Top Scoop Stories - 07 August 2008 News Summary

Thursday, 7 August 2008, 2:01 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

Today's Top Scoops - 07 August 2008

LEAD STORY:

Media/Politics: Gordon Campbell on the ethics of taping politicians

NZ POLITICS:

Questions For Oral Answer - Thursday, 7 August 2008
FULL COVERAGE: National Conference + Secret Recordings + Fall Out
Defence: Old Army Unit Celebrates Century And A Half
Election Funding: Papers Show Cabinet Signed Off On State Funding Of Parties
Alcohol: Liquor Being Reviewed, Bill Set To Parliament

BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH:

Employment: Kiwi Labour Market Remains Strong In 2Q
Economic Indicators: Treasury Pics A Recession

WORLD:

Nepal: 2.5 Million People Need Immediate Food Aid, Says World Food Programme
Human Rights Watch: Olympics Harm Key Human Rights; Chinese & IOC Waste Opportunity
Foreign Affairs: Rice Visit Takes NZ/US Relationship Into New Phase
AIDS Conference: Sex Workers Group Wins HIV And Rights Award - HRW
Fiji Government: Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry Addresses Critics On Fiji Economy
Israel/Palestine: Stop Plans For New West Bank Settlement - HRW

LIFESTYLE:

Brain Boxes: Boy Full Of Brains To Represent NZ At Brain Bee
Medieval Plays: Enjoy King Henry II's Christmas Reunion
Loo Review: Party Marty Sticks His Head Down Auckland Dunnies

Media/Politics: Gordon Campbell on the ethics of taping politicians - Pretty doggedly, the mainstream media have stuck to their guns and kept the storyline on the secret tapes fiasco firmly focused where the National Party would prefer it to be - on Who Taped It, rather than (a) what is on the tapes or (b) what such content might indicate about the mindset and agenda of the likely next government. Bear with me. I know, there is nothing more unedifying than journalists banging on about ethics. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Audio - Audio: Nick Smith On KiwiSaver + Crosby Textor [2]
• Young Labour - Young Labour requests an apology from John Key [3]
• Scoop Full Coverage - National Conf + Secret Recordings [4]

[1] - http://election08.scoop.co.nz/gordon-campbell-on-the-ethics-of-taping-politicians/
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0808/S00076.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0808/S00072.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0808/S00074.htm

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER:

• Questions For Oral Answer - Thursday, 7 August 2008 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0808/S00107.htm

FULL COVERAGE: National Conference + Secret Recordings + Fall Out - Full Coverage of the National Party conference and secret recordings of Bill English, Lockwood Smith, and Nick Smith, including audio, statements, fallout and analysis. Ethical? Justified? In the public interest? You be the judge. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0808/S00074.htm

Defence: Old Army Unit Celebrates Century And A Half - New Zealand's oldest Army unit the 5th Wellington West Coast Taranaki Battalion Group (5WWCT) marks its 150th year of service to New Zealand this weekend with a series of activities in New Plymouth and around Taranaki. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0808/S00067.htm

Election Funding: Papers Show Cabinet Signed Off On State Funding Of Parties - National Party Deputy Leader Bill English says official documents reveal that at the last minute, Labour ditched a plan that would have forced taxpayers to pay for its election campaign. "Cabinet signed off on a system that would have allocated parties $2 for every vote they received up to 20% of the vote, and then $1 for every vote up to 30%. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0808/S00091.htm

Alcohol: Liquor Being Reviewed, Bill Set To Parliament - The Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) has welcomed the Government's announcement of a full review of liquor laws... ALAC also welcomed the new legislation giving communities a greater say in liquor licensing issues. More >> - ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Greater community say in liquor licensing [1]
• NZ Govt - Law Commission to do full review of liquor laws [2]
• NZ Govt - Dalziel: Liquor law changes announcement [3]
• Law Commission - Review of Sale and Supply of Liquor Regulations [4]
• Hospitality Association of New Zealand - Full review of liquor laws welcome [5]
• NZ Drug Foundation - Time for political consensus on alcohol [6]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0808/S00065.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0808/S00095.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0808/S00094.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0808/S00059.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0808/S00078.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0808/S00062.htm

Employment: Kiwi Labour Market Remains Strong In 2Q - New Zealand's oldest Army unit the 5th Wellington West Coast Taranaki Battalion Group (5WWCT) marks its 150th year of service to New Zealand this weekend with a series of activities in New Plymouth and around Taranaki. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0808/S00092.htm

Economic Indicators: Treasury Pics A Recession - CPI inflation rose to 4% in June 2008 and is expected to peak around 5% in September / Our view is that GDP growth was negative in the second quarter of 2008 / With continuing weak growth, inflation is expected to ease in the medium term / The international financial situation remains uncertain and the outlook is for lower world growth. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0808/S00083.htm

Nepal: 2.5 Million People Need Immediate Food Aid, Says World Food Programme - Around 2.5 million people in rural Nepal are in immediate need of food assistance and an additional 3.9 million are at risk of becoming food insecure because of rising prices, the United Nations WFP said in a new report. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0808/S00090.htm

Human Rights Watch: Olympics Harm Key Human Rights; Chinese & IOC Waste Opportunity - The run-up to the Beijing Olympics has been marred by a well-documented surge in violations of the rights of free expression and association, as well as media freedom. In addition, abuses of migrant construction workers who have increased. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0808/S00102.htm

Foreign Affairs: Rice Visit Takes NZ/US Relationship Into New Phase - A future free trade agreement and the eventual removal of restrictions currently applying to military exercises with the United States are outcomes that could flow from a much improved relationship with the U.S., heralded by Secretary of State's recent visit to Auckland. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0808/S00104.htm

AIDS Conference: Sex Workers Group Wins HIV And Rights Award - HRW - "Sex workers routinely face human rights abuses, including the discriminatory denial of health services, arbitrary detention by police, harassment, and sexual and physical violence," said Richard Elliott, of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0808/S00116.htm

Fiji Government: Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry Addresses Critics On Fiji Economy - Fiji's currency is stable, exports are up, inflation is controlled and employment is up which indicates the recovery of the economy, says Minister for Finance Mahendra Chaudhry in response to his critiques on the state of the economy. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0808/S00118.htm

Israel/Palestine: Stop Plans For New West Bank Settlement - HRW - The defense ministry's proposals come amid a rapid acceleration of house-building within existing West Bank settlements and despite Israel's November 2007 commitments at the Annapolis peace conference to halt further development. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0808/S00121.htm

Brain Boxes: Boy Full Of Brains To Represent NZ At Brain Bee - An Auckland school boy will be heading to the US to represent New Zealand in the International Brain Bee Challenge. Sixteen year old Stephen Mackereth, a year 11 student from Kings College, was named New Zealand winner of the Brain Bee Challenge finals held at the Queensland Brain Institute this week. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0808/S00036.htm

Medieval Plays: Enjoy King Henry II's Christmas Reunion - The aging and conniving King Henry II plans a reunion for Christmas in the year 1183 where he hopes to name his successor. He summons his scheming but imprisoned wife. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0808/S00040.htm

Loo Review: Party Marty Sticks His Head Down Auckland Dunnies - I've been in my fair share [of toilets] and gee having gleaming spacious ones makes a difference (this also applies for residential long-drops). More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0808/S00041.htm

ENDS

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