JUST POLITICS
$6m Package Reduces Student Infuriation With WINZ
Palace & NZ Govt Still Sussing Out Queen’s Visit
Green Economy: Nats Grasp Over Back Fence
Govt Welcomes Advice On Working With Voluntary Sector
Mobile Health To Samoa
Wilson Ready To Tick Off Another Treaty Settlement
Paul Swain Preaches The Gospel Of IT

POLITICS FROM TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Reserve Bank Cuts Interest Rate
Nonexistent Air Safety Control While Airways Chases Rainbows
Defence Pay Rise Won’t Fix Recruitment & Retention Crisis
The ‘Squeeze Rankin Out’ Merger Theory Gathers Steam
Lindsay Perigo: Freedom Violations Around The World
Positive Feeling About Hong Kong CER

JUST POLITICS

$6m Package Reduces Student Infuriation With WINZ

- A Government $6m package of improvements to the student loans system ensured students had a trouble-free enrolment period this year, Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey said today. See... Student loan improvements - trouble-free enrolment [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00293.htm

Palace & NZ Govt Still Sussing Out Queen’s Visit

- The itinerary for the Queen's visit to New Zealand this year is still being discussed with Buckingham Palace. See... Queen's visit to New Zealand [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00268.htm

Green Economy: Nats Grasp Over Back Fence

- “Annabel Young's scandalous attack on the ‘Green Dollars’ scheme demonstrates that the National Party is simply another party of grasping socialists, spurning anyone keeping the rewards of their own labour,” says Libertarianz Leader Peter Cresswell. See... LIBERTARIANZ - How Many MPs does it take to make a dollar? [1], and NATIONAL - IRD Commissioner should attend Green Conference [3] and How many pots of honey does it take to paint roof? [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0104/S00053.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00233.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00295.htm

Govt Welcomes Advice On Working With Voluntary Sector

- The Government is welcoming a new report on how the relationship between the state and non-government organisations can be improved, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Steve Maharey said today. See... Government welcomes report on community sector [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00292.htm

Mobile Health To Samoa

- Hon Matt Robson will launch a new mobile health clinic being sent to Samoa as part of the New Zealand Official Development Assistance programme. See... Robson launches mobile health clinic for Samoa [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00290.htm

Wilson Ready To Tick Off Another Treaty Settlement

- The Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Margaret Wilson has welcomed the strong vote in favour of the Ngati Ruanui Deed of Settlement. The audited vote count shows an 87.7% vote in favour of the agreement. See... Ngati Ruanui settlement in sight [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00287.htm

Paul Swain Preaches The Gospel Of IT

- Good morning and thank you for the invitation, I'm pleased to be here to open the new campus. I am very impressed with this new facility and especially in the new double major degree being taught here – the Bachelor of Business and Information Management. See... Launch of University of Auckland North Shore [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00285.htm

TOP SCOOPS

Reserve Bank Cuts Interest Rate

- Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash today cut the Official Cash Rate from 6.25 per cent to 6 per cent, but in doing so he indicated that there were strong grounds for being cautious about further cuts. See... Reserve Bank cuts OCR to 6 per cent [1] . His move followed a 0.5 per cent cut in the Federal Funds Rate in the US overnight. The US interest rate cut led to huge rallies on the US share market. See also... Interest rate cut shows growing concern - Nats [2] REACTION: - Deutsche Bank - Data Flash (New Zealand) RBNZ reduces OCR to 6.00% [3] - Employers And Manufacturers - High interest rates place exports, growth at risk [4] - ASB BANK - ASB Bank Reduces Variable Home Loan Interest Rate [5] - ANZ - ANZ Decreases Variable Home Loan Interest Rate [6]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00116.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00284.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00117.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00123.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00118.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00130.htm

Nonexistent Air Safety Control While Airways Chases Rainbows

- “The revelation that Auckland Airport air traffic control tower was unmanned for a period of time yesterday comes as no surprise, said New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters today. See... No Fears About Safety! What Are They - Nuts? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00283.htm

Defence Pay Rise Won’t Fix Recruitment & Retention Crisis

- New Zealand First has welcomed the announcement of a pay rise for Defence Force personnel but doubts that it will significantly deal with recruitment and retention problems. See... Mark On Pay Rise: But Why Did It Take So Long [1] MORE: - Nats - Miserly pay rise for defence staff [2] - Govt - Pay rises for New Zealand Defence Force personnel [3] - United Future - Pay Rises Only One Part Of The Picture [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00274.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00270.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00264.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00288.htm

The ‘Squeeze Rankin Out’ Merger Theory Gathers Steam

- “Trevor Mallard's admission today that he ignored his officials' advice to consult several agencies on a merger of state services further indicates the whole thing is designed around getting rid of Christine Rankin,” National's State Services spokesman Roger Sowry said today. See… Govt caught out over rush-job merger [1] FULLCOVERAGE: - United Future - Christine Rankin Saga Just Goes On And On [2] - ACT - Newman Seeks Breach of Privilege Ruling on Mallard [3] - Clark and Maharey Will Rue Public Vilification [4] - Government Should Have Heeded ACT Warnings [5] - National - Weak Minister Should Step Aside [6] - Rankin decision slap for Government [7] - Government contemptuous of advisors [8]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00286.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00289.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00291.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00278.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00254.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00279.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00253.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00234.htm

Lindsay Perigo: Freedom Violations Around The World

- Every day I receive by e-mail a digest of news compiled by an organisation called the Freedom Foundation. This digest has links to freedom-related stories from all over the globe. See... Lindsay Perigo: No Dancing! [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0104/S00100.htm

Positive Feeling About Hong Kong CER

- The Government is correct to portray negotiations with HongKong for a free trade agreement as breaking new ground. HongKong has no tariffs and few other barriers to New Zealand trade in either goods or services while strategic benefits are a bit hard to quantify, said Simon Carlaw, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Manufacturers Federation. See... Hongkong Free Trade Agreement: Some Real Bullets [1] and Wellington Chamber Welcomes Hong Kong Talks [2] FULL COVERAGE: - ACT - Prebble Urges Fast Action on Hong Kong Agreement [3] - Jim Sutton - Hong Kong CEP proposal report published [4] - PM’s Speech in Hong Kong - Helen Clark Speech - NZ and Hong Kong, Partners [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0104/S00049.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0104/S00047.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00262.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00258.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00247.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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