The Shifting Sands Of The GE Debate - Reaction To Labelling Decision - 'Con Air' Flight A Worry - Simon Orme: Republicans Against The Republic - Keith Rankin: Democracy, MMP And The Media - Telecom Back Down On Unused Cards - CER - Amnesty Campaign launch and much much more…

Today's Scoops

Scoop Feature - The Shifting Sands Of The GE Debate

- Scoop's Jonathan Hill looks at the changing positions in the leadup to this weeks labelling decision on genetically engineered foods and the challenges of the immediate future. See... The Shifting Sands Of the GE Debate [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9908/S00023.htm

Reaction To Labelling Decision

- Green Party Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said a survey released by the Ministry of Health shows that people want the labels on their food to mean something. See... Min Health Survey Gives Clear Message On Labels [1] in the Parliament wire. See the Ministry Of Health release on the survey... Labelling Decision In Line With Public Submissions [2] in the General wire. New Zealand First say Wyatt Creech is playing Chamberlain of the food chain after selling out on genetically engineered foods and irradiation. See... Creech - "Chamberlain Of The Food Chains" [3] in the Parliament wire. Phillida Bunkle of the Alliance says a full Inquiry into GE foods must be next [4] in the Par
liament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00085.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00036.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00076.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00057.htm

'Con Air' Flight A Worry

- The PSA says the need to fly 30 North Island prisoners to Christchurch tomorrow, on a chartered flight dubbed 'Con Air', is a revealing and worrying development. See... Movement Of Prisoners Reveals Crisis - PSA [1] in the General wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00042.htm

Did You Feel That?

- Scoop's Jonathan Hill reports a small but sharp earthquake was felt on the Kapiti Coast about 4pm. No damage was noticed.

Republicans Against The Republic

- Simon Orme writes from Sydney on "Why Republicans Oppose an Australian Republic [1] " as Australia's referendum debate heats up and shed light on arguments New Zealand has yet to face. See the headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9908/S00018.htm

Democracy, MMP And The Media

- Keith Rankin's regular Thursday Column looks at Democracy [1] . The Scoop columnist believes that there is a worrying theme is emerging in some recent studies; democracy is much less popular than died-in-the-wool democrats such as myself would wish it to be. Further, democracy seems to be less popular with young than with older New Zealanders.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9908/S00021.htm

UN Announce East Timor Registration Extension

- The United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) has announced that voter registration period for the ballot on the territory's future has been extended two days until the end of this week. See... East Timor Ballot Registration Extended [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9908/S00024.htm

When Silence Is Not Golden

- Amnesty International opened a brutal cinema campaign targeting political complacency today in Wellington's Embassy Theatre. The catch-line is: "Speak up - Silence is the enemy of Human Rights." See... SCP Image: Silence Is The Enemy Of Human Rights [1] in the wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9908/S00022.htm

Telecom Back Down On Unused Cards

- Telecom announced today that they will exchange magnetic strip cards for special chip PhoneCards for customers with unused value in their current cards which are set to be phased out. The move represents a change of heart from the company who until now were refusing any compensation deal. See... Telecom To Exchange Phonecards [1] in the Business wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9908/S00011.htm

Jobseekers Giving Up

- The Alliance says the drop in unemployment from 7.2 % to 7% at the same time that employment has stayed static and hours worked has dropped shows jobseekers are giving up rather than getting jobs. See... Jobseekers giving up searching for work [1] in the Parliament wire. In the General wire see the employment and unemployment details in the Household Labour Force Survey - June 1999 quarter [2] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00081.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00039.htm

Alternative APEC Forum Announced

- Details of an alternative APEC forum were announced today, including a confirmed list of speakers, by the APEC Monitoring Group. See... Alternatives To The APEC Agenda Announced [1] in the General wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00041.htm

July Road Toll Near Record Low

- Last month's road toll nearly equalled the record for the lowest July toll since recording began in 1965. See... July road toll near record low [1] in the General wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00035.htm

AIDS Cash Missing

- Eleven thousand dollars destined to help AIDS sufferers is being held up while two groups bicker over the money raised at this years Hero Parade. Scoop's Selwyn Manning reports. See... AIDS Groups Squabble Over Cash [1] in the Auckland wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK9908/S00022.htm

Keith Haring Works Classified

- The Office of Film and Literature Classification has classified 18 works by the late American Artist Keith Haring, recently exhibited at the City Art Gallery, Wellington. The rulings were made after the Christian Heritage Party called for their reclassification. See... Office Classifies Keith Haring Artworks [1] in the General wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00034.htm

Scoop Top 20

- For yesterday's top 20 rating items on Scoop see... Scoop Today - Yesterday's Top 20 [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9908/S00019.htm

Peace Movement Condemns Indonesian Military Links

- The New Zealand Defence Force still maintains intimate training and exercise links with the Indonesian military despite its role in the militia terror in East Timor, says Peace Movement Aotearoa. See... Military Exercising With Indonesia Condemned [1] in the General wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00033.htm

Fire Service Row

- Is the Fire Service still planning to lay off 400 fire fighters? The Professional Firefighters Union remains convinced that it is. Last night the union claimed that undertakings obtained from the Fire Service Commission were only provided under threat of legal action. See... Agreement in Fire Service New Recruits Dispute [1] in the General wire. The Union is also supporting a call from the Insurance Council for a public inquiry into the Fire Service. See... Firefighters Union Supports Insurance Council [2] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00032.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00031.htm

Controversy Over Rail Sale

- A Treasury cost-benefit study [1] on the privatisation of NZ Rail released yesterday has sparked an argument. Alliance leader Jim Anderton says it's garbage' [2] while former rail Minister Richard Prebble says it vindicates the decision to sell [3] .

[1] - http://www.treasury.govt.nz/workingpapers/99-10.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00064.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00059.htm

Closer Economic Relations With Australia

- The government is hailing developments to the bilateral economic relationship with Australia as a big success. Treasurer Bill English welcomed yesterday's announcement of changes to Trans-Tasman investment rules under the CER, and said New Zealand businesses would benefit by being able to invest more freely in Australia. See... New Investment Rules Welcomed [1] in the Parliament wire. The Prime Minister Jenny Shipley and John Luxton welcome changes to customs rules between the two countries. See... Luxton Welcomes CER Progress On Customs [2] in the Parliament wire. See the full copy of the Joint Communique On Aus - NZ Economic Relations [3] , also in the Parliament wire. New Zealand and Australia are also considering extending the CER agreement to oth
er countries or regional groups. See... Task Force Agreement Takes CER Forward [4] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00062.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00063.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00060.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00061.htm

NZ To Pay $24 million To Aus For Social Security

- Also under the CER New Zealand has agreed to pay $24 million to Australia to cover social security requirements of Kiwis living there. Our government say this is a good deal as Australia were pushing for more.

Roundup Of Auckland News

- Scoop's Auckland wire yesterday reported:
- A high powered business lobby group is pressurising for a new highway link between Auckland City and Manukau's eastern suburbs. See... Group Pushes For Eastern Highway [1] ;
- Fisher and Paykel and its worker's union delegates are to resume talks after 1500 workers completed a 24 hour strike vigil. See... F&P Talks To Resume [2] ;
- Auckland commuters were spared chaos this morning after Stage-coach bus drivers called off a stopwork meeting set to discuss an industrial dispute. See... Bus Drivers Call Off Strike [3] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK9908/S00024.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK9908/S00023.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK9908/S00020.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.

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