Top Scoop Stories - 16 May 2008 News Summary

Friday, 16 May 2008, 2:01 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

Today's Top Scoops - 16 May 2008

LEAD STORY: Housing Equity: $35m Shared Equity Pilot Funded In Budget 2008 + Recycled Policy Reheated Again + Shared Equity Housing Pilot Scheme + Business/Economy/Market News

NZ POLITICS: Racing: Peters Backs Dead Cert For Budget + Immigration: Pacific Division To Get Once Over Twice + Trade: As China Deal Debated, Japan Deal Proposed + Jobs: Auckland's Nicest Building Also Worst Employer + Election 08: Security Risks - Who Vetted Thompson? + Treasury: Cullen Delivers Pre-Budget Teaser

BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH: Economy: BNZ Weekly Looks At NZD Movement + Aviation news: Air New Zealand To Establish Aviation Academy + Company Results: MTF Distributes $25.0 Million To Shareholders + Economy: Producer Prices Surge In New Zealand In 1Q + Manufacturing: Electricity And Dairy Push Up Producers' Prices + Retail: Sales Flat, Volumes Fall

WORLD: Perceptions: U.S.-Vietnam Cooperation On Agent Orange Issues + Burning Bush: President George Bush Addresses Members Of The Israeli Knesset + Man Of The House: Focus On Role of Dads for International Day of Families + Burma: UK Announces Extra £12m For Burma Cyclone Victims

COMMENT: Naing Ko Ko: Does Burma Need The Humanitarian Intervention? + Photo-Essay: Chinese Earthquake Victims Fear Second Disaster Looms + Furry Creatures: Sean (A Bear) Gets Some Dental Work + Jason Leopold: Torture Policies Undermine 9/11 Case

LIFESTYLE: Media: Where's Walley? Producing Nine till Noon That's Where + Artistic Environment: Climate Issues And Art Combine + Obesity: New Children's Food Classifications For TV Ads + Extreme Eating: NZ Reminded Of Rogue Cheese Risks

Housing Equity: $35m Shared Equity Pilot Funded In Budget 2008 - The Government has announced its Housing Equity policy stating that Budget 2008 will fund a two year Shared Equity pilot to assist up to 700 households into starter homes, Housing Minister Maryan Street announced today. The government is investing $35 million in capital into the pilot, which will be restricted to homes in regions with the highest house prices: Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Queenstown. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• National - Recycled policy gets reheated - again [2]
• TV3 Video - Govt to spend $35 million on shared equity housing pilot scheme [3]

• Pre-Buget08 - Business + Economy + Market News [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00280.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00287.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/national/8128.html
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/sections/bizscitech.html

Racing: Peters Backs Dead Cert For Budget - New Zealand's premier horse races are set for a significant lift in prizemoney as a result of a Budget 2008 initiative, Racing Minister Winston Peters announced tonight. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Peters: Stakes boost for top-line feature races [2]


• Greens Peters has it all wrong on Racing [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00277.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00276.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00274.htm

Immigration: Pacific Division To Get Once Over Twice - The Department of Labour is undertaking a wide-ranging and comprehensive review of the Pacific Division within the Work Force group. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0805/S00235.htm

Trade: As China Deal Debated, Japan Deal Proposed - The Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the news that New Zealand and Japan have agreed to do a study on the benefits of a free-trade deal. "This has been a high priority for us for some time and we are pleased that such progress has been made and that this agreement has been reached." More >> [1]

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - PM Speech: Japan-NZ Partnership Forum [2]
• NZ Govt - Customs agreement with Japan signed [3]
• NZ Govt - Clark: NZ Japan Mutual Recognition Customs Agreemt [4]
• NZ Govt - Goff leaves for trade, defence meetings in Japan [5]
• International Business Forum - International Business Forum Welcomes Customs Deal [6]
• National - Toll leaks must alarm Michael Cullen [7]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00294.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00258.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00227.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00228.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00210.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00298.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00225.htm

Jobs: Auckland's Nicest Building Also Worst Employer - The PSA is alarmed that the Auckland War Memorial Museum has told almost half its permanent staff that their jobs have been disestablished. More >> [1]

EARLIER:

• Ignite Architects - Survey names and shames best, worst Akld buildings [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0805/S00216.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0805/S00115.htm

Election 08: Security Risks - Who Vetted Thompson? - Gordon Campbell writes: The question marks now hanging over the Ph.D of Immigration chief executive Mary-Anne Thompson - and the failure of the SIS security checks to detect anything wrong about her credentials during her decade long rise to the upper echelons of the public service - should place a double question mark over the Immigration Bill due back in the House on June 30. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Scoop Audio - Manning on Radio Adelaide - Pre-Budget News + Mary-Anne Thompson's Demise [2]
• National - Immigration probe had focus on policy [3]

[1] - http://election08.scoop.co.nz/security-risks-%e2%80%93-who-vetted-thompson/
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00204.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00262.htm

Treasury: Cullen Delivers Pre-Budget Teaser - Next week I will deliver my ninth Budget - this will be the first time a single Finance Minister has delivered nine consecutive Budgets since Walter Nash did so through the Second World War... More >> [1]

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Canterbury Transport Project funding boost [2]
• NZ Govt - State house insulation programme fast-tracked [3]
• Greens - Greens secure warmer, drier State homes [4]
• National - Cullen blames Cullen for small tax cuts [5]
• TV3 Video - Cullen: new budget will balance tax relief with investment in public services [6]
• TV3 Video - Cullen says tax cuts won't be huge [7]
• TV3 Video - Is the election campaign about to start? [8]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00250.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00249.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00253.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00252.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00292.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/business/8097.html
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/national/8100.html
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/politics/8123.html

Economy: BNZ Weekly Looks At NZD Movement - It has been another good week for exporters with the NZD falling to 77.6 cents following weaker than expected retailing numbers this morning. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00315.htm

Aviation news: Air New Zealand To Establish Aviation Academy - Air New Zealand is to establish an aviation academy to develop and nurture home-grown pilots, cabin crew, engineers and specialist airline management staff. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00326.htm

Company Results: MTF Distributes $25.0 Million To Shareholders - Motor Trade Finances Limited Half year ended 31 March 2008 Media release 15 May 2008 MTF distributes $25.0 million to shareholders More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00329.htm

Economy: Producer Prices Surge In New Zealand In 1Q - Producer input prices in New Zealand unexpectedly spiked 2.3%q/q in 1Q (JPMorgan 1.5%, consensus 1.1%), up sharply from the 1.3% rise in the previous quarter. Output prices also grew at a much faster rate than expected, rising 1.8%q/q. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00327.htm

Manufacturing: Electricity And Dairy Push Up Producers' Prices - Producers' prices rose in the March 2008 quarter, with output prices up 1.8 percent and input prices up 2.3 percent, Statistics New Zealand said today. The main driver in the rise in output prices was the dairy product manufacturing index... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00323.htm

Retail: Sales Flat, Volumes Fall - Seasonally adjusted total retail sales for the March 2008 quarter remained at the same level as the December 2007 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• J P Morgan - New Zealand retail sales slumped 1.2%m/m in March [2]
• Newmarket Business Association - Retail figures not good but there is some light [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00297.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00300.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00312.htm

Perceptions: U.S.-Vietnam Cooperation On Agent Orange Issues - ''We understand that the Vietnamese people are concerned with the perceived negative health effects of exposure to Agent Orange and its contaminant, dioxin. At the same time, the United States does not recognize any legal liability for damages.'' More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00221.htm

Burning Bush: President George Bush Addresses Members Of The Israeli Knesset - ''I visited Masada, an inspiring monument to courage and sacrifice. At this historic site, Israeli soldiers swear an oath: 'Masada shall never fall again.' Citizens of Israel: Masada shall never fall again, and America will be at your side.'' More >> [1]

ALSO

• Bush Honors 60th Anniversary of State of Israel [2]

YESTERDAY

• President Bush In Jerusalem [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00219.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00216.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00202.htm

Man Of The House: Focus On Role of Dads for International Day of Families - Fathers can make a positive impact on the development of their children, but too many men have difficulty taking up the responsibility of fatherhood, UN's Ban Ki-moon said in a statement today to mark the International Day of Families. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00211.htm

Burma: UK Announces Extra £12m For Burma Cyclone Victims - ''The lives of many 100s of 1000s of people are at stake. We know that people are lacking the basics such as clean drinking water, food, healthcare. This additional £12 million will allow humanitarian teams continue to deliver emergency assistance. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00218.htm

Naing Ko Ko: Does Burma Need The Humanitarian Intervention? - Naing Ko Ko writes: States are now understood to be instruments at the service of their peoples, and not vice versa. Individual sovereignty is enshrined in the charter of the UN. But it is totally lacked in my native Burma. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00207.htm

Photo-Essay: Chinese Earthquake Victims Fear Second Disaster Looms - UPDATED: Foreign correspondent Jon Stephenson is in Dujiangyan, China, which is about 100 kilometres from Wenchuan, the epicentre of Monday's 7.9-magnitude quake. He filed the following images taken at the Juyuan Middle School in Juyuan Township where 900 were buried beneath rubble. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• TV3 Video - China warns death toll may reach 50,000 [2]
• TV3 Video - China quake toll rises as aid arrives [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00211.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/international/8116.html
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/international/8113.html

Furry Creatures: Sean (A Bear) Gets Some Dental Work - Sean the Wellington Zoo sun bear was too lazy to walk to the dentist so the staff of the Wellington Zoo had to carry the lazy fellow in the style of an Egyptian despot of Pharaoenic times. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00188.htm

Jason Leopold: Torture Policies Undermine 9/11 Case - The Pentagon's decision to drop war-crimes charges against Mohammed al-Qahtani, the alleged "20th hijacker" in the 9/11 attacks, again underscores the consequences of the Bush administration's descent into torture and other abusive treatment of ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00199.htm

Media: Where's Walley? Producing Nine till Noon That's Where - Radio New Zealand has appointed an experienced award winning journalist and media adviser as Executive Producer for the high profile Nine to Noon current affairs programme. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0805/S00169.htm

Artistic Environment: Climate Issues And Art Combine - In honour of the annual United Nations World Environment Day (WED) celebrations on 5 June, the Natural World Museum (NWM) and Te Papa are pleased to present Moving Towards a Balanced Earth: Kick the Carbon Habit. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Natural World Museum International Art to Te Papa for Environment Day [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0805/S00165.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0805/S00162.htm

Obesity: New Children's Food Classifications For TV Ads - The Children's Food (CF) Classification System has been developed by the New Zealand Television Broadcasters' Council (NZTBC), representing Television New Zealand, TV Works and Maori Television. It applies to children's (5-13 years) programming hours. The initiative aims to assist the Government's Healthy Eating Healthy Action plan. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - TV food ad guidelines for children welcomed [2]
• Greens - New advertising guidelines favour industry not kids [3]
• Obesity Action Coalition - New classifications for TV ads miss mark [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00292.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00246.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00261.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0805/S00079.htm

Extreme Eating: NZ Reminded Of Rogue Cheese Risks - For nine months New Zealanders have enjoyed being able to buy the semi-hard raw milk cheese Roquefort directly imported from France. For most healthy New Zealanders, these cheeses are considered to be no more risky than a number of other foods sold in New Zealand, for example raw shellfish. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0805/S00078.htm

ENDS

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