Scoop: Just Politics

Tuesday, 1 August 2000, 5:28 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

JUST POLITICS
Fringe Benefit Tax Not That Generous
Tourism Survey Spells Bad News For Govt.
Dunne On Earthquakes
Anderton Gets Slack With Contractors?
Health And Disability Bill A Coming
ERB WARS ROUND ONE: Rules, What Rules?
Getting Unions Online
New Customs ‘Comptroller’ Appointed
ERB Will Hit Employment Says Tourist Operators
Gusmao Launches Immunisation Campaign

POLITICS FROM TOP SCOOPS
Anderton On Todd On Coke
Scoop Is In The House - Questions
ERB WARS ROUND TWO: Better Than Ever
More Skeletons In Dover’s Closet
Toddler Abuses Under Parliament Scrutiny
Reaction To An "Architectural" Tax Inquiry

JUST POLITICS

Fringe Benefit Tax Not That Generous

- “The Government's reduction in the rate of Fringe Benefit Tax on low income earners isn't as generous as Michael Cullen would like you to believe,” National's Revenue Spokesperson Annabel Young said today. See... Labour under-delivers on FBT promise [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00023.htm

Tourism Survey Spells Bad News For Govt.

- A Tourism Industry Association survey released today should send shivers down the spine of the Labour Government, Opposition Tourism Spokesperson David Carter said today. See... Tourism survey confirms industry's worst fears [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00021.htm

Dunne On Earthquakes

- Ohariu Belmont MP and United New Zealand leader, Hon Peter Dunne, says 207 Wellington City buildings are considered earthquake risks by the Wellington City Council. See... Over 200 Wgtn City Buildings Are Earthquake Risks [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00006.htm

Anderton Gets Slack With Contractors?

- “Mr Anderton started this year with a tough talking memo to several Ministries advising them to 'terminate' the use of contractors.” See... Anderton's Multi-Million Dollar Myth [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00005.htm

Health And Disability Bill A Coming

- Health Minister Annette King will table the New Zealand Health and Disability Bill in the House tomorrow (Wednesday, August 2). See... New Zealand Public Health and Disability Bill [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00018.htm

ERB WARS: Rules, What Rules?

- The Minister of Labour, Margaret Wilson has welcomed the decision of the Chairperson of the Employment and Accident Insurance Select Committee, Graham Kelly to table the Employment Relations Bill on August 1 as scheduled. See... Minister supports sensible timing of release [1] . It is now obvious that the report-back of the Employment Relations Bill was delayed entirely to suit Labour Minister Margaret Wilson, says National. See... Govt abuses ERB select committee [2] in the Parliament wire.
ERB FULL COVERAGE:
- GOVT. - Employment Relations Bill Media Briefing [3] - SCOOP - Prebble’s Breach Grandstanding Says Clark [4] - NZ FIRST - Act’s Deplorable Breach Of Privilege [5] - ACT - Richard Prebble’s Letter To Graham Kelly [6] - NATIONAL - Govt. mucks business around again with ERB shamble [7]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00523.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00003.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00517.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0007/S00151.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00509.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00479.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00503.htm

Getting Unions Online

- Information Technology Minister Paul Swain has encouraged unions to embrace the online world and take advantage of the benefits it has to offer their members. See... IT Minister encourages unions online [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00516.htm

New Customs ‘Comptroller’ Appointed

- The State Services Commissioner, Michael Wintringham, announced today the appointment of Robin Dare as the Comptroller of Customs and chief executive of the New Zealand Customs Service. See... Comptroller of Customs and CEO Customs Service [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00003.htm

ERB Will Hit Employment Says Tourist Operators

- A survey of Tourism Industry Association members shows that an overwhelming number of tourism related businesses are concerned at the impact of the Employment Relations Bill (ERB) on their businesses. See... Tourism Businesses Say ERB Will Hit Employment [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00002.htm

Gusmao Launches Immunisation Campaign

- A major New Zealand campaign to raise funds to immunise the world's children was launched at Parliament today by the President of the National Council of Timorese Resistance, Mr Xanana Gusmão. See... Unicef Launches Immunisation Campaign [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00001.htm

POLITICS FROM TOP SCOOPS

Anderton On Todd On Coke

- The New Zealand Olympic Committee should give Mark Todd the opportunity to refute or deny allegations of cocaine and exclude him if he won't, Alliance leader Jim Anderton says. See... NZOC should take strong stand on Todd [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00020.htm

Scoop Is In The House

- Today’s Questions concerned the subjects of: John Tamihere – Baby Bashing – Special Education – ERB x 2 – Special Benefit x 2 – ERB – Burglary Response Times – Dover Samuels And Al Morrison – Whanau, Hapu and Iwi – FBT Changes. See... SCP HOUSE: Questions Of The Day – 1 August [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0008/S00002.htm

ERB WARS ROUND TWO: Better Than Ever

- “The Employment Relations Bill has been improved by the Select Committee process,” said the Minister of Labour, Margaret Wilson on the tabling of the committee's recommendations today. See... The Employment Relations Bill: better than ever [1] in the Parliament wire. In a second announcement Ms Wilson and Parekura Horomia outlined government thinking on the relationship of the Treaty of Waitangi to the Employment Relations Bill. The Employment Relations Bill and the Treaty [2] in the Parliament wire.
REACTION:
- ACT - Letter to Margaret Wilson [3] - NATIONAL - "Govt. gets an "F" for ERB" [4] - LAILA HARRE (ALLIANCE) - Consensus on final form of ERB [5] - GREEN - ERB improved but still needs work [6] - EMPLOYERS FEDERATION - Bill Betrays Employers [7] - ACT - ERB Bill Has Been In Bookshops All Day! [8]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00008.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00009.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00017.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00016.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00014.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00013.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00011.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00007.htm

More Skeletons In Dover’s Closet

- Former Maori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels has made a further personal statement to Parliament declaring previous criminal convictions against him. See... Dover Makes Personal Statement [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0008/S00001.htm

Toddler Abuses Under Parliament Scrutiny

- “I am at a loss to know why our Government agencies can not protect our children and I want some answers quickly,” ACT's Dr Muriel Newman says. See... Newman to Force an Inquiry [1] . ACT MP Muriel Newman's call for a review of family placement procedures by the Child, Youth and Family is five months too late, says Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey. See... Call for child abuse inquiry five months too late [2] both in the Parliament wire. The Government would look closely at the role of primary health care and its effectiveness in preventing child abuse, after two recent cases involving toddlers, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today. See... Govt. To Monitor Role Of Child Youth & Family [3] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00521.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00001.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0007/S00152.htm

An "Architectural" Tax Inquiry

- The Tax Review to be undertaken will be Architectural in scope says the Finance Minister. See... Terms of Tax Inquiry [1] . “This half-million dollar inquiry is the price paid for the support of the Alliance and the Greens. It’s designed to consider amongst other things their proposals for a carbon tax, a financial transactions tax, and a more progressive income tax”, says National. See... Tax Inquiry a Sop [2] . “The Government is spending half a million dollars of taxpayer money on policy development for the Labour party to use at the next election,” National's Revenue Spokesperson Annabel Young says. See... Tax Review to become "Heart of the Nation Part II" [3] both in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00510.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00522.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0007/S00518.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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