JUST POLITICS
11:1 Majority Jury Verdicts Likely
Skyhawks Grounding Foreshadows Eventual Scrapping
Bradford Says Welfare Deal Unfair On Solo Mums & Widows
ACT Call For Immediate Action Against Foot And Mouth
Shipley Goes Red For A Good Cause
Environmental threat From Deer Recognised
NZ First Give Kiwi Bank Thumbs Up

POLITICS FROM TOP SCOOPS
Scoop Is In The House
Eco-Economy: Where Do Student Loans Really Come From?
When 35% of GDP Really Means 33% - Cullen Under Cross Examination
Sludge Report: Whose Treason? - Shooting The Messenger
E-Spying Bill Public meeting And Picket
Unchanged Student Loan Interest Rate Bad News, Say Greens

JUST POLITICS

11:1 Majority Jury Verdicts Likely

- Justice Minister Phil Goff has praised the Law Commission report 'Juries in Criminal Trials' saying that its recommendations will shortly be considered by Cabinet and will result in draft legislative changes. See... Goff Says Jury Changes On The Way [1] . See also… Law Commission Report Raises Questions [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00417.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00425.htm

Skyhawks Grounding Foreshadows Eventual Scrapping

- “The Government is starving the New Zealand Air Force into the ground. It should be honest with this force's men and women and tell them that they are going to scrap the Skyhawks, rather than starve them into submission,” National's Defence spokesman Max Bradford said. See... Grounding Skyhawks only the beginning [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00426.htm

Bradford Says Welfare Deal Unfair On Solo Mums & Widows

- Green MP Sue Bradford is condemning a Government plan not to pay the Domestic Purposes or Widow's Benefit to New Zealanders returning home after becoming eligible for the benefits while in Australia. See... Dole deal not fair on widows and solo mums [1] . See also… Solo Mums & Widows Benefit Entitlements Unchanged [2] MORE: - GOVT - A fresh start to social security with Australia [3] - Australia-NZ Joint Prime Ministerial Communique [4] - Summary Australia-NZ Social Security Arrangements [5] - GOVT - Shipley's criticisms ridiculous and bizarre [6] - ACT - Foreign Policy Defeat Kills Kiwi Rights In Aus [7] - NATS - Dole Deal Is To Soften Up Aussies [8] - ACT - Helen Clark's Lost Credibility [9]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00428.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00435.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00397.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00399.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00398.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00402.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00409.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00408.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00429.htm

ACT Call For Immediate Action Against Foot And Mouth

- ACT Agriculture Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff is urging the Government to order an immediate boost to New Zealand’s border security to stop the spread of foot and mouth disease into this country. See... Govt Must Secure Borders Against Foot And Mouth [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00441.htm

Shipley Goes Red For A Good Cause

- Opposition Leader Jenny Shipley is encouraging New Zealanders to go into the red, for the sake of a good cause. See... Shipley Sees Red For Heart Day [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00442.htm

Environmental threat From Deer Recognised

- Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today said she was pleased with the resolution of the long-running problem of how to manage wild deer populations to protect biodiversity while also providing for the interests of recreational hunters. See... Greens Welcome New Deer Policy [1] and Deer Recognised As Serious Pests [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00445.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/GE0102/S00045.htm

NZ First Give Kiwi Bank Thumbs Up

- The Rt Hon Winston Peters MP, Leader of New Zealand First, today said that following a briefing last week by New Zealand Post, and this morning’s Caucus Meeting, New Zealand First had agreed to support the People’s Bank. See... New Zealand First Caucus To Support People’s Bank [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00431.htm

POLITICS FROM TOP SCOOPS

Scoop Is In The House

– Today’s questions and paraphrased answers. See... SCP HOUSE: Questions Of The Day - 28 February [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0102/S00150.htm

Eco-Economy: Where Do Student Loans Really Come From?

- Researchers for this story have been constantly frustrated at the mixture of deviousness and / or ignorance of people you would expect to know the answers to basic and relevant questions. See... Eco-Economy: The Student Loans Scam [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0102/S00147.htm

When 35% of GDP Really Means 33% - Cullen Under Cross Examination

- Michael Cullen appeared before the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee last week to answer questions on his Budget Policy Statement. National’s Bill English pushed his question lines hard…see... FEC Inquiry Into BPS - Transcript [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00439.htm

Sludge Report: Whose Treason? - Shooting The Messenger

- If anyone in the last week deserved to be accused of fiscal treason, it was the Hon Winston Peters. Congratulations Winnie. You’ve helped to sink one of the more interesting and entrepreneurial attempts by a New Zealand SOE to break into the big-time. See... Sludge Report #51 – Whose Treason? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0102/S00146.htm

Roger Award - Worst Transnational Corp. Finalists

- Nominations closed at the end of last year for the fourth annual Roger Award for the worst transnational corporation operating in New Zealand in 2000, organised by GATT Watchdog and the Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA). See... Roger Award - Worst Transnational Corp. Finalists [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0102/S00094.htm

E-Spying Bill Public meeting And Picket

- The Government proposes to pass the Crimes Amendment (No. 6) Bill, better known as the Swain Bill, after Paul Swain, the Minister pushing it. The Bill contains clauses outlawing, for the first time, computer hacking. Sounds laudable doesn’t it? See... Swain Bill Public Meeting & SIS Office Picket [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0102/S00091.htm

Unchanged Student Loan Interest Rate Bad News, Say Greens

- Green Party Education Spokesperson Ian Ewen-Street MP today said he was staggered to see the Alliance claiming that keeping the interest rate on student loans at seven per cent was good news for students.. See... 'Keeping Leash On Student loans' Staggers Greens [1] MORE: - - ALLIANCE - Alliance keeps student loans on a leash [2] - GOVT - Student Loan Interest Rate To Remain Unchanged [3] - ACTivists - Alliance Sold Out on Students - ACTivists [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00436.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00434.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0102/S00438.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/ED0102/S00038.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.

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