JUST POLITICS
The Air That We Breathe
Surveillance Flight Finds No Sign Of Illegal Fishing
Streamlined District Health Board
Speechifying….
Social Progress Measurement
Enterprise Grants Get Bigger
New Year Youth Riots Inquiry Call

POLITICS FROM TOP SCOOPS
Mediation Agreed In Carter Holt Wharf Dispute
PM’s Presser: Looking Forward To A Peaceful Waitangi Day
Cannabis Law Reform: Education, Not Instant Fines The Answer
Business Confidence Rebound
Dairy Industry Happy With Government Caution On Mega-Merger
Goff Speaks Against Nuclear Waste Shipments

JUST POLITICS

The Air That We Breathe

- The Ministry for the Environment is reviewing air quality guidelines to make them more stringent, the Minister for the Environment, Marian Hobbs, said today. See... Air quality problems spark guidelines review [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00092.htm

Surveillance Flight Finds No Sign Of Illegal Fishing

- Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said he was pleased to report that this years first surveillance flight over the Southern Ocean had found no evidence of illegal fishing. See... No Sign Of Illegal Fishing [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00098.htm

Streamlined District Health Board

- Health Minister Annette King today announced that HealthShare Ltd, a subsidiary company of five of the new district health boards, Waikato, Lakeland, Pacific, Taranaki and Tairawhiti, will provide regional service planning, purchasing and contracting functions for the five boards. See... Minister Agrees To Streamlining DHB Support [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00097.htm

Speechifying….

- The season for scene setting speeches is upon us. See... Economic Growth and Social Equity – Steve Maharey Speech [1] - Tuning The Jobs Machine – Jim Anderton Speech [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00091.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00086.htm

Social Progress Measurement

The Government is working on a series of indicators which will allow New Zealanders to chart the social wellbeing of the nation alongside the development of the economy, Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey said today. 5:54 pm See... Social progress to be measured alongside economy [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00090.htm

Enterprise Grants Get Bigger

- “I am pleased to announce changes to the Enterprise Awards Scheme to make it even more successful, including a doubling of the top grant level from $10,000 to $20,000,” said Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton. See... Top grant level doubles in changes to award scheme [1] and Results of BIZ evaluation show excellent results [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00085.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00084.htm

New Year Youth Riots Inquiry Call

- ACT's Deputy Leader Ken Shirley is calling for Parliament’s Law and Order Select Committee to undertake an inquiry into the adequacy of the law relating to youth offending, with particular reference to civil disorder in resort centres. See... Inquiry Sought into Youth Violence [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00082.htm

POLITICS FROM TOP SCOOPS

Mediation Agreed In Carter Holt Wharf Dispute

- The Department of Labour has announced that the parties to the current waterfront dispute have agreed to the involvement of a Mediator from the Department’s Employment Relations Mediation Service. See... Mediation For Parties In Waterfront Dispute [1] . See also Carter Holt Harvey... CHH welcomes initiatives on waterfront dispute [2] and a statement from Mainland Stevedoring... Mainland employs local workforce in South Island [3] . FULL COVERAGE: - ACT - Return to Militant Union Control Would Cost Jobs [4] - ACT - Coalition To Blame For Civil Unrest On Wharves [5] . - National - Govt must act over disgraceful union tactics [6]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0101/S00071.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0101/S00064.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0101/S00063.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00083.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00096.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00074.htm

PM’s Presser: Looking Forward To A Peaceful Waitangi Day

- “Most New Zealanders are fed up with the aggro [on Waitangi Day],” Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday. “I want it to be a day all New Zealanders can take pleasure in.” See... PM To Avoid Aggro On Waitangi Day [1] Howard’s End: Wake Up Call On Poverty - Steve Maharey's announcement that Government is working on ways to measure the extent of poverty in New Zealand is a wake-up call for the country. Findings from similar surveys announced yesterday in South Australia, shocked that state. We need to turn up the volume over our poverty. See… Howard's End: Turn Up The Volume On Poverty [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0101/S00057.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0101/S00059.htm

Cannabis Law Reform: Education, Not Instant Fines The Answer

- Green MP Nandor Tanczos today said he was delighted to hear the Minister of Youth Affairs saying that replacing current cannabis laws with instant spot fines was not the answer. See... Laila Harre Speech to Youth Forum on Cannabis Law Reform [1] and Tanczos agrees with Harré instant fines no answer [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00095.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00099.htm

Business Confidence Rebound

- “The latest NZIER survey showing a strong bounce-back in business confidence is in line with other surveys and points to good economic growth this year,” Finance Minister Michael Cullen said. See... Strong bounce-back in confidence welcome [1] and NZ Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00094.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0101/S00057.htm

Dairy Industry Happy With Government Caution On Mega-Merger

- A lot more work needs to be done, before the Government can endorse the proposed merger of New Zealand's two largest dairy companies and the Dairy Board, Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton said yesterday. See... Government working on dairy industry proposal [1] . “The dairy industry is committed to ensuring we continue to provide the Government with high-quality information on the Merger Package,” John Roadley, Chairman-designate of Global Dairy Company, replied. See... Dairy Industry Committed To Working With Govt. [2] . FULL COVERAGE: - Quigley Report - The Quigley report on Dairy Mega-merger - New Version [3] - Merger Report - Dairy Industry Position On Commerce Commission [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00087.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0101/S00061.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0101/S00068.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0101/S00042.htm

Goff Speaks Against Nuclear Waste Shipments

- Without going as far as supporting a Green Party bill which would outlaw nuclear shipments from New Zealand's 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone, Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff strongly voiced his opposition to nuclear shipments yesterday afternoon at the PM’s post Cabinet press conference. See... Goff Speaks Out Against Nuclear Shipments [1] and More Nuclear Materials On The Move [2] . Full Coverage - GREENPEACE - How Many More Shipments Mr Howard? [3] and Greenpeace blocks path of nuclear ship [4] - United Future NZ - Nuclear Waste Transport Issue Misses Crucial Point [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0101/S00056.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00080.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0101/S00046.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0101/S00045.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0101/S00088.htm

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

CONTACT ALASTAIR THOMPSON

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