The Latest Scoop On INCIS - Top Scoops - Petrol Up Across Board - Internal Affairs Bites Back - A Poodle For Aussie President? - Shipley Confirms Changes To Student Loan Scheme - ERMA Decide To Reassess Transgenic Salmon / Canola Trials and much more..

TODAY'S SCOOPS

The Latest Scoop On INCIS

: Scoop has made some Friday afternoon discoveries about the ill-fated INCIS project. See... INCIS ONLINE [1] , you may find it as amusing as we did. Then again...

[1] - http://209.75.7.8/incis/

Top Scoops

- The latest ratings reports are in the News Monitor wire. See... Scoop Ratings - The Week's Top 20 [1] and Scoop Ratings - Today's Top 20 [2] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/NM9908/S00088.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/NM9908/S00087.htm

Petrol Up Across Board

- All petrol companies have announced price increases of three cents per litre across the board. BP say they will increase three cents in the North Island and only two cents per litre in the South Island. Challenge says they will match them.

Internal Affairs Bites Back

- The Department of Internal Affairs has hit back at the National Business Review over a "mischevious piece of writing" concerning some restructuring within the Department. See... Internal Affairs Bites Back At NBR [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO9908/S00027.htm

A Poodle For Aussie President?

- The Australian Democrats yesterday backed down over the republic referendum question, leaving voters with the prospect of choosing between the present constitutional monarchy, or a republic that few favour - a politicians' republic. Scoop's Simon Orme reports from Sydney in the Headlines wire. See... Will Australia's President be a Poodle? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9908/S00055.htm

Shipley Confirms Changes To Student Loan Scheme

- In a speech titled Good Policy Good Government today, Prime Minister Jenny Shipley confirmed two changes to the student loan scheme - for 2001. The extract of her speech outlining these changes can be seen in the Parliament wire. See... Changes To Loan Scheme Announced By Shipley [1] . See Shipleys entire speech there too... Shipley Speech - Good Policy Good Government [2] . However the Aotearoa Polytech Student Union points out that the changes were announced in December and fail to address student concerns. See... Nothing New From Shipley [3] in the Education wire. The New Zealand University Students' Association is calling for progressive taxation to fund social services. See... Progressive Taxati
on to Fund Health and Education [4] in the Education wire. The Prime Minister's office provided a student loan fact sheet which documents the loan scheme as well as the changes scheduled for the scheme. See... Fact Sheet On Student Loan Scheme With Amendments [5] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00231.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00229.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED9908/S00010.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED9908/S00011.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00233.htm

ERMA Decide To Reassess Transgenic Salmon / Canola Trials

- The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) has decided that the King Salmon trial to produce genetically engineered fish and an engineered canola trial need to be reassessed. See... GM Salmon and Canola warrant further check - ERMA [1] . The decisions are also included. See... ERMA Decision On Reassessment of New Organisms [2] . King Salmon say the decision is welcomed. See... ERMA Decision Welcomed By King Salmon [3] . King Salmon have included a question and answer sheet on their salmon programme. See... Background From King Salmon On Engineered Fish [4] . All in the Science wire. The Green Party, who publicised the abnormalities of the King Salmon fish earlier this year, are calling for
the programme to stop immediately. See... King Salmon Must Stop Its GE Programme [5] in the Parliament wire. Jeanette Fitzsimons also said she is very disappointed with the ERMA decision on canola, saying it is so weak it is meaningless. See... Green Party Says ERMA Canola Decision Is Weak [6] , also in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC9908/S00008.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC9908/S00009.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC9908/S00010.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC9908/S00007.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00226.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00232.htm

Donald And Bradford At Loggerheads

- You would probably be right in thinking Green Party Co-leader Rod Donald and Defence Minister Max Bradford have very little in common, but now they seem to be at each others throats. Yesterday Max Bradford slammed Rod Donald, alleging he got his facts wrong and demanded an apology over Donald's comments about the military spending $40,000 at a business seminar. See... Donald Wrong Again [1] in the Parliament wire. Today Rod Donald refused, saying bringing attention to wasting money didn't warrant any apology. See... No Need For Apology Over Revealing Wasted Money [2] , also in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00218.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00227.htm

Get Them Out

- The Dental Association say there are risks to teeth through wearing tongue piercings and some dentists will not operate on people who have them due to increased risks of infection.

Another Meat Merger?

- Directors of Wanganui-based Waitotara Meat Company are recommending a merger with major North Island meat industry player Richmond Limited. See... Waitotara Directors Recommend Merger With Richmond [1] in the Business wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9908/S00057.htm

Smoking Bad For Teeth

- The Dental Association say smoking is not only dangerous for the heart and lungs. It can lead to shrinking gums, oral cancer, peridontis, stained teeth, bad breath, .... You get the picture. If, by any chance, you want to read more, see... Dentists Warn On Smoking Hazards [1] in the General wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00080.htm

NZ Purchase $30m Helicopter For Navy

- The New Zealand government has authorised the purchase of a $30 million helicopter which will operate from the New Zealand Navy's two new ANZAC frigates and the Leander class frigate HMNZS Canterbury. See... NZ Approves Purchase Of $30m Helicopter For Navy [1] in the Business wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9908/S00056.htm

Local Govt. To Review Water / Waste Water Industries - Bradford

- Local government is to take on the review of the water, wastewater and stormwater industry, the Ministers of Local Government and Enterprise and Commerce announced today. See... Local Govt. Takes On Water / Waste Water Review [1] in the Parliament wire. However ACT do not like the idea saying the Water Review Shouldn't Be Left To Local Government [2] , also in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00236.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00237.htm

Investment And Funds Alliance Launched

- An alliance between two leaders in the investment administration and managed funds worlds has been announced. TOWER and DST International say their alliance will provide a unique service to New Zealand investors and offer benefits to the wider economy. See... Major Fund Services Alliance Announced [1] in the Business wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9908/S00055.htm

Three Year Old Gets Credit Card

- A quick story to lighten up your Friday... A New York bank has launched an investigation after they issued a three year old with a $5,000 platinum credit card. The girls parents applied for her as a joke. For the application form they filled in 'pre-schooler' as an occupation and said she wanted the card to 'buy more toys'. The girls mother tested the card by buying groceries but resisted calls from her daughter for ballet shoes and a pet dog. Who said banks weren't anxious to give them out?

Government Watching Rising Petrol Prices

- The government is continuing to keep a close eye on petrol price rises which have increased by nine cents in under a month. There is talk these hikes could impact on inflation and home mortgage rates. See... Government Monitoring Rising Petrol Prices [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00219.htm

Closer Economic Relations With Australia

- CER continues to be a tremendous success for Australia and New Zealand, according to Trade Minister Lockwood Smith. See... CER A Template For Successful Trade Relationships [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00223.htm

The Quality Of News - RNZ Staff Face Management

- Scoop would like to be a fly on the wall at today's meeting in Wellington between representatives of Radio New Zealand's board and its staff. See... Scoop's Questions For Tomorrow's RNZ Staff Meeting [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9908/S00054.htm

Family Planning Threatens Legal Action Against Christian Heritage

- The Family Planning Association is furious over claims by Christian Heritage leader Graeme Capill regarding a booklet on the options for pregnant women. The FPA refused to distribute the government funded booklets as they considered them biased and say Capill is trying to create conflict between the government and the FPA. See Capill's release... Family Planning Against Informed Consent [1] in the Parliament wire and the FPA response... FPA Slams Capill Over Abortion Booklet [2] in the General wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9908/S00211.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9908/S00073.htm

The Scoop On Scoop

- The discerning people at Lava magazine have published an article about us and we have republished it with their permission, see... Lava Magazine: The Scoop On Scoop [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9908/S00052.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.

CONTACT ALASTAIR THOMPSON

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