JUST POLITICS
Murder Sentencing Law Reform Plans Go Too Far
ENZA Foreign Exchange Losses Not Grower’s Liability
Superannuation Figures Hidden Behind Smoke & Mirrors
‘Next Year’ Must Be Wearing Thin For Tertiary Institutes
Auckland City Transport Funding Fiasco
Let Science Decide Apple Import Policy, Sutton Urges Oz
Groups Unite In Call For Family Court Reform

POLITICS FROM TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Japanese Fess Up To Whaling Bribery – PM Appalled
Howard's End: ANZFA Could Shatter NZ’s Reputation
Keith Rankin: The Orang-utan’s Fate Is Our Fate
Feedback: Deborah’s Illusory Cannabis Benefits

JUST POLITICS

Murder Sentencing Law Reform Plans Go Too Far

- National's Justice spokesperson Wayne Mapp says that the Government's plans for sentencing reform for battered defendants are too sweeping and run the risk of allowing people to use the defence of abuse whenever they are accused of murder. See... No excuse for premeditated murder [1] and Law Commission Report On Battered Defendants - Goff [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00316.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00308.htm

ENZA Foreign Exchange Losses Not Grower’s Liability

- Marlborough-based Green MP Ian Ewen-Street today called the Government to urgently sort out the row between apple growers and their major exporter ENZA before it inoperably damaged the industry. See... Growers should stay out of ENZA loss - Greens [1] MORE: - ACT - Government Must Relieve Apple Growers of Agony [2] - Prebble Seeks Urgent Debate on Apple Industry [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00313.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00315.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00311.htm

Superannuation Figures Hidden Behind Smoke & Mirrors

- The Government is cooking the books to create confusion over whether Dr Cullen's flawed super scheme will pay out 10 cents or 25 cents in the dollar of future superannuation costs, National's Bill English said today. See... Govt Creates Confusion Over Superfund [1] . Click through to the Just Politics Feature Page [2] for more.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00309.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=justpolitics

‘Next Year’ Must Be Wearing Thin For Tertiary Institutes

- Steve Maharey's attempt to break the deadlock over the Government's pathetic funding offer to tertiary institutions next year with promises of future funding increases is 'pie in the sky' stuff, National's Tertiary Education Spokesperson Maurice Williamson said. See... Pie in the sky promises [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00312.htm

Auckland City Transport Funding Fiasco

- Aucklanders will be disappointed at the apparent dysfunction between the Auckland City Council and Infrastructure Auckland over the future of public transport in the city, National's Transport spokesperson Belinda Vernon said today. See... Infrastructure Auckland - Auckland City fiasco [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00310.htm

Let Science Decide Apple Import Policy, Sutton Urges Oz

- The Government has yet to consider in detail the Australian Senate's review of how Biosecurity Australia handled a New Zealand Government request to import apples into Australia, Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton said today. See... Response To Australian Senate Report On NZ Apples [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00306.htm

Groups Unite In Call For Family Court Reform

- Alleged injustices to men and children, first exposed in the recent North and South article on the Family Courts have galvanised pressure groups around the country to now call for a Commission of Inquiry chaired by an overseas Judge into the workings of the Family Court. See... United Call For Inquiry Into Family Courts [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0107/S00062.htm

TOP SCOOPS

Japanese Fess Up To Whaling Bribery – PM Appalled

- Prime Minister Helen Clark said today that she was appalled by the reported admission of a senior Japanese fisheries official that Japan has been, in effect, bribing poorer nations to support Japan's campaign to overturn a global moratorium against whaling. See... NZ appalled at Japanese admission on whaling [1] and NZ says Japan has opportunity to explain [2] MORE: - Japan Govt - Japan Fisheries Head Not On ABC Radio In Australia [3] - Sandra Lee - Kiwi Minnow Takes On Whaling Giants [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00303.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00314.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0107/S00053.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0107/S00307.htm

Howard's End: ANZFA Could Shatter NZ’s Reputation

- The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) yesterday backed Australia's first irradiated food proposal paving the way for potential use of the controversial treatment at a plant at Narangba, just north of Brisbane. Will "New Zealand" in the ANZFA name damage our clean green image to overseas consumers? See... Howard's End: Perceptions Of Irradiation [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0107/S00107.htm

Keith Rankin: The Orang-utan’s Fate Is Our Fate

- The Indonesian economy is now so weak that Indonesia's national parks are for sale; for sale to loggers and to gold-diggers. It's not just the orang-utan that might die if Indonesia's forests (and others like them) are destroyed. We might die too. See... Keith Rankin: Saving Orang-utan [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0107/S00106.htm

Feedback: Deborah’s Illusory Cannabis Benefits

- So Ms Morris longed to light up at Parliament during her three years in politics and considers herself a “role model in moderate, responsible use of cannabis”. See... Feedback: Energising Deborah [1] SCOOP LINK: “The sense of cosmic enlightenment resulting from hallucinogens is manifestly illusory,” Dr Michael Fitzpatrick writes in London based webzine Spiked. See… Drugs debate: high on myths

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0107/S00108.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

• Mobile - 021707044
• Twitter - @althecat
• Google+

• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz