Scoop Top Scoops

Top Scoop Stories - 31 July 2007 News Summary

Tuesday, 31 July 2007, 1:57 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

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Today's Top Scoops - July 31, 2007

LEAD STORY:

Local Govt: Central Govt To Take A Good Look At Auckland Issues

NZ POLITICS:

Foreign Affairs: Goff To Attend Pacific Trade Discussions
Police News: Otago Flooding
Child Abuse: Dunne Denies Blaming Maori

BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH:

Medicine: Saviour needed For Patients Held To Ransom
Telecom's: Draft Determinations for Unbundled Local Loop
Employment: Business NZ Finds Flexibility In Working Hours 'Ludicrous'
Trade/Envt: NZ Dairying More Efficient Than UK, C02 Included

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WORLD:

West Papua News: Police Use Gun To Threaten Papuan Rights Advocate
UN News: Ashraf Qazi Praises Iraq's Asian Cup Victory
Iraq News: Car Bomb Kills 6 In Baghdad -- Iraqi Police
Military News: Return From Operational Service Due To Pregnancy (Update)

COMMENT:

Michael Collins - IMPEACHMENT: Where we're headed
Elections: Scientists Hack Into Electronic Voting Machines
Australia: Haneef's case a is lesson to Pakistani Government
Michael Collins - IMPEACHMENT: "Did The President Ask You To Go?"

LIFESTYLE:

Spareroom Video: Before Flight of the Conchords
Archives: New Zealanders at War - Online Today
Books: Lifetime's Work Wins Top Book Award
Film Festival: A Berlin Culture Clash In Cowboys And Communists

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LEAD STORY

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Local Govt: Central Govt To Take A Good Look At Auckland Issues -

The Government has endorsed the Final Report of the Strengthening Auckland's Regional Governance Project as a positive first step for strengthening Auckland's regional governance, Minister of Local Government Mark Burton said today.The Government also announced that it will establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Auckland. More>> [1] ALSO:

Employers and Manufacturers - Royal Commission of Inquiry superb [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0707/S00516.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0707/S00565.htm

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NZ POLITICS

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Foreign Affairs: Goff To Attend Pacific Trade Discussions - Trade Minister Phil Goff will attend the annual meeting of Pacific Islands Forum, Trade Ministers in Port Vila, Vanuatu on the 2nd and 3rd of August. "Our meeting in Port Vila provides a timely opportunity for members of the Forum to advance their vision of a single market in the Pacific", said Mr Goff. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0707/S00520.htm

Police News: Otago Flooding - The Southern Civil Defence Headquarters have been activated following substantial rainfall over a 24-hour period. A state of emergency has not been declared, emergency services remain in a monitoring role. State Highway 1 is closed at both Waikouaiti and Milton. High tide was at 4:00 pm. Forecast is for continuing rain to midnight, easing off until 6:00 am, and then continuing rain. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0707/S00334.htm

Child Abuse: Dunne Denies Blaming Maori - United Future leader Peter Dunne today rejected media reports that he is blaming Maori for child abuse among Maori and said the Maori Party shares his views about what needs to be done. "Blaming and shaming is not the solution to this problem, but identifying those who can most effectively intervene when child abuse occurs most definitely is," he said. More >> [1]

ALSO:

United Future - Dunne urges Maori to sort out Maori child abuse [2]
Maori Party - Violence against child is violence against all [3]
National - What lessons were learned from Kahui tragedy? [4]
United Future - Second chance for child abuse talkfest? [5]
Greens - Stopping the cycle of violence against children [6]
Gordon Copeland - Band-Aid solutions not enough on child abuse [7]
ACT - Votes A Small Trade-Off For A Child's Life [8]
Women's Refuge - Child Abuse Needs Action Not "Maori-Bashing" [9]
For The Sake Of Our Children - Rankin calls for an 'Honest Debate On Child Abuse [10]
Sensible Sentencing Trust - Maori elders risk losing mana - Kelly Te Heuheu [11]
Sensible Sentencing Trust - Child abuse and school violence linked says Trust [12]
Sensible Sentencing Trust - A Way Forward to Combat Crimes of Child Abuse [13]
Sensible Sentencing Trust - What Civilised Society? [14]
Family First Lobby. - 5-Point Action Plan to Tackle Child Abuse [15]
Family First - Child Abusers Are Also Women [16]

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BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH

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Medicine: Saviour needed For Patients Held To Ransom - It is not acceptable for AstraZeneca to gamble with the lives of acutely ill patients in order to protect itself from competition. AstraZeneca has written to medical professionals blaming PHARMAC for AstraZeneca's decision to withdraw supply of Betaloc injection, an essential presentation of the cardiovascular drug Betaloc. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0707/S00140.htm

Telecom's: Draft Determinations for Unbundled Local Loop - The Commerce Commission has issued its draft determinations on the price and non-price terms on which Telecom must make unbundled copper local loop and co-location regulated services available to other telecommunications providers. These are the services required to unbundle the local loop. More >> [1]

ALSO:

InternetNZ - InternetNZ welcomes LLU draft determinations [2]
Orcon Internet - Orcon "Cautiously optimistic" about LLU draft [3]
Internet NZ - Failure to right Copyright wrongs [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0707/S00564.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0707/S00568.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0707/S00582.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0707/S00559.htm

Employment: Business NZ Finds Flexibility In Working Hours 'Ludicrous' - The Flexible Hours Bill as reported back from select committee today would cause ludicrous outcomes, says Business NZ. Chief Executive Phil O'Reilly says the Bill would cause workplaces to become less, not more, flexible. "Most companies try to take into account employee needs for flexibility where possible because it's in everyone's interests to do so. More >> [1]

ALSO:

Finsec - Flexible work a step closer [2]
Flexible Working Hours Bill - A Great First Step [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0707/S00561.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0707/S00364.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0707/S00368.htm

Trade/Envt: NZ Dairying More Efficient Than UK, C02 Included - The "food miles" efficiency of the New Zealand dairy industry in producing and delivering products for the British market has received new confirmation from a Lincoln University report released today. The report shows that in the production of New Zealand dairy product the generation of greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, all implicated in global climate change - is less than in the British dairy system. More >> [1]

ALSO:

Federated Farmers - New Zealand Farmers Global Warming Heroes [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0707/S00063.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0707/S00575.htm

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WORLD

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West Papua News: Police Use Gun To Threaten Papuan Rights Advocate - Police use gun to threaten Rev Sofian Yoman, outspoken Human Rights advocate, at Church service The Rev Socretez Sofian Yoman, President of the Baptist Church in West Papua, has been threatened by members of the Indonesian Police and members of military intelligence with a gun outside Sunday service in Jayapura. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0707/S00409.htm

UN News: Ashraf Qazi Praises Iraq's Asian Cup Victory - Congratulating Iraq's football team on its victory in the Asian Cup, the senior UN envoy in Baghdad today urged the people of the war-torn country to realize this potential for victory in other aspects of their national life. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0707/S00402.htm

Iraq News: Car Bomb Kills 6 In Baghdad -- Iraqi Police - Iraqi police say a car bomb killed six people in central Baghdad Monday, ending the brief drop in violence that came while Iraq celebrated its first Asia Cup football championship. Iraqi soldier passes wreckage of minibus that exploded at busy transit point in Tayaran Square, 30 Jul 2007. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0707/S00401.htm

Military News: Return From Operational Service Due To Pregnancy (Update) - Media reports during the last week have discussed the repatriation of a female Army officer from Afghanistan in October 2006, and more recently, the actions of the member's Commanding Officer. The female officer involved has expressed her concern at the public exposure of traumatic and very personal issues. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0707/S00403.htm

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COMMENT

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Michael Collins - IMPEACHMENT: Where we're headed - I contend that there is real action on impeachment and that it's occurring right now, before our very eyes. The actors are not singling out my favorite charges - a war based on lies and election fraud. But they've laid the basis for some serious damage to the administration through impeachment charges against the president... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0707/S00414.htm

Elections: Scientists Hack Into Electronic Voting Machines - Computer scientists from California universities have hacked into three electronic voting systems used in California and elsewhere in the nation and found several ways in which vote totals could potentially be altered, according to reports released yesterday by the state. The reports, the latest to raise questions about electronic voting machines, came to light on a day when House leaders announced in...More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0707/S00408.htm

Australia: Haneef's case a is lesson to Pakistani Government - After the four weeks of high drama in Australia, the terror charges against Indian Doctor Mohammed Haneef were dropped. Apparently, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutors admitted that a mistake had been made. Dr. Haneef was charged on having links with the unsuccessful terror plot in London and Glasgow in June. He was arrested by Australia Federal Police (AFP) under the new Australian anti-terror law. Under this law, a person can be held at any unknown location under suspicion of being involved or supported terrorism... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0707/S00405.htm

Michael Collins - IMPEACHMENT: "Did The President Ask You To Go?" - On May 18th, "Scoop" reported that the testimony of James Comey, former Deputy Attorney General under John Ashcroft, provided evidence of a crime in which Bush, Gonzales, and Card" were clearly implicated. It was apparent that Bush had ordered his then counsel Alberto Gonzales and adviser, Andrew Card, to the sick bed of an ailing and sedated John Ashcroft. Their mission was to obtain Ashcroft's signature authorizing warrant-less surveillance of Americans... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0707/S00356.htm

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LIFESTYLE

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Spareroom Video: Before Flight of the Conchords - Video: two grin-inducing animated short films called The Pen, about two sheep having a few quiets at their local. Written, directed and voiced by Guy Capper and Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords). More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0707/S00413.htm

Archives: New Zealanders at War - Online Today - Taking the National Collection of War Art to many more people has been the driving force behind a project to get the collection online, Archives New Zealand Chief Executive Dianne Macaskill said at today's launch of War Art Online. More >> [1]

ALSO:

National Library - Good Books Make Good Citizens: 100 years of Reed [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0707/S00303.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0707/S00298.htm

Books: Lifetime's Work Wins Top Book Award - Eagle's Complete Trees and Shrubs of New Zealand, a book that took author and painter, Audrey Eagle more than 50 years to complete, is the winner of the 2007 Montana Medal for non fiction. Lloyd Jones wins the 2007 Montana Medal for fiction or poetry with his universally acclaimed novel, Mister Pip. More >> [1]

ALSO:

Montana NZ Book Awards - Montana New Zealand Book Awards - Poetry [2]
Creative New Zealand - Creative New Zealand congratulates winners [3]
Spectrum Best Book Design Awards - Designers success with Audrey Eagle masterwork [4]
NZ Electronic Poetry - Winner Of The NZ Digi-Poem Competition Annnounced [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0707/S00307.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0707/S00293.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0707/S00302.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0707/S00287.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0707/S00278.htm

Film Festival: A Berlin Culture Clash In Cowboys And Communists - At a corner restaurant in the heart of East Berlin, the lives of a die-hard Communist and an American Cowboy collide. Cowboys and Communists is the story of two clashing political systems, the reality of life behind the Berlin wall, the collapse and aftermath of Communism. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0707/S00282.htm

And those were the Top Scoops on this day, July 31, 2007

:)

ENDS

Scoop

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Top Scoops Headlines

COMMENT

Binoy Kampmark: The Australian Defence Formula, Spend! Spend! Spend!

Not only will Australians be paying a bill up to and above A$368 billion for nuclear powered submarines it does not need; it will also be throwing A$100 billion into the coffers of the military industrial complex over the next decade to combat a needlessly inflated enemy. Forget diplomacy and funding the cause (and course) of peace.

Ian Powell: New Hospital Building Trumps ‘Yes Minister’ Hospital Without Patients

Ian Powell discusses how New Zealand’s vertically centralised health system led to a new hospital surgical building without staff and its similarity with the ‘Yes Minister’ comedy and the hospital with no patients.

Mike Treen: Prices Are Still Rising - It's A Cost Of Living Crisis

New Zealand’s consumers price index increased 4 per cent in the 12 months to the March 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ April 17. This was higher than the Reserve Bank prediction of 3.8%.

Gordon Campbell: On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism

The meaning of the word “racism” is being deliberately blurred, for political reasons. Lets re-state the obvious: when people are chronically experiencing worse social outcomes and lower life expectancy due to the colour of their skin, that’s racism. But the targeting of measures to redress those wrongs is not racism – it is justice, long overdue.

Peter Dunne: Newshub And TVNZ Tip Of Media Iceberg

There has been a positive but restrained response to the deal announced between Stuff and Warner Brothers Discovery to “save” TV3’s six o’clock nightly news bulletin, currently screened under the Newshub label. According to Stuff, the deal will mean that around 40 of the jobs involved can also be saved.

Harry Finch: Austerity – For And Against

It’s a word that politicians love to hate and as much as the current government is telling us that the measures they are taking don’t amount to austerity, by definition, they do. And as other commentators have noted, New Zealand has elected a government of austerity, so let’s weigh up the pros and cons.

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