JUST POLITICS
New Powers For The Children’s Commissioner
Pay Taxpayers Back For Yelash Faux Pas
Govt Introduces Sanctions Against Liberia
The Long & Winding Welfare Pathway
$100,000 Govt Contribution To Eliminating Child Labour
Keeping The Archives Safe
Getting Business Going In South Auckland

POLITICS FROM TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Scoop Is In The House: Today’s Q&A
Govt Commitment To Great Sea Birds
Guest Comment: Collateral Damage
Union Launches “take Back the Track” Campaign
Rod Donald: Borrowing To Save For Super Doesn’t Make Sense

JUST POLITICS

New Powers For The Children’s Commissioner

- New legislation to significantly increase the roles, functions and powers of the Commissioner for Children is to be introduced to Parliament this year, Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey announced today. See... Children's Commissioner's Powers To Be Strengthed [1] and Steve Maharey - Partnerships for Children [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00251.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00255.htm

Pay Taxpayers Back For Yelash Faux Pas

- ACT MP Dr Muriel Newman today presented a petition to Parliament on behalf of a group of concerned New Zealanders calling for the Prime Minister to repay to the taxpayer the $55,000 settlement made to John Yelash for wrongly calling him a murderer. See... Clark Urged To Repay Yelash Money To Taxpayer [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00259.htm

Govt Introduces Sanctions Against Liberia

- New Zealand will follow the United Nations in imposing sanctions against Liberia, Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff announced today. See... Goff Announces Sanctions Against Liberia [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00256.htm

The Long & Winding Welfare Pathway

- Yesterday the Minister of Social Services and Employment announced his vision for the future of New Zealand's Welfare system 'Pathways to Opportunity.' "Unfortunately," says says Lindsay Mitchell, Libertarianz assoc. spokesman for deregulation of Welfare, "the only thing of passing interest this lengthy document reveals is that the Minister is backtracking on his abolition of the work-for-the-dole scheme!” See... Pathways To Opportunity? Or Maharey's Maze? [1] and Pathways to Opportunity [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0106/S00072.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00248.htm

$100,000 Govt Contribution To Eliminating Child Labour

- New Zealand will make a one-off $100,000 contribution to the International Labour Organisation’s International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), Associate Foreign Minister Matt Robson and Labour Minister Margaret Wilson announced today. See... Govt Announces Contribution To Combat Child Labour [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00254.htm

Keeping The Archives Safe

- The future security and status of the Alexander Turnbull Library will be assured under new legislation to be introduced to Parliament this year, the Minister Responsible for the National Library, Marian Hobbs, said today. See... Turnbull Library Status And Collections Assured [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00252.htm

Getting Business Going In South Auckland

- Business leaders from the South Auckland region have been invited to a forum in Manukau City with government ministers to identify initiatives that will help improve New Zealand's economic performance. See... Government to host Manukau business forum [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00258.htm

TOP SCOOPS

Scoop Is In The House: Today’s Q&A

- Today's questions of the day concerned: Food Price Inflation – Small Business Policy – Yelashgate – Borrowing And Saving Super – Shane Rogers Parole Application – Social Welfare Changes – Talking To Picketers – Global Dairy Co. – Secondary Teacher Training – Hong Kong Trade Negotiations – DHB Funding Shortfalls – Energy Crisis. See... SCP HOUSE: Questions Of The Day – 19 June [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00103.htm

Govt Commitment To Great Sea Birds

- WWF hopes New Zealand’s signing of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) in Canberra today heralds a stronger stance on seabird protection by the government. See... Albatross Protection One Step Closer [1] and Greater Protection For Petrels And Albatrosses [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0106/S00067.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00253.htm

Guest Comment: Collateral Damage

- Another date "which will live in infamy" might be April 19, 1995, the day Timothy McVeigh blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City. Without provocation or warning, McVeigh killed 168 people he didn't know. See... Guest Comment: Now The Blood's On Our Hands [1] . See also... Murderers Loose In Washington DC [2] and Two More Executions Due On Tuesday [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00101.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0106/S00066.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0106/S00071.htm

Union Launches “take Back the Track” Campaign

- “The RMTU launched it’s Take Back The Track Campaign this week with the release of a petition calling upon the Government to move to return the rail network to public ownership in response to Tranz Rail’s planned sell off or systematic closedown of ... See... Take Back The Track Campaign [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0106/S00071.htm

Rod Donald: Borrowing To Save For Super Doesn’t Make Sense

- It has been revealed that the Government is borrowing to pay for part of the super fund. Over the next four years it’s planning to increase net crown debt by $3.8 billion at the same time as it intends to put $6.1 billion in the super fund. As individuals learned in the 1980’s, borrowing to put money into the sharemarket is very risky. See... Column: Rod Donald On Green Super Policy [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00250.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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