JUST POLITICS
End War On Cannabis – Libz
Lee Promises Discussion Of “Complex” Unlawful Rates
New Funding Policy For Early Childhood
Tolley’s Inflammatory Language Won’t Help Debate
Douglas Lilburn Remembered
English Introduces Bill To Protect Credit Unions
Hidden Cost Of Court Cases
Wilson Proves Herself Unable To Deal With Maori
Board For Recreation Agency
Funding For Community Services For Pacific Islanders

POLITICS FROM TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
SUPER CRISIS: Open Letter To The PM
Sludge Disgusted By Hartner Decision
Keith Rankin: Conservatives Not Out For The Count
Upton Online - Diaspora Edition
Dissident Dairy Farmers Do The Math
SCOOP AUCKLAND: Squalid Housing Remains
Lindsay Perigo Rewrites A Business Leader’s Speech
Robson Breaks Own Embargo On Prison Site
Government Sells Out Water

JUST POLITICS

End War On Cannabis – Libz

- Last night Libertarianz Deputy Richard McGrath told a parliamentary select committe exactly why his party supports an immediate end to the War on Drugs. See... End The War On Cannabis, Select Committee Told [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0106/S00023.htm

Lee Promises Discussion Of “Complex” Unlawful Rates

- Local Government Minister Sandra Lee says the "complex question" of unlawfully collected rates estimated by Local Government New Zealand to affect about 12,000 multiple units like apartment blocks will be discussed by Government ministers next week. See... "Complex Question" Of Unlawfully Collected Rates [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00079.htm

New Funding Policy For Early Childhood

- About 40% of community-based early childhood services will be eligible for equity funding in a new policy to be introduced at the start of next year. See... Equity Funding For Early Childhood Sector [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00088.htm

Tolley’s Inflammatory Language Won’t Help Debate

- Health Minister Annette King says she is bemused by the hostile reaction of National's women's affairs spokesperson Anne Tolley to the Ministry of Health's discussion document on law changes to support effective auditing and evaluation of the National Cervical Screening Programme. See... Inflammatory Language Won't Help Rational Debate [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00087.htm

Douglas Lilburn Remembered

- Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark today paid tribute to composer Douglas Lilburn, who died yesterday, saying his contribution to music in New Zealand was immense. See... PM Pays Tribute To Douglas Lilburn [1] and Douglas Lilburn (1915-2001) [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00080.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00072.htm

English Introduces Bill To Protect Credit Unions

- The People's Bank is running into trouble as its backers back away from it, National's Finance spokesman Bill English said today. See... Credit Unions Need Protection From People's Bank [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00086.htm

Hidden Cost Of Court Cases

- The swingeing increases in court filing fees are a tax on justice but that is only a part of the story says ACT’s Justice spokesman Stephen Franks. See... Court Fee Increase Only A Fraction Of The Story [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00085.htm

Wilson Proves Herself Unable To Deal With Maori

- The manner in which the Minister for Treaty Negotiations Margaret Wilson delivered the Rotorua Lakes offer to the Te Arawa people last week threatens to jeopardise the Treaty settlement process, National's Treaty Negotiations spokesperson Georgina te Heuheu says. See... Wilson's Attitude Jeopardises Settlements [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00082.htm

Board For Recreation Agency

- The board for the recreation and sport agency that is being set up to achieve the Government's vision for a healthier and more active nation was announced in Auckland today by Sport, Fitness and Leisure Minister Trevor Mallard. See... New Board For Recreation And Sport Agency [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00081.htm

Funding For Community Services For Pacific Islanders

- The Government is to invest $1.4 million to provide community-based social services to Pacific Islands people. See... Pacific Social Service Providers Funding Boost [1] and Pacific Cultural Social Service Consortiums Launch [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00084.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00083.htm

TOP SCOOPS

SUPER CRISIS: Open Letter To The PM

- “So, the Greens have said “no” and, unless the government can convince New Zealand First to back the New Zealand Superannuation Bill, it might not have the numbers to pass the New Zealand Superannuation Bill. The Minister of Finance is seemingly defiant. He intends to set up the Big Cullen Fund anyway; running it informally within the Treasury without enabling legislation.” See... Michael Littlewood Writes To PM About Super [1] . See also... Eco-Economy: The Green Party Vs Michael Cullen [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00038.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00028.htm

Sludge Disgusted By Hartner Decision

- In This Edition: Catch 22 For Hartner Creditors - Good Enough For The Goose But Not The Gander. See... Sludge Report #82 - Catch 22 For Hartner Creditors [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00037.htm

Keith Rankin: Conservatives Not Out For The Count

- If I was a betting man, and if Ladbrokes was nearby, I would be betting on a “hung Parliament” in Britain tomorrow. I don't think Hague, Portillo, Widdecombe et.al. will lead the Tories to victory. Nor do I think Labour will lose. But I do think that the chances of a Conservative win are greater than the odds being quoted. See... Keith Rankin: The New Conservative Dragon-Slayers? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00032.htm

Upton Online - Diaspora Edition

- In just four weeks, upton-on-line’s productivity has been massacred by serial holidays called (ostensibly) to pay tribute to a mixed bag of religious, patriotic and political events. First there was May Day, taken rather more seriously in a country that still has a real live Communist Party. See... Upton-on-line - Diaspora Edition [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00035.htm

Dissident Dairy Farmers Do The Math

- Does Critical Mass Mean Higher Payouts? Farmers for a Better Dairy Deal have debunked the claim that Global Co is needed to attain the size or critical mass required to deliver good returns to dairy farmers. See... Does Critical Mass Mean Higher Payouts? [1] - Global Co: Why Not Inform Farmers Properly? [2] - Global Co Strategy: Who Pays? [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0106/S00044.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0106/S00043.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0106/S00042.htm

SCOOP AUCKLAND: Squalid Housing Remains

- Overcrowded housing, people living in garages, caravans, makeshift shacks. Despite the Government trashing market rents for state house tenants, problems linger on. See this and more at the Scoop Auckland Frontpage [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=auckland

Lindsay Perigo Rewrites A Business Leader’s Speech

- I hate business. Now that I have your undivided attention, let me be more specific. I hate business when it fawns to the government, especially an anti-business government like the one we have now. See... Lindsay Perigo: I Hate Business [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00034.htm

Robson Breaks Own Embargo On Prison Site

- The Minister of Corrections last night at a Hamilton public meeting punctured his own big press announcement on the new Auckland prison by leaking his main piece of news 24 hours too early. See... Matt Robson Spills Beans On Men's Prison Site [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0106/S00021.htm

Government Sells Out Water

- The Water Pressure Group regards the Commerce Minister’s statement, “The Government considers that the Commerce Act is appropriate legislation to apply to the provision of water services and other essential services,” to be a treacherous 180 degree U turn, and sellout of the Labour Party position on water services stated before the election. See... Treacherous Labour Government Sellout on Water [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0106/S00020.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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