Latest Top Scoops Headlines [Page 4]
Districts Step Up Virus Plans
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 4:16 pm | Marcus Anselm - Local Democracy Reporter
As central government confirmed a second case of coronavirus in New Zealand, Carterton and Masterton District Councils have taken further steps to manage a potential pandemic. Local authorities, major event organisers, and other organisations are monitoring ... More >>
Nixon Welcomes People Power
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 4:09 pm | Marcus Anselm - Local Democracy Reporter
Tina Nixon says Masterton District Council’s forthcoming consultation on its big issues offers a chance for people power. The Masterton public will get a chance to comment on its annual plan later this month. The big-ticket items will be the future ... More >>
Camping Fines Add Up In Busy Summer
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 4:05 pm | Aaron van Delden - Local Democracy Reporter
The 2019/20 summer season has proven to be a busy one for Gisborne District Council, with big increases in freedom camping infringements and requests for service. The council has issued 41 fines to people who have flouted its freedom camping bylaw ... More >>
The Truth About SNAs
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 3:56 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
The trouble all stems from the government's new National Policy Statements on indigenous biodiversity and freshwater management. Councils will have to give effect to these by listing significant natural areas and wetlands in district and regional plans, ... More >>
Breakaway Kaikoura Ratepayers Urge Council To “get Real”
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 3:52 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
Residents of Kaikoura's east coast communities are pressing ahead with a bid to break away from the Kaikoura District Council and become part of Marlborough - whether or not the government is keen. ECCO (East Coast Community Organisation) members including ... More >>
Toilet Paper Blues: Coronavirus And Pandemic Pantries
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 3:12 pm | Binoy Kampmark
Fears of imminent apocalypse tend to be midwives to absurdity. The stockpiling fever that has gripped various populaces in response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has taken various forms. “Pandemic pantries” are becoming the norm, ... More >>
On 22 Short Takes About Super Tuesday
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 1:04 pm | Gordon Campbell
With obvious apologies to the Simpsons….Here’s my 22 short takes on the 14 Super Tuesday primaries that combined yesterday to produce a common narrative –Bernie Sanders NOT running away with the nomination, Joe Biden coming back from the dead, ... More >>
Warren Urged To Help Form 'Progressive Front' With Sanders As Establishment Fuels Biden Surge
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 11:48 am | Common Dreams
After Super Tuesday's results made clear that the 2020 Democratic primary is now a two-candidate race between former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, progressives called for an end to divisive infighting and some urged Sen. Elizabeth ... More >>
NZX falls following US interest rate cut
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:57 am | RNZ
The local sharemarket has shrugged off fears about the coronavirus after a surprise interest rate cut in the United States spooked investors and sent shares sliding. More >>
Coronavirus: Air NZ cuts more flights
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:53 am | RNZ
Air New Zealand is making further cuts to domestic, trans-Tasman, and Asian services to counter the impact of Covid-19. More >>
Analysts surprised by size of drop in dairy price
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:51 am | RNZ
The 1.2 percent drop in prices at last night's Global Dairy Trade auction was less than what many analysts thought it would be. More >>
'Timing is right': Fonterra chairperson John Monaghan stepping down
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:40 am | RNZ
John Monaghan will not seek re-election at the end of this year, after 11 years with the dairy co-operative. More >>
Covid-19 cases: Silent transmission could already be happening - expert
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:35 am | RNZ
An infectious disease specialist says more people with coronavirus could already be in the community and might be silently transmitting the disease. More >>
Third coronavirus case confirmed in New Zealand
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:30 am | RNZ
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says it is not of the partner of the Auckland woman who tested positive on Tuesday. More >>
Coronavirus: Jacinda Ardern says 'too early to tell wider impacts' on economy
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:25 am | RNZ
The government insists it has everything in place needed to limit the economic damage caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, and to support workers and businesses bearing the brunt. More >>
A Terrifying Scenario: Coronavirus In ‘Quarantined’ Gaza
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:13 am | Ramzy Baroud
What if the Coronavirus reaches the besieged Gaza Strip? While the question carries great urgency for all Palestinians living under Israel’s military occupation, the Gaza situation is particularly complex and extremely worrying. Nearly 50 countries ... More >>
Winston Peters wades into Australia-New Zealand debate on deportation
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:08 am | RNZ
Former and future Australian prime ministers would not treat New Zealand in the way the current regime is over deportation, says the deputy prime minister. More >>
Super Tuesday Sets Stage For Biden Vs. Bernie
Thursday, 5 March 2020, 10:00 am | Common Dreams
While there is still much counting of votes to be done before the overall outcome of Super Tuesday is fully calculated and understood, the key takeaway from the Democratic Party's largest single-day of voting thus far—with 14 states up for grabs, including ... More >>
DNC Scrambles To Change Debate Threshold After Gabbard Qualifies
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 5:41 pm | Caitlin Johnstone
On a CNN panel on Monday , host John King spoke with Politico reporter Alex Thompson about the possibility of Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard qualifying on Super Tuesday for the party's primary debate in Phoenix later this month. "I ... More >>
Daring To Kiss: Coronavirus And The Butterfly Effect
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 12:56 pm | Binoy Kampmark
At some point, it seemed like a slow burner, gathering attention with each press release from the World Health Organisation. When talking about a threat, language is everything. With more cases of COVID-19 being identified, the panic that comes ... More >>
Vacancies Filled After By-election Flop
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 11:50 am | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
ENSURING REPRESENTATION: Two members of the community were appointed to the Murupara Community Board this week after two elections failed to attract any candidates.CHARLOTTEJONES/LDR After falling short of candidates at two elections, Murupara Community Board has ... More >>
Awatarariki Hearings Continue, “only Luck No One Died”
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 11:42 am | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
DECISION MAKERS: Independent commissioners Trevor Robinson, Fraser Campbell, Rob van Voorthuysen and Rauru Kirikiri will hear one more day of submissions before deliberating on Thursday. CHARLOTTEJONES/LDR Experts say a debris flow at Awatarariki is more ... More >>
Leaky Pipes Worsen MDC Water Woes
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 11:29 am | Marcus Anselm - Local Democracy Reporter
Masterton's Waingawa River has been running low this summer. PHOTO/WAIRARAPA TIMES-AGE/EMMA BROWN As the on/off water bans continue in Masterton, a national water body says the district’s infrastructure is still way below standard. Masterton District Council ... More >>
Lakes Fail Water Quality Target, But Still Safe To Swim
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 11:12 am | Felix Desmarais - Local Democracy Reporter
Lakes Water Quality Society president John Gifford at Lake Rotorua. Stephen Parker / Rotorua Daily Post / LDR Twelve of Rotorua’s lakes failed a key water quality test in 2018/19, but the regional council says they are currently safe to ... More >>
Abortion Legislation Bill passes second reading
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 10:52 am | RNZ
Abortion reform has cleared another hurdle, passing its second reading in Parliament tonight by 81 votes to 39. More >>
Covid-19: Simon Bridges says middle income earners deserve tax relief
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 10:47 am | RNZ
National Party leader Simon Bridges has criticised the government's response to Covid-19, saying the economic response to the outbreak has been subpar. More >>
Pressure weighs in on Jacinda Ardern over Shane Jones' immigration remarks
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 10:41 am | RNZ
Power Play - It's an uncomfortable position for a coalition Prime Minister - having a minister go rogue but having only two stark decisions: risk collapsing the government or tolerate open defiance, writes Jane Patterson. More >>
Polly knows probability: this parrot can predict the chances of something happening
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 10:40 am | The Conversation
Kea were able to correctly guess the most probable scenarios, by evaluating various physical and social cues. Previously, only great apes and humans were known to be able to understand probability. More >>
Armed Response Teams used 75 times a day at start of trial
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 10:38 am | RNZ
The new Armed Response Teams have been called out at 50 times the rate that Armed Offenders Squads were last year. More >>
Companies scrambling to get stock amid Chinese supplier shutdown
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 10:27 am | RNZ
One of the main suppliers of protective gear for doctors and nurses is worried stocks could run out here if Chinese factories in Wuhan don't re-open soon. More >>
The closure of AAP is yet another blow to public interest journalism in Australia
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 10:24 am | The Conversation
AAP has struggled in recent years as newspapers and radio and television stations have sought to cut costs. Its influence in Australian history, however, will not soon be forgotten. More >>
COVID-19 Has Now Reached New Zealand. How Prepared Is It To Deal With A Pandemic?
Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 10:17 am | The Conversation
New Zealand joined 48 other countries affected by the novel coronavirus last week when health authorities confirmed the first COVID-19 case . The news prompted panic buying of supplies in some places, but it had long been expected . More >>
Is it possible for everyone to live a good life within our planet’s limits?
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 5:11 pm | The Conversation
No country manages to balance sustainability with meeting basic human needs – but Vietnam comes closest. More >>
Dems Converge Around Dementia-Addled Warmonger Ahead Of Super Tuesday
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 4:59 pm | Caitlin Johnstone
Back in January, well before the Democratic primary race had taken on its current composition, independent journalist Ruth Ann Oskolkoff reported that a source had heard from high-level Democratic Party insiders that they were planning to install ... More >>
U.S. Training Thailand's Scandal-Hit Military
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 4:11 pm | Richard S. Ehrlich
BANGKOK, Thailand -- More than 5,000 U.S. troops are currently training Thailand's military, coinciding with demands for the army's chief to resign and alleged financial corruption within the military be investigated after an army officer massacred 29 ... More >>
Strong Man Legacies: Burying Mubarak
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 2:48 pm | Binoy Kampmark
Reviled strongmen of one era are often the celebrated ones of others. Citizens otherwise tormented find that replacements are poor, in some cases even crueller, than the original artefact. Such strongmen also serve as ideal alibis for rehabilitation: ... More >>
The McDonaldification Of Hunting: Training Children To Kill In Opotiki
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 2:07 pm | Lynley Tulloch
How many ways can a small town in New Zealand get it so wrong when bringing up their children? Opotiki seems to have latched onto a winning formula: Dead animals, children and huge smiles. In a recent news report , the organizers of the Opotiki Little Three ... More >>
Coronavirus: Supply disruptions for New Zealand importers and exporters
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 1:55 pm | RNZ
Businesseses are struggling to get supplies of electronics, iPhones, clothing and some raw materials as the coronavirus outbreak slows global trade. More >>
Encouraging signs as young oysters appear in latest season
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 1:46 pm | RNZ
The Bluff oyster season opened on Sunday and the first batches have been arriving in restaurants and supermarkets. More >>
Muslims on high alert after report of threat against Christchurch mosque
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 1:44 pm | RNZ
The Islamic community in New Zealand is on high alert, expecting threats or worse, in the lead up to the anniversary of the Christchurch terror attack. More >>
Coronavirus: What is Covid-19 and how to protect yourself from the outbreak
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 1:38 pm | RNZ
The Covid-19 coronavirus has arrived in New Zealand. What are the symptoms and how is it spread? Here's what you need to know. More >>
Timaru trials new on-demand public transport service
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 1:24 pm | RNZ
A new public transport system in Timaru will co-ordinate passengers heading in the same direction to pick up people along the way at the nearest main intersection. More >>
Government 'must use fiscal war chest' to shore-up virus-hit businesses
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 1:20 pm | RNZ
Kiwibank's chief economist says the government must use its "huge fiscal war chest" to secure jobs and keep businesses from falling over amid the Covid-19 outbreak. More >>
PM Jacinda Ardern publicly reprimands Shane Jones over Indian immigrant remarks
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 1:16 pm | RNZ
Jacinda Ardern says her Cabinet minister's language was loose and his position around Indian immigrants was wrong. More >>
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones stands by Indian students remark
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 1:03 pm | RNZ
Shane Jones is thumbing his nose at the prime minister, refusing to resile from his comments about Indian students ruining academic institutions in New Zealand. More >>
On Shane Jones As The Liability No-one Needs To Bear Anymore
Tuesday, 3 March 2020, 11:34 am | Gordon Campbell
New Zealand First has needed a diversion after weeks of bad coverage over its dodgy handling of donations, but it really, really doesn’t need what Shane Jones has chosen to provide. According to Jones, New Zealand has ... More >>
PM's Post-Cabinet Press Conference 02/03/20: COVID-19 Response
Monday, 2 March 2020, 5:40 pm | The Scoop Team
Video of PM Ardern’s Post Cabinet Press Conference is available here: New Zealand Labour Party - #LIVE: Post-Cabinet Press Conference 2 March 2020 Today Cabinet was focused on the response to protect NZers from COVID-19. Ardern outlined ... More >>
'Against Colonial Violence And Land Theft,' Activists And Allies Target Mining Industry Convention
Monday, 2 March 2020, 2:16 pm | Common Dreams
by Jon Queally, staff writer Hundreds of people led by Indigenous land defenders and a coalition of environmental groups worked to shut down a large mining industry convention in downtown Toronto on Sunday, blockading the entrances to the building ... More >>
More teachers staying in the classroom into their 70s
Monday, 2 March 2020, 1:08 pm | RNZ
The number of teachers working past retirement age has more than doubled in the past 10 years including hundreds older than 75. More >>
Bluegreens forum to focus on growing fishing, aquaculture, while protecting the ocean
Monday, 2 March 2020, 1:05 pm | RNZ
National's advisory group on environmental issues will focus on how to enable growth in fishing and aquaculture while protecting the ocean, at a meeting in Nelson this weekend. More >>
Govt ban on fossil fuels for default KiwiSavers is 'virtue signalling'
Monday, 2 March 2020, 1:01 pm | RNZ
The government's being accused of 'virtue-signalling' after banning KiwiSaver default funds from investing in fossil fuel companies. More >>
Tuia 250 privacy breach: Tech boss signed off on government website with no testing
Monday, 2 March 2020, 11:54 am | RNZ
A top tech boss reviewed a website that then exposed private details of 300 young people who applied to take part in Tuia 250 commemorations, correspondence shows. More >>
Coronavirus: Government to consider advice for Covid-19 hotspots
Monday, 2 March 2020, 11:52 am | RNZ
The Prime Minister says the travel ban won't be extended to South Korea and Italy, but advice may be given to people in specific regions to self-isolate if they travel here. More >>
Coronavirus: Cabinet briefings on travel risks, border controls and economic impact
Monday, 2 March 2020, 11:44 am | RNZ
Today's Cabinet meeting will be dominated by the country's readiness for more Covid-19 cases, including whether border controls are strong enough. More >>
Coronavirus and the economy: Responding to Covid-19 with precision
Monday, 2 March 2020, 11:42 am | RNZ
Analysis - The Covid-19 coronavirus will affect the health of New Zealanders and the economy and the more the government does to protect New Zealanders' health, the larger the cost to the economy, writes Shamubeel Eaqub. More >>
Time for Global Unity
Monday, 2 March 2020, 11:40 am | Dr David Leffler
We are living in times where people throughout the world are divided. And yet, regardless of political persuasion, there are certain points of agreement: corruption in many governments has reached unprecedented levels; ethics and integrity have given way ... More >>
Reframing Welfare
Monday, 2 March 2020, 11:28 am | Gail E. Duncan
Michael Joseph Savage, the architect of the 1938 Social Security Act, wouldn’t recognise today’s Social Security Act as having anything to do with the kind, cooperative, caring society he envisioned 80 years ago. Instead society in 2020 has been reduced ... More >>
Logging Is Due To Start In Fire-ravaged Forests This Week. It's The Last Thing Our Wildlife Needs
Monday, 2 March 2020, 10:12 am | The Conversation
New South Wales’ Forestry Corporation will this week start “selective timber harvesting” from two state forests ravaged by bushfire on the state’s south coast. More >>
Humanity Is Making A Very Important Choice When It Comes To Assange
Monday, 2 March 2020, 10:08 am | Caitlin Johnstone
The propagandists have all gone dead silent on the WikiLeaks founder they previously were smearing with relentless viciousness, because they no longer have an argument. The facts are all in, and yes, it turns out the US government is certainly and undeniably ... More >>
