JUST POLITICS
Straight Up, No Spin, Bring Taxes Down
Community Card: Right The Wrong, Says Shipley
Rule Change Urged To Deny Rapist Constable Pay Out
Outlaw Boy Racers & Burnouts
Would The National Disarmament Spokesperson Please Stand Up?
Think Outside The Square On South Island Water

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Eco Economy: Public Meeting Tonight
MAYDAY: Water Protest @ Bucket Fountain
NZ’s New Hemp Industry Eagerly Anticipated
Even The Leaders Of The Left Like My Ideas – Prebble

Straight Up, No Spin, Bring Taxes Down

- The latest downturn in confidence shows that business is getting tired of waiting for the Government to put some substance behind its spin campaign, National's Finance spokesman Bill English said today. See... To get confidence up, bring taxes down! [1] and Confidence still positive despite slip [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00459.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00447.htm

Community Card: Right The Wrong, Says Shipley

- Opposition Leader Jenny Shipley has written to the Prime Minister urging Cabinet to take immediate action on the inequity created by a Cabinet decision last week. See... Cabinet must not allow inequity to persist [1] MORE: - Richard Prebble - Community Card [2] - Bob Simcock - Benefit Demand Set To Increase Significantly [3] - Steve Maharey - Shipley hypocritical over Community Card [4] - ACT - ACT Will Fight Moves to Abolish Community Card [5] See the JUST POLITICS FEATURE PAGE [6] for earlier Community Services Card news.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00458.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00443.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00452.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00441.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00440.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=justpolitics

Rule Change Urged To Deny Rapist Constable Pay Out

- Convicted rapist, Police Constable Colin McLean, should not be eligible to receive $200,000 of taxpayers’ money under the PERF scheme, says ACT Police Spokesman Ken Shirley. See... Police Minister Urged to Change PERF Rules [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00457.htm

Outlaw Boy Racers & Burnouts

- Clayton Cosgrove Labour MP for Waimakariri today announced plans to promote a members bill to stop illegal street burn out car racing. See... Members Bill To Stop Dangerous Street Racing Hoons [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00456.htm

Would The National Disarmament Spokesperson Please Stand Up?

- Disarmament Minister Matt Robson wants to know whether the National Party still has a disarmament spokesperson or any interest in the topic. See... Where Is National's Disarmament Spokesperson? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00455.htm

Think Outside The Square On South Island Water

- The continuing serious South Island drought highlights the need for a greater analysis of future water yields in the major river catchments, ACT Conservation Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff said. See... Government Must Urgently Rethink Rural Strategies [1] Civil Aviation Bill Flawed - The public demands the right to have confidence in New Zealand's system for air safety, National's Transport spokesperson Belinda Vernon said today. See... Public Confidence In Air Safety Essential [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00454.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00453.htm

TOP SCOOPS

Eco Economy: Public Meeting Tonight

- NZ Banking Reform is having a public meeting on Monday at Connolly Hall, Hill St, Thorndon on Monday 30 April at 7.30. Alliance mayoral candidate Stephanie Cook, Nathan Goodhue, Heather Smith, and Lowell Manning will be speaking. See... Eco-Economy: Interest Free Council Loans Possible [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0104/S00142.htm

MAYDAY: Water Protest @ Bucket Fountain

- On Tuesday May 1, 2001 Victoria University's Ecoaction will be demonstrating against the proposal of Hutt City Council, Wellington City Council and Wellington Regional Council to transfer the management of our water services to a trust. See... Cuba Mall's Bucket Fountain For Auction [1] MORE MAYDAY ACTION: - AK Mayday Activists - Spirit Of Quebec Comes To Auckland On Mayday [2] - May Day March & Rally - Auckland [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0104/S00097.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0104/S00098.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0104/S00100.htm

NZ’s New Hemp Industry Eagerly Anticipated

- “We are very pleased with the progress made by the current government towards establishing a hemp industry ” said Mr Mac McIntosh, Chairman NZHIA and we would like to congratulate the Minister, the Labour/Alliance Government and the Green party on finally allowing trials to go ahead. See... Hemp Industry Assn Pleased With Progress [1] and Industrial Hemp Announcement Good For New Zealand - Federated Farmers [2] EARLIER: - Greens - Industrial hemp trials at last! [3] - Govt - Trial cultivation of industrial hemp - With Q&A [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00186.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0104/S00185.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00431.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00429.htm

Even The Leaders Of The Left Like My Ideas – Prebble

- ACT leader Richard Prebble says his party is winning the “battle of ideas” in Parliament, with other parties adopting many of ACT’s policies as their own. See... IDEAS [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0104/S00439.htm

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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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