PLAIN ENGLISH ON TAX: John Campbell: Tax is going to be an election issue whether you like it or not. Jane Young Live: Extraordinary claim from Bill English that Labour will have to increase household tax by $1800 a year. A story of lies damn lies and statistics. Michael Cullen describes English's claims as fibs. English says cost of Labour's promises is a net $2.5 Billion. Cullen says the real story is that the expenditure will not all come on at once, that Labour will only spend $200 million more than National and that it intends to maintain fiscal discipline.

MORE TAX: Jane Young Live: National is in talk with Mauri Pacific on tax cuts legislation. Tau Henare says he will say what he is going to do when he is ready. Q: Will the tax issue work? A: National needs a bumper sticker slogan. What they want the public to believe is that if the they elect Labour it will mean tax hikes. This is something we will hear more about.

IRRADIATION: Health Ministers in Australia have been busy. Food campaigners appalled at decision to allow irradiated food. Wyatt Creech says irradiated food is likely to be things like spices.

SYDNEY SLICK: Oil spill in Sydney. Sydney becomes slick city. Clean-up crews working around the clock but cannot contain the slick. Sydneysiders now want to get rid of oil terminal. Shipping company could face criminal charges. Prime Minister is very upset.

ASIAN RAIN: Torrential rains in Asia are blamed for landslide in the Phillipines that has killed 18.

SAMOAN ASSASSINATION: New twist in Samoan Assassination. A former minister of Public Works has now been arrested and charged. Three men will be charged and all will face the death penalty for the assassination of the Public Works Minister at a political rally last month.

TAINUI STADIUM: Tainui have purchased the naming rights to Hamilton's new stadium for $7 million. Investment angers some Tainui however. The $43 million stadium will seat $35,000 people. Dr David Gilgen from Huntly complains that the benefits are not reaching those who need them.

PYRAMID SCHEME: Commerce Commission has stopped a pyramid scheme called Maximus.

PHONE CARDS: Telecom has done an about face and will credit the unused value on old phone cards. Telecom says it backed down to please a very small number of customers. Telecom admits it's decision is related in part to a loss to a card collector in the small claims tribunal.

© 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

• Mobile - 021707044
• Twitter - @althecat
• Google+

• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz