramatic reduction in disqualified driving figures, Transport Minister Maurice Williamson says. See... Dramatic Reduction In Disqualified Drivers [1] in the Parliament wire.
Steps taken To Prevent CJD In Kiwi Blood Supplies
- Steps are being taken to protect the New Zealand blood supply from potential contamination from variant
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD). See... Measures To Protect Blood Supplies from CJD [1] in the General wire.
Alliance Launch Employment Policy
- Nobody under 20 will be on the dole under the Alliance employment policy. Instead, anyone under twenty who doesn't
have full-time work will have free access to education or vocational training such as an apprenticeship, and will be
paid as much for education or training as the unemployment benefit provides. See... Alliance employment policy [1] in the Parliament wire.
Prebble – The Final Countdown
- There are eight days to go in the final campaign of the twentieth century. The campaign has been as dull as the
issues are important. Our two women leaders have refused to engage each other or the nation in a debate over our
country's future. See... The final countdown [1] in the Parliament wire.
Greens Urge National To Fight Fair
– Green party campaign manager Roland Sapsford has written to the National party campaign manager over concerns that
National are starting to run a dirty campaign against the Greens, particularly in the Coromandel. See... Greens Urge Nats To Fight Fair in Letter [1] in the Parliament wire.
ACT Call For Select Committee Inquiry Into Floods
- ACT Leader Hon Richard Prebble today said ACT would insist that a special Select Committee of Parliament investigate
who should be held liable for the latest flood in Alexandra. See... ACT Wants Select Committee Inquiry Into Floods [1] in the Parliament wire.