JUST POLITICS
Kiwi Bank Papers Reveal Conflicting Advice
Super Ministry For Social Services
Police Complaints Authority Independence Enhanced
Learning The Lesson Of INCIS
Ryall Calls It Spin, I Prefer To Think Of It As Context
DOC Gains Wetlands In Land Swap
MP’s Get Out Of The House For A Little Speechifying
FULL COVERAGE: Cabinet Allows Dairy Merger To Bypass Commerce Commission Scrutiny

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
C.D. Sludge Weighs Into The Defence Debate
Dairy Merger: "Jim Sutton And Helen Clark Are Completely Wrong"
Letter From Elsewhere: The Unfortunate Experiment

JUST POLITICS

Kiwi Bank Papers Reveal Conflicting Advice

- Official papers released today on the 'Newbank' initiative show the Government received strongly competing advice requiring it to exercise an especially high level of care in deciding to allow New Zealand Post Limited to proceed,” Finance Minister Michael Cullen said. See... 'Newbank' Papers Released [1] REACTION: - ACT - Cameron Report Shows Folly of Kiwi Bank [2] - Nats - Govt ignores repeated warnings over dud Bank [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00203.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00198.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00200.htm

Super Ministry For Social Services

- The Department of Work and Income and the Ministry of Social Policy will form the basis of a new Ministry of Social Development, State Services Minister Trevor Mallard said today. See... Cabinet decision on Ministry of Social Development [1] and Proposal to refocus key social service departments [2] REACTION: - Nats - Govt Dodges Rankin In Social Services Merger [3] - ACT - Government Spin Reaches New Heights [4] - Greens - Process all wrong for new super ministry [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00193.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00194.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00191.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00197.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00202.htm

Police Complaints Authority Independence Enhanced

- Justice Minister Phil Goff has announced Government decisions designed to enhance the independence of the Police Complaints Authority. See... Govt Decision Enhances Independence Of PCA [1] and Background paper on review of PCA [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00196.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00199.htm

Learning The Lesson Of INCIS

- The Government has strengthened the monitoring regime for major departmental information technology (IT) projects as part of the response to the INCIS project. See... Government monitoring of major IT projects [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00195.htm

Ryall Calls It Spin, I Prefer To Think Of It As Context

- The Minister of Police, George Hawkins says it is important to consider the latest sexual crime statistics in context. See... Crime Statistics: Sexual Offending [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00190.htm

DOC Gains Wetlands In Land Swap

- The Minister of Conservation Hon Sandra Lee has announced that a land swap between two farming families and DOC has added a significant area of Lake Ellesmere wetland to New Zealand's conservation heritage. See... Land Swap Adds "Significant" Wetland Area [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00189.htm

MP’s Get Out Of The House For A Little Speechifying

- Jim Sutton - Project Aqua [1] - Jim Anderton - Why we need a kiwi bank [2] - Conservation Corps Graduation [3] - Steve Maharey - An Agenda for Children [4] - Parekura Horomia - Tamaiti Whangai Launch [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00187.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00186.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00181.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00185.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00183.htm

Cabinet Allows Dairy Merger To Bypass Commerce Commission Scrutiny

- Q: Prime Minister, you have an opinion on the merger? HELEN CLARK: Of course, I have an opinion. I strongly support the decision made today. The decision we've made is to bypass the Commerce Commission, to give the industry the go-ahead to put the proposal to farmers. See... Extract PM’S Post Cabinet Presser - Dairy Merger [1] and Cabinet approves merger waiver [2] MORE: - Govt - Global Dairy Company - Cabinet Papers [3] - Global Dairy Company - Questions And Answers [4] - GDC Report - Report On GDC From Charles River Associates [5] REACTION: - ACT - Clayton’s Deregulation Could Backfire On Farmers [6] - Dairy Merger Must Be Scrutinised [7] - Nats - Dairy Decision Announced [8] - Dairy Farmers NZ - Farmers Congratulate the Government [9] - Global Dairy Co. - Dairy Industry Welcomes Regulatory Package [10] - Background - Global Dairy Company: The Package [11]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00161.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00148.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00150.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00149.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00151.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00155.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00143.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00138.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00067.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00062.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00066.htm

TOP SCOOPS

C.D. Sludge Weighs Into The Defence Debate

- The most interesting thing about the current Defence debate is that, despite the rhetoric, there has been no real Defence strategy in New Zealand since the end of WWII. See... Sludge Report #58 – Moving On From WWII [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0104/S00075.htm

Dairy Merger: "Jim Sutton And Helen Clark Are Completely Wrong"

- For an alternate, and apparently unfashionable, view of the Dairy Industry’s mega-merger plans from former Producer Board Project Team leader Tony Baldwin see… Global Co Is A Massively Expensive Mistake [1] and Letter To Ministers On Dairy Merger [2] . For full coverage of the debate scroll down.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00083.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00082.htm

Letter From Elsewhere: The Unfortunate Experiment

- In 1993, in a book called, prophetically, Unfinished Business, Sandra Coney wrote: “The National Cervical Screening Programme is one of the few tangible outcomes of the Cervical Cancer Inquiry.” See... Letter From Elsewhere: Unfinished Business [1] CANCER INQUIRY: Full Coverage - Dr Michael Bottrill - Dr Michael Bottrill - Committee Of Inquiry Report [2] - Govt - Gisborne Cervical Screening Inquiry Report - Annette King [3] - Tariana Turia: Cervical Screening Inquiry Report [4] - Ministry Of Health - Gisborne Cervical Screening Inquiry Report Welcome - MOH [5] - Greens - Report fails to restore confidence in screening [6] - NZ First - Gisborne Cervical Debacle [7] - Libertarianz - Bottrill Only A Small Part Of The Problem [8] - NZMA - Gisborne Report Identifies Key Screening Issues [9]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0104/S00071.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/GE0104/S00025.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00170.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00175.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/GE0104/S00023.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00180.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00182.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0104/S00034.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/GE0104/S00026.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

• Mobile - 021707044
• Twitter - @althecat
• Google+

• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz