JUST POLITICS
Second Toxic Spill Highlights Inadequate Roads
NZ Must Assist Fair Fiji Election For Regional Stability
Burton Must Explain Breaking Chain Of Command
Recruitment Costs Skyrocket As Enthusiasm For Policing Wanes
Bigger Trucks Make Sense, Says Road Transport Forum
Rail, Romance And Rodney
Mercury’s Power Credits Gets Thumbs Up From Hodgson
Tough Car Safety Rules Will Punish Poor
Big Man In Environmentalism Visits

POLITICS FROM TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Upton Online Diaspora Edition
Armstrong Must Resign From NZ Post Board
Howard’s End: How Free Is The Free Press?
Probation Workers Off The Job Again Today
Students Won’t Shed A Tear For Christine Rankin
Goff Talks Trans-Tasman Relations At Foreign Policy School
Bradford Talks Trans-Tasman Relations At Foreign Policy School

JUST POLITICS

Second Toxic Spill Highlights Inadequate Roads

- "How many more trucks have to spill toxic substances into our clean green Kaikoura environment before this Government takes action?” Kaikoura MP Lynda Scott asked after another major trucking accident south of Kaikoura in the early hours of this morning. See... Minister Must Wake Up To Trucking Accidents [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00016.htm

NZ Must Assist Fair Fiji Election For Regional Stability

- The murder of Fiji's Red Cross head shows how volatile the country remains in the lead-up to next month's elections, says United Future leader, Hon Peter Dunne. See... Fiji Still Volatile As Election Looms [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00015.htm

Burton Must Explain Breaking Chain Of Command

- ACT Finance Spokesman Rodney Hide said today that Defence Minister Mark Burton must be held to account for last year ordering a bomb-laden Hercules back to Samoa to pick up a father anxious to be with his critically injured young daughter in Dunedin. See... Defence Chiefs Confirm Override Of Command [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00012.htm

Recruitment Costs Skyrocket As Enthusiasm For Policing Wanes

- The Police will have to spend four times as much as they did last year on recruitment - because of a big drop off in interest in the wake of the Police budget crisis, National's Tony Ryall revealed today. See... Million Dollar Recruitment Panic [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00011.htm

Bigger Trucks Make Sense, Says Road Transport Forum

- The substantial environmental, safety and economic benefits a move to heavier and longer trucks offers New Zealand is why sensible thought must be given to the soon to be released Land Transport Safety Authority discussion document on the issue, Road Transport Forum NZ chief executive Tony Friedlander said today. See... Consider The Facts Says Trucking Industry [1] and More Productive Trucks Will Benefit Economy [2] . See also... Supertruck Proposal Must Be Rejected [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0107/S00016.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0107/S00015.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00008.htm

Rail, Romance And Rodney

- ACT deputy leader Ken Shirley and his wife Jenny will today travel from Tauranga to Auckland on the Kaimai Express, returning to Tauranga on the train tomorrow morning. See... How Good Is The Kaimai Express? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00018.htm

Mercury’s Power Credits Gets Thumbs Up From Hodgson

- Energy Minister Pete Hodgson has welcomed Mercury Energy’s initiative in offering bill credits to customers who save electricity. See... Electricity Pricing Moves Welcomed [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00007.htm

Tough Car Safety Rules Will Punish Poor

- Misguided LTSA proposals will increase the number of deaths on New Zealand roads and boost the black market in car parts, ACT Transport Spokesman MP Penny Webster said today. See... LTSA Proposals Will Increase Road Carnage [1] . See also… Vehicle Safety Package Released [2] and Vehicle Safety Proposals - Q & A's [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00003.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00453.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0106/S00454.htm

Big Man In Environmentalism Visits

- The United Nations’ most senior environment official, Dr Klaus Töpfer, will visit New Zealand this week for talks with the government and to meet yachtsman and adventurer, Sir Peter Blake. See... Top Global Environment Official To Visit [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00004.htm

TOP SCOOPS

Upton Online Diaspora Edition

- …in this mercifully short edition, upton-on-line reflects on France’s glossiest new toy, the recently inaugurated TGV service to Marseilles, some broader mobility issues and fresh torments for Premier Lionel Jospin. See... Upton-on-line - Something To Celebrate [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0107/S00005.htm

Armstrong Must Resign From NZ Post Board

- “New Zealand Post chairman Ross Armstrong must resign or be fired before he brings this New Zealand icon to its knees,” National's Finance spokesman Bill English said today. See... Armstrong's Immediate Resignation Called For [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00017.htm

Howard’s End: How Free Is The Free Press?

- When control of the media is concentrated in fewer and fewer hands there is even greater meaning to the title of the George Seldes book written in the 1930's, Lords of the Press. Mainstream media today is often accused of taking in someone else's washing, rinsing it in the PC spin-cycle, and then selling it. Maree Howard writes. See…Howard's End: Tools And Vassals For Rich Men [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0107/S00004.htm

Probation Workers Off The Job Again Today

- “Probation Workers all over New Zealand met this morning, and voted to walk off the job again”, said PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff. See... Probation Workers Walk Off Again [1] EARLIER: - Nats - Robson Allows Probation Unrest To Create Injustice [2] - PSA - Mass Suspensions In Probation [3] - Probation Workers Vote To Fight On [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0107/S00001.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00009.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0106/S00123.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0106/S00120.htm

Students Won’t Shed A Tear For Christine Rankin

- “Many thousands of Students won’t spare a tear as nightly the imminent departure of WINZ CEO Christine Rankin is beamed into their homes,” Aotearoa Tertiary Students Association President Keith Clark commented today. See... Get Stuck In Maharey – No Tears For Rankin [1] MORE CHRISTINE RANKIN: - Hard News - HARD NEWS 29/7/01 - The Ultimate Fashion Victim [2] - Rankin Email - Dangly Earring Craze Snowballing [3] - Steve's Songs - Scoop Images: Steve Maharey's Hit Record [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/ED0107/S00001.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00156.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00154.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0106/S00157.htm

Goff Talks Trans-Tasman Relations At Foreign Policy School

- There are strong economic and family ties between the two countries. In many senses, it would be difficult to find two other sovereign nations who are as close as New Zealand and Australia. See... Foreign Policy School Opening Speech - Phil Goff [1] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00002.htm

Bradford Talks Trans-Tasman Relations At Foreign Policy School

- Like it or not, Australia and New Zealand are welded together by our shared colonial roots and shared adversity on battlefields around the world. Shared Roots And Globalisation - Bradford Speech [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00001.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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