JUST POLITICS
NZ’s STV Bill A World Leader In Local Body Elections
Franks Demands Media Election Gag Removal
E-mail Snooping OIA Release
PM Spinning Fighter Jet Fears
Public To Be Educated On NCEA
Greens Smoking Double Standard – Winston Peters
Alliance “Hissy-Fit” On TVNZ Stalls Hobbs Plans
Business Law Discussion Launched
More Post Budget Commentary

POLITICS FROM TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Sludge Report: Bill’s Got A Point On Super, But Let’s Not Be Narrowminded About Solutions
Foreign Minister To Tibet On Amnesty's Birthday
Beef Fat Fries Evidence Food Labelling Laws Need Changing
Controversial Employment Reviews Buried Under Budget Deluge
Students Get Loan Interest Write-off

JUST POLITICS

NZ’s STV Bill A World Leader In Local Body Elections

- The Green Party says the adoption of the “Meek’s method” of STV (single transferable vote) in the Local Electoral Bill, passed on Thursday, makes New Zealand a world leader. See... New Zealand-Style STV A World First [1] and STV Adopted For Local Councils And DHBs [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00583.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00581.htm

Franks Demands Media Election Gag Removal

- ACT Justice Spokesman Stephen Franks said today Local Government Minister Sandra Lee should stop the sham, admit she has not got away with her “mistake”, and immediately repeal the media gagging provisions in the Local Electoral Act. See... Minister Should Repeal Media Gag Immediately [1] and Minister’s Media Gag Must Be Reversed [2] . See also Sandra Lee’s response... ACT's Attack On Spending Constraints 'Predictable' [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00603.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00585.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00576.htm

E-mail Snooping OIA Release

- Green Party Police Spokesperson Keith Locke says the real issue has been avoided in today's release of papers on Telecommunications Interception Capability. See... Released e-mail snooping papers avoid real issue [1] and Telecommunications Interception Capability Papers [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00601.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00592.htm

PM Spinning Fighter Jet Fears

- Yet another leak from the Prime Minister's office about supposed 'major structural flaws' in the air force Skyhawks is nothing more than Helen Clark trying to justify her decision to scrap the fleet, National's Defence spokesman Max Bradford said today. See... Skyhawk safety spin a mask [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00600.htm

Public To Be Educated On NCEA

- Year 10 students and their parents will soon be receiving detailed information about the new secondary school qualification system, which comes into force next year. See... NCEA information campaign [1] and National Party response…Mallard can't gloss over the facts [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00604.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00602.htm

Greens Smoking Double Standard – Winston Peters

- “ The double standards displayed by the Green Party over their stated support for quit smoking programmes by Sue Kedgley, at the same time as Nandor Tanczos travels the country at taxpayers expense promoting the virtues of smoking cannabis to our youngsters, should not be lost on the voting public of New Zealand”, said New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters. See... Double Standards - No Butts About It [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00597.htm

Alliance “Hissy-Fit” On TVNZ Stalls Hobbs Plans

- “Marian Hobbs’ brave new Television world is under threat because she has the structure wrong and the impotent Alliance is staging a hissy-fit,” New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters said in Tauranga today. See... A Broadcasting Connundrum [1] . Meanwhile ACT says Minister of Broadcasting Marian Hobbs has no grasp of her portfolio. See... Hobbs Lacks Control Of Broadcasting Portfolio [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00594.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00598.htm

Business Law Discussion Launched

Commerce Minister Paul Swain has welcomed the release of a discussion document looking at proposals to amend various business law statutes under a new Business Law Reform Bill. See... Business Law Reform Bill 2001 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00589.htm

More Post Budget Commentary

- A Welfare Budget - Richard Prebble Speech [1] - Taxes Up Last Year – No Money This Year [2] - Rise in imports points to need for self-reliance [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00588.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00586.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00573.htm

TOP SCOOPS

Sludge Report: Bill’s Got A Point, But Let’s Not Be Narrowminded About Solutions

- In This Edition: English’s Point On Borrowing And Saving Hits The Mark - Alternative Ideas Deserve A Look. See... Sludge Report #73 – Borrowing And Saving [1] and Eco-Economy: Fiscal Prudence and Debt Slavery [2] . See also Michael Cullen… Govt's Debt Targets Are Firmly On Track [3] and Bill English…Cullen doesn't have the cash [4] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0105/S00166.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0105/S00157.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00596.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00591.htm

Foreign Minister To Tibet On Amnesty's Birthday

- Phil Goff becomes the first New Zealand Foreign Minister to visit Tibet when he leaves for the region tomorrow. He is planning on visiting prisoners of conscience whose cases have been highlighted by Amnesty International. See... Goff To Make Historic Visit To Tibet [1] . Meanwhile, New Zealanders are being asked to raise their glasses in a Toast to Freedom on Monday to celebrate the 40th birthday of the world's largest human rights organization, Amnesty International. See… Scoop Image: NZers asked to Toast Freedom

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00575.htm

Beef Fat Fries Evidence Food Labelling Laws Need Changing

- News that McDonalds and other fast food chains like Burger King cook their French fries in beef lard make it imperative that labelling laws are changed to require manufacturers to disclose whether they use animal-based ingredients in their food, Green Safe Food Spokesperson Sue Kedgley said today. See... Greens Want Full Animal Disclosure From McDonalds [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00587.htm

Controversial Employment Reviews Buried Under Budget Deluge

- The Government purposely avoided scrutiny of its controversial employment reviews by releasing them on the eve of Budget day, National's Industrial Relations Spokesperson Lockwood Smith said today. See... Govt Buried Employment Reviews Under Budget [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00582.htm

Students Get Loan Interest Write-off

- Around 60,000 student loan borrowers will receive statements over the next seven days detailing their share of a $30 million student loan interest write-off, Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey said today. See... $30 Million Interest Written Off Student Loans [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0105/S00577.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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