JUST POLITICS
Nats Call For Govt To Come Clean On Defence Agenda
Bollywood Bucks For NZ
Gosche Puts Carter’s Housing Record Under The Microscope
ACT To Set Agenda At Conference
Greens And Libz Agree ACT Should Endorse Cannabis Legalisation
Peters Says Border Control Needs Immediate Improvement
PM Gets Behind Modern Apprenticeships
Withholding Immigrant’s Passports Illegal, Consultants Told
IRD’s Taxpayer Charter Only A Step Towards Accountability

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Fiji: Chaudhry Calls For New Elections
Keith Rankin: Demanding A Knowledge Economy
Eco-Economy: Why have we lost social capital?
Today Is International Women’s Day
The Grinches Who Would Steal International Women’s Day - Lindsay Perigo & Libz

JUST POLITICS

Nats Call For Govt To Come Clean On Defence Agenda

- “Reports that the Government is considering reducing the role of our airforce Orions and using business to monitor the seas around New Zealand simply confirm the real Minister of Defence, Helen Clark, is hell-bent on disembowelling New Zealand's defence force," National's Defence spokesman Max Bradford said today. See... PM Hell-Bent On Dumbing Down Defence [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00114.htm

Bollywood Bucks For NZ

- Foreign Minister Phil Goff sees great potential for New Zealand in the 'Bollywood' bonanza of Indian film making. See... 'Bollywood' Boom Potential For NZ [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00106.htm

Gosche Puts Carter’s Housing Record Under The Microscope

- FACT: National sold 13,000 state houses: housing stock dropped from 70,000 in 1991 to 59,000 in 1999 by the time the Labour-Alliance Government was elected. Under National there were no widespread building or acquisition initiatives: the plan was to sell most state houses until only 10,000 were left. See... Fact Vs David Carter: You Be The Judge [1] and Carter should come clean on 10,000 state houses [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00118.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00117.htm

ACT To Set Agenda At Conference

- ACT Leader Hon Richard Prebble said the party aimed to set the political agenda for the year with its annual conference starting in Christchurch tomorrow, which has as its theme “10th by 2010. See... 10th By 2010 – ACT Conference Shows The Way [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00108.htm

Greens And Libz Agree ACT Should Endorse Cannabis Legalisation

- In a surprise announcement today, Libertarianz leader Peter Cresswell said he agreed with Nandor Tanczos' challenge to ACT to follow its stated principles and endorse the legalisation of cannabis. See... See... Libz Agree with Nandor Shock [1] and Act Stance On Cannabis - Principles Or Politics [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0103/S00032.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00109.htm

Peters Says Border Control Needs Immediate Improvement

- “Border control in New Zealand is in need of improvement, said New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters today. See... NZ Needs Improved Border Controls Now - Peters [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00113.htm

PM Gets Behind Modern Apprenticeships

- Prime Minister Helen Clark said today the government's Modern Apprenticeships programme was playing a critical role in creating the workforce needed for a more dynamic economy. See... PM Congratulates 500th Modern Apprentice [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00107.htm

Withholding Immigrant’s Passports Illegal, Consultants Told

- Immigration consultants who withhold their clients' passports are breaking the law and should be reported to Police, Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel said today. See... Immigration Agents Warned Not To Withhold Passport [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00112.htm

IRD’s Taxpayer Charter Only A Step Towards Accountability

- The Inland Revenue Department's new taxpayer's charter is just the first step toward making the Department more accountable for their treatment of taxpayers, National's Revenue spokesperson Annabel Young said today. See... IRD Still Not Really Accountable [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00111.htm

TOP SCOOPS

Fiji: Chaudhry Calls For New Elections

- Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and leaders of his partners in the People's Coalition Government met with acting President Ratu Josefa Iloilo this morning regarding the current political impasse in the country. See... Mahendra Chaudhry Asks For New Elections [1] MORE: - NZ GOVT - Fijian Developments Encouraging - PM [2] . - PACNEWS - FIJI: Coalition backs Baba [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0103/S00052.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00104.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0103/S00046.htm

Keith Rankin: Demanding A Knowledge Economy

- The Tertiary Education Advisory Committee (TEAC), set up to advise the government how to achieve its vision of a complementary rather than a competition-oriented tertiary sector, presented its second of three reports yesterday. See... Keith Rankin: Demanding A Knowledge Economy [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0103/S00044.htm

Eco-Economy: Why have we lost social capital?

- My partner and I are now in the process of starting a neighbourhood e-mail group which will hopefully improve the quality of life for people in our street. The plan is that we will supplement the Internet with some real life interactions to build community and social capital. See... Eco-Economy: Why have we lost social capital? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0103/S00046.htm

Today Is International Women’s Day

- Acting Women's Affairs Minister Sandra Lee says New Zealand welcomes the launch of the Millennium Peace Prize for Women, the first award of its kind to honour women for peace-building, to mark International Women's Day today. See... New International Peace Prize For Women Welcomed [1] MORE: - NATS - Irony In International Women's Day [2] - - MINISTRY OF WOMEN’S AFFAIRS - International Women’s Day [3] - NZUSA - End Rape And Violence On Working Women's Day [4] - UNITED NATIONS - International Women's Day, 8 March [5] and Status of Women [6] - US STATE DEPT - Women's Day Celebrates 90 Years [7]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00102.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0103/S00105.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0103/S00027.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/ED0103/S00013.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0103/S00049.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0103/S00048.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0103/S00047.htm

The Grinches Who Would Steal International Women’s Day - Lindsay Perigo & Libz

- Who'd be an employer? All that money - YOUR money - that you have to give to the Molesworth Mafia via the IRD; all that time - YOUR time - you have to waste deducting portions of what you pay your employees - THEIR money - on the Mafia's behalf; all those forms you have to fill out at the Government's bequest - PAYE, ACC, GST, FBT ... Isn't it time to say, "FTG"? See... Lindsay Perigo: Say 'FTG' to Ugly Wimmin [1] and Feminists Need To Face Biological Reality [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0103/S00049.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0103/S00028.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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