Top Scoop Stories June 5th, 2009 News Summary

Friday, 5 June 2009, 3:17 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

LEAD STORY

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State Sector: NZ Immigration Decision-Making Questioned
The release of the Auditor General’s report “Inquiry into Immigration Matters” confirms that Immigration New Zealand is a service that needs urgent attention. “This report confirms that the mess left by the last Government is even worse than anyone thought,” says Dr Coleman. More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00056.htm

ALSO:

Overview: Visa and permit decision-making [2]

Overview: Public sector recruitment processes [3]

Auditor-General says Immigration staff hardworking [4]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00060.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00061.htm [3]

[4] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00056.htm [4]

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NZ POLITICS

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ALSO:

The Week In Parliament: Week Ending 05.06.09 [2]

Question and Answers - 4 June 2009 [3]

Today In Parliament: 04.06.09 [4]

Questions For Oral Answer - 3 June 2008 [5]

Today In Parliament: 03.06.09 [6]

Questions and Answers - 2 June 2009 [7]

Today In Parliament: 02.06.09 [8]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00046.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00076.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00043.htm [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00037.htm [5]

[6] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00036.htm [6]

[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00035.htm [7]

[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00025.htm [8]

Dope: Prison Unit Manager, 5 Other Charged After Cannabis Investigation
A joint Police and Department of Corrections investigation concluded today with the execution of search warrants at Rimutaka Prison in Wellington and a number of addresses in Wellington City and the Hutt Valley. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0906/S00048.htm

Environment: Hundreds Plan To Freeze For Climate Action
Thousands of people will come to a standstill on New Zealand’s streets this Friday, World Environment Day, to call for action on climate change. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00066.htm

ALSO:

Humans Freeze on World Environment Day [2]

Public transport key to improving Auckland air [3]

Social equality must be part of Environment Day [4]

Arbor Day in Hamilton at Claudelands Park [5]

Arbor Day makeover for Ian Galloway Park [6]

Kiwi Organisations Unite To Tackle Climate Change [7]

And we all signed on…campaign reaches 50,000 [8]

[2] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00016.htm [2]

[3] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00077.htm [3]

[4] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00051.htm [4]

[5] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0906/S00041.htm [5]

[6] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0906/S00039.htm [6]

[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00035.htm [7]

[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00064.htm [8]

Transparent Like A Moat: Green's Spending Public, The Rest To Come
The Green Party today made public the travel and accommodation spending of its Members of Parliament. The Green Party’s nine MPs released a summary of their expenses for the first four months of 2009, covering air travel and accommodation as well as taxi and rental car use. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00060.htm

ALSO:

Cross-Party Committee decision on Expenses [2]

Statement by Dr Richard Worth, MP [3]

Controversy surrounding Richard Worth continues [4]

Worth faces fresh allegations of 'unwanted and unwelcome' texts [5]

Crack down on activists 20 years after Tianananmen [6]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00073.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00071.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/politics/22873.html [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/national/22858.html [5]

[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00036.htm [6]

No Surprises: Richard Worth Resigns As Minister
“It is with deep regret that I have resigned my role as a Minister. I am resigning from the role for personal reasons.” More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00027.htm

ALSO:

Wellington Police Investigation Update [2]

Police statement on allegation against an MP [3]

PM's Statement on Richard Worth’s resignation [4]

Key lacks leadership [5]

Worth quits as NZ minister, cites private matters [6]

Cartoon: Political Standards [7]

Police investigating allegations against Richard Worth [8]

Political reporters discuss Richard Worth scandal [9]

R2.co.nz Video: PM John Key Press Conference On Richard Worth [10]

Today In Parliament: 03.06.09 [11]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00033.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00028.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00028.htm [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00032.htm [5]

[6] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/06/03/worth-quits-as-nz-minister-cites-private-matters/#more-8180 [6]

[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00042.htm [7]

[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/politics/22779.html [8]

[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/politics/22803.html [9]

[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00035.htm [10]

[11] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00036.htm [11]

Kiwi Pride: New Zealand Rated Most Peaceful Nation
New Zealand has been named the world's most peaceful nation by an international think tank; this is a credit to nine years of Labour Government under former Prime Minister Helen Clark Labour Associate Foreign Affairs spokesperson Phil Twyford says. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00026.htm

ALSO:

3rd Annual Global Peace Index [2]

NZ named most peaceful country on earth [3]

World Peace March starts from most peaceful nation [4]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00028.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0906/S00049.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00029.htm [4]

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BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH

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Camouflaged Fishies: Public Comment On Subantarctic Marine Protected Area
The Subantarctic Marine Protection Planning Forum invites the public to comment on a consultation document describing proposed options for marine protected areas around New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0906/S00010.htm

Scoop Business: Auckland Housing Market Demand Picks Up
Housing demand in Auckland continued to revive last month, with real estate firm Barfoot & Thompson reporting its best month of trading in two years. Auckland’s biggest real estate firm sold 814 properties last month, up 1% from April and 58% higher than in May last year, managing director Peter Thompson said in a statement. More »[1]

[1] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/06/04/auckland-housing-market-demand-picks-up-barfoot/

ALSO:

NZ dollar heads for biggest weekly drop in 2 mths [2]

Housing market recovering, prices not likely to last - economists [3]

[2] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/06/05/nz-dollar-heads-for-biggest-weekly-drop-in-2-mths/ [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/business/22874.html [3]

Agriculture: Cleanest Gypsy Day Ever
Farmers and transport operators deserve a big pat on the back for keeping stock effluent off the roads this Gypsy Day. “Last Friday, or Gypsy Day as it is traditionally known, marked the start of the new dairying year, when thousands of farmers move ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0906/S00091.htm

ALSO:

SMELLIE SNIFFS THE BREEZE - Burning Issues [2]

[2] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/06/05/smellie-sniffs-the-breeze-burning-issues/ [2]

Employers: Pacific Workers Face Worst Kind Exploitation
The Government's removal of the minimum wage protection for workers on the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme is a worrying sign of the government’s willingness to undermine the minimum wage, Labour Associate Labour spokesperson Darien Fenton ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00053.htm

ALSO:

Govt Gives Certainty to Fruit and Wine Growers [2]

Open season for exploitation of workers [3]

Claims on RSE scheme wrong [4]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00049.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0906/S00068.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0906/S00061.htm [4]

Scoop Business: NZ Recovery Not Far Off, Unemployment To Linger
New Zealand’s economy will probably start to recover later this year, though the effects of the first recession in a decade, including high unemployment, will linger longer. The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research has trimmed its forecasts for economic growth this year, compared to its March estimates. More »[1]

[1] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/06/03/nz-recovery-not-far-off-unemployment-to-linger/

ALSO:

Recession to linger till late 2009 - NZIER [2]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/business/22782.html [2]

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COMMENT

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Gordon Campbell: The Tiananmen Massacre, Richard Worth, Obama & The Media
Today is the 20th anniversary of the massacre in Tiananmen Square. In the early morning hours of June 4th 1989, thousands of unarmed students and workers were shot down or crushed by Red Army troops and tanks...
Plus: More »[1]

[1] - http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/06/04/gordon-campbell-tiananmen-massacre-richard-worth/

When Copyright Is Specious: Salinger and the Catcher
J. D. Salinger is not a happy chap. His one significant work, The Catcher in the Rye (1951) is a well-guarded bastion of literary worth. On Monday, he sought to block the publication of a supposed sequel by John David California, 60 Years Later: Coming ... More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00040.htm

Oslo Redux: Fool’s Gold In Israel/Palestine
Who doesn’t want to blame all the problems Israel/Palestine is currently facing on newly appointed Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu? He refuses to endorse the internationally recognized two-state solution, he is far more combative on settlements ... More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00049.htm

Sherwood Ross: Nicaragua’s Revenge, Cuba, The OAS And Iraq
Miami, Florida, June 4, 2009 --- It was three o’clock this morning when I was awakened from a beautiful dream by police knocking on the door of my apartment to come down to the parking garage and identify my vandalized car. Downstairs, they had the suspect ... More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00052.htm

Book Review: 'Devil We Know - Dealing with the New Iranian Superpower'
Iran is obviously a key player in the Middle East. The many references within other texts dealing with other aspects of the Middle East and the several texts dealing specifically with Iran highlight its significance. Part of that significance is that ... More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00050.htm

John Minto: A "Rich Pricks" Budget
John Minto writes: In a budget dominated by threats to downgrade New Zealand’s credit rating and projected budget deficits for the next decade it was expected National would produce a predictable, conventional budget. More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00028.htm

General Motors: Fall Of An Ignoble Giant
General Motors, so much seen as the exemplar of American business, with its strengths and, for sometime now, glaring weaknesses, is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The writing had been on the wall for sometime. Its bankruptcy petition documents... More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00029.htm

ALSO:

Grand Theft Auto: How Stevie the Rat bankrupted GM [2]

Goodbye, GM [3]

[2] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00021.htm#a [2]

[3] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0906/S00022.htm [3]

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LIFESTYLE

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Correlation: Arts Good For The Psyche
Youth who do arts are psychologically better off than those who do not, a new study from Victoria University shows... The study focused on wellbeing of Maori and Pasifika youth across the North Island and the arts activities they did. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0906/S00012.htm

Books: Sir Julius Vogel Awards For Science Fiction Announced
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Sir Julius Vogel Awards. Categories and winners in each category are listed. More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0906/S00028.htm

Aid: Danger Nurse Wins Nightingale Medal
While others her age may be slowing down, there is no stopping New Zealand Red Cross aid worker Joyce Hood. Ms Hood has recently been awarded the Florence Nightingale medal by the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Florence Nightingale medal ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0906/S00014.htm

Audio Visual: NZ Music Video Makers Get Day In The Sun
NZ on Air Music Manager and champion of the New Zealand music video Brendan Smyth was recognised alongside a range of kiwi music video makers including Chris Knox, Jonathan King and Stuart Page, by the New Zealand Film Archive on Saturday 30 May ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0906/S00020.htm

Environment: Look Up And Help Science
New Zealanders are being urged to look up while they’re outdoors, and help science this winter. The Monarch Butterfly New Zealand Trust needs the help of New Zealanders, young and old. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0906/S00011.htm

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WORLD

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International Criminal Justice: ICC: Case Of Congolese Militia Leader
New York, Jun 1 2009 3:10PM The International Criminal Court (ICC) began public hearings today to consider challenges by defense lawyers to the admissibility of the case against alleged Congolese militia commander Germain Katanga. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00022.htm

World News: Funds Needed To Aid Pakistan’s 2.5M Displaced
New York, Jun 1 2009 5:10PM The United Nations said today that the number of people displaced by the conflict in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province has risen above 2.5 million, and a shortage of funds could cut relief services there. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00019.htm

Afghanistan: UN Begins Training 35,000 Afghan Police Officers
New York, Jun 1 2009 12:10PM The first batch of Afghan police wrapped up a training programme today that will eventually reach tens of thousands of officers in preparation for this year’s presidential and provincial council elections, announced the United ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00014.htm

Tobacco Consumption: Tobacco Use ‘Needless Threat’ To Public Health
New York, Jun 1 2009 12:10PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged governments everywhere to address tobacco consumption, which he described as a “needless threat” to public health. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00013.htm

Separatist Movement: Indonesia Armed Forces Attack Indigenous People
The date, on May 25 2009 Indonesia Brigadier Mobile (Brimob) had terrorized against the Papua Farmer at the Mountain around Abepura, West Papua. The local newspaper belonging to Indonesia in Jayapura reported that Brimob and TPN/OPM shot each other ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00008.htm

ALSO:

Indonesia Faces Increasing Separatist Strife [2]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00011.htm [2]

Atomic Power: Times Reports The Economic Disaster Of New Nukes
In a devastating pair of financial reports that might be called ''The Emperor Has No Pressure Vessel,'' the New York Times has blazed new light on the catastrophic economics of atomic power. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0906/S00009.htm

Court Trial: Defence Witness Appear In Suu Kyi Trial
Aung San Suu Kyi's single permitted defence witness appeared before the special court on Thursday. Kyi Win, a legal expert, argued there was no basis for the charge that Suu Kyi had violated the terms of her house arrest. The court had earlier rejected ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0905/S00498.htm

Ownership: Indigenous Forum Calls For Consultation On Patents
New York, May 29 2009 7:10PM A United Nations conference on indigenous affairs wrapped up its two-week gathering today, making a host of recommendations, including the worldwide establishment of a mechanism requiring patent offices to publicize the ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0905/S00494.htm

Ethnic Tension: DRC Assists Military In Offensive Against Hutu
New York, May 30 2009 6:10PM The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on Saturday that it is supporting Congolese government forces (FARDC) in an ongoing effort to flush out an ethnic Hutu militia, ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0905/S00496.htm

Global Financial Crisis: World Crises May Make ‘Opportunities For Change’
New York, May 28 2009 7:10PM A time of crises is also a time of challenge and “opportunities for change,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the graduating class of the United Nations International School (UNIS) today. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0905/S00480.htm

War: Union Mission Condemns North Darfur Fighting
New York, May 25 2009 1:10PM The hybrid African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has condemned heavy fighting in and around the town of Umm Baru which left over 50 people injured and forced hundreds to flee their homes. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0905/S00400.htm

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Top Scoop Stories June 5th, 2009 News Summary