JUST POLITICS
New Law “Significant Milestone” In Local Govt Reform
Warehouse Bank: Shame On Jim For Attacking Private Enterprise
TVNZ/BCL Split – Creating A Climate For Political Interference
One Law For Fishermen And No Law For DOC
Farmers Losing Confidence In Dairy Merger
Fitzsimons Ignores Whitianga’s Wishes
BUDGET 2001: Youth Suicide Package

POLITICS FROM TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
BUDGET 2001: Over-cautious, Spendthrift - Sludge
BUDGET 2001: Summary
For the complete BUDGET 2001 PRESS KIT and full coverage... and more...
BUDGET 2001: Early Reaction
BUDGET 2001: The Green Budget
Keith Rankin: A Just Tax Cut

JUST POLITICS

New Law “Significant Milestone” In Local Govt Reform

- Local Government Minister Sandra Lee says Parliament has approved important changes today to local authority electoral laws, so some of the provisions can take effect in time for this year's local body elections. See... Local Authority Electoral Laws Changes [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00482.htm

Warehouse Bank: Shame On Jim For Attacking Private Enterprise

- ACT Finance spokesman Rodney Hide said today that it was great news that The Warehouse is forming a joint financial services venture with WestpacTrust Bank to provide retail financial services through The Warehouse’s 74 stores nation-wide. See... ACT Wishes Warehouse-Westpac Well – Slams Anderton [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00480.htm

TVNZ/BCL Split – Creating A Climate For Political Interference

- The Green Party will not support any moves to separate off TVNZ's profitable arm BCL and other revenue generating commercial operations, and believes it is time for the Government to do a complete re-think of its broadcasting policy, Green party Broadcasting spokesperson Sue Kedgley said today. See... Greens Oppose BCL Split-Off [1] and Greens Show Naivete On Broadcasting [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00476.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00481.htm

One Law For Fishermen And No Law For DOC

- The Rt Hon Winston Peters MP, Leader of New Zealand First, today said that the spillage yesterday of rat poison for DOC use demonstrates that clearly the Department is over vigilant on policy for private fishing interests and cavalier about its own policies. See... DOC’s Kaikoura Disaster - No Law For DOC [1] and Minister Of Fisheries All At Sea [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00485.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00477.htm

Farmers Losing Confidence In Dairy Merger

- The Global Co concept is in danger of completely losing credibility, ACT Rural Affairs Spokesman Owen Jennings said today. Farmers are contacting ACT MP’s to tell us they are losing confidence in their own leadership. See... Farmers Losing Confidence And Patience [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00484.htm

Fitzsimons Ignores Whitianga’s Wishes

- Jeanette Fitzsimons tonight abandoned her electorate's wish by voting with the Government and ensuring the Whitianga Waterways problem won't be quickly resolved, National's Caretaker MP for the Coromandel Lindsay Tisch said. See... Fitzsimons Votes With Lee [1] MORE: - Nats - Govt Buckles to Waitangi Tribunal Threat [2] - Libz - Waterways Victim Of Predictable Backsliding [3] - ACT - Whitianga Waterways Wallows [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00475.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00448.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0105/S00098.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00428.htm

BUDGET 2001: Youth Suicide Package

- Youth Suicide prevention programmes will receive a $1.673 million boost in this year's budget, Youth Affairs Minister Laila Harré announced this morning. See... Youth Suicide Prevention Budget Package [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00474.htm

POLITICS FROM TOP SCOOPS

BUDGET 2001: Over-cautious, Spendthrift - Sludge

- Today’s budget is definitely not made from the cloth of socialist revolutions. This budget is prudent, conservative, responsible and spend thrift. It is in short an ultra-careful as-she-goes, lets-get-ourselves-re-elected-by-centrist-voters in 2002 budget. See... Sludge Report #71 – Old Mother Hubbard’s Budget [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0105/S00150.htm

BUDGET 2001: Summary

- Spending is at its lowest level as a proportion of gross domestic product since 1977. See... BUDGET SUMMARY – Highlights and key points [1] - BUDGET SUMMARY – Economic Transformation [2] - BUDGET SUMMARY – Investing in people [3] - BUDGET SUMMARY - Protecting New Zealand [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00489.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00490.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00488.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00487.htm

For the complete BUDGET 2001 PRESS KIT and full coverage

- For live coverage of reaction to today’s budget see - SCOOP BUDGET 2001 – FULL COVERAGE [1] . Background: BUDGET 2000 SPECIAL [2]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=budget2001
[2] - http://scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=budget

BUDGET 2001: Reaction

- Barnardos - Budget Contains Welcome News [1] - NZUSA - Government Offer Enough To Freeze Fees [2] - ARCC - Company Tax – The Budget’s Achilles Heel [3] - United Future - Budget Will Do Little For Social Cohesion [4] - PSA - PSA Welcomes Extra Funding For CYF [5] - MORST - What's In The BUDGET For Research And Innovation? [6]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0105/S00110.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/ED0105/S00048.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0105/S00207.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00509.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0105/S00108.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0105/S00107.htm

BUDGET 2001: The Green Budget

- Green Party co-leaders Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald said today that the Greens and the Government are pioneering a new political relationship in agreeing Green initiatives for the 2001/2002 budget. See… Green Budget: Funding For Green Initiatives [1] MORE: - Green Budget: Green Party Initiatives [2] - Green Budget: Three Key Projects [3] - Green Budget: Environmental Legal Aid Funding [4] - Green Budget: Funding For Quit Smoking Programme [5] - Green Budget: Roll-Over Funding [6] - Green Budget: Biosecurity Measures Rolled Over [7] - Green Budget: Energy Efficiency Funding [8] - Green Budget: Summary of 2001 Initiatives [9]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00491.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00504.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00502.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00501.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00499.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00496.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00494.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00493.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00492.htm

Keith Rankin: A Just Tax Cut

- Nobody really cares that the Government has spent slightly more than it planned to spend this financial year (to June 2001). Indeed there appears to be widespread if understated support for an expansionary fiscal policy to be outlined in today's budget. See... Keith Rankin: Business Handouts [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0105/S00147.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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