Scoop: Just Politics

Friday, 18 August 2000, 4:25 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

JUST POLITICS
NZ And Latin America
Select Committee News
Clocking Inquiry A Step Closer
Conflicts Of Interest In Ministerial Offices
Youth Radio Focus At Parliament
National Archives Legislation Tabled
Greens Want Incentives For Energy Thrift
To Poll Or Not To Poll
Dump The Dump Gathers Momentum
The Cost Of The Fisheries Impasse Mounts
Physicians and Scientists are not a “lobby Group
Green Pick Up Chemical Trespass Bill
First Reading Of NZPHD Bill

POLITICS FROM TOP SCOOPS
Staunch, Young, Left and Unhappy
Benefit Decision Fallout For Labour And The Alliance
More Petrol Price Rises
Scoop Opinion: Upton Online - The Princely Attributes Of Michael Cullen

JUST POLITICS

NZ And Latin America

- Prime Minister Helen Clark today launched the government's new strategy for building relations with Latin America. See... NZ brings dynamic new focus to Latin America [1] and PM Speech To Launch Latin America Strategy [2] in the Parliament wire. The announcement is well overdue says National's Trade spokesperson John Luxton. See... "Focus Latin America" - Where Is It? [3] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00368.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00369.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00354.htm

Select Committee News

- There were 15 committee meetings. Two were in Christchurch and the remainder were in the parliamentary complex. See... Weekly Select Committee News - 11-18 August [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00367.htm

Clocking Inquiry A Step Closer

- On Wednesday this week, Harry Duynhoven's Imported Used Cars Commission of Inquiry Bill progressed a step further after being forwarded to the Commerce Select Committee after debate in the House. See... Imported Used Cars Bill Progresses [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00126.htm

Conflicts Of Interest In Ministerial Offices

National MP Nick Smith is astounded at the blatant conflicts of interest arising from staff working simultaneously for Government lobbyists and Government Ministers. See... Conflicts Exposed In Ministerial Offices [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00343.htm

Youth Radio Focus At Parliament

- Youth radio was the focus of an all-day forum at Parliament Buildings today, hosted by the Minister of Broadcasting, Marian Hobbs. The Minister of Youth Affairs, Laila Harre, also attended. See... Youth Radio In Focus At Parliament [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00360.htm

National Archives Legislation Tabled

- Legislation establishing National Archives as an independent department was a powerful symbol of the Government's commitment to a new deal for a sector central to the nation's identity and memory says Marian Hobbs, ... See... Archives New Zealand [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00359.htm

Greens Want Incentives For Energy Thrift

- Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today called for financial incentives for alternatives to energy waste, after figures showed New Zealand's love affair with energy is continuing. See... NZ's love affair with energy unabated [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00357.htm

To Poll Or Not To Poll

- The ACT party will strongly oppose the Rt. Hon Winston Peters private members Bill to ban the publication of election campaign opinion polls, said ACT Leader, Hon Richard Prebble. See... Public Opinion Polls Vital Voter Information [1] in the Parliament wire. - NZ FIRST - Opinion Polls Distort Democratic Process – Peters [2] - GREEN - Public Opinion Polls Vital Voter Information [3] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00356.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00327.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00351.htm

Dump The Dump Gathers Momentum

- As the battle to put a giant landfill on the Waikato riverside in North Waikato heads for the Environment Court in two weeks' time, local farmers and residents are having to make sacrifices to keep up their opposition. See... Farmers Dig Deep In Pockets To Fight Dump [1] in the Politics wire. See also... Save the Waikato River- Dump the Dump [2] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00122.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00112.htm

The Cost Of The Fisheries Impasse Mounts

- “At least $3 million of Mäori wealth has been destroyed in the last three months and the Government is to blame,” Harry Mikaere, Chairman of the Treaty Tribes Coalition, said today. See... Government Destroys $3 Million Of Mäori Wealth [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00119.htm

Physicians and Scientists are not a “lobby Group

- The press releases from both ACT and the LifeScience group are completely wrong in their assumption that Physicians and Scientists are a “lobby Group”. Even a moment’s thought should have told them we have nothing to do with WTO issues. See... Physicans And Scientists Not A Lobby Group [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00118.htm

Green Pick Up Chemical Trespass Bill

- Green Party Agriculture spokesperson Ian Ewen-Street said he was dismayed to learn last night that Labour had withdrawn their Chemical Trespass Bill, but the Greens have immediately adopted the bill as their own. See... Greens Pick Up Labour's Chemical Trespass Bill [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00353.htm

First Reading Of NZPHD Bill

- "Today is an historic day in terms of New Zealand health because it marks the formal beginning of a return to a genuine public health service in this country. I am proud to be Health Minister in a Government that is determined, through this New Zealand" ... See... First Reading, NZPHD Bill [1] and Sue Kedgley Speech Notes on Health Bill [2] , both in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00349.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00352.htm

POLITICS FROM TOP SCOOPS

Staunch, Young, Left and Unhappy

- Young Labour and Staunch Alliance have taken the unprecedented step of issuing the following joint statement in reaction to the actions of the Labour and Alliance parties on Wednesday night in voting against a Private Members' Bill which would have reinstated emergency unemployment benefit for students. See... Youth Wings Unite To Express Outrage [1] in the Politics wire. In light of the development the Greens are pushing for a Government rethink. See... Greens urge Govt to reconsider student benefit [2] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00125.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00366.htm

Benefit Decision Fallout For Labour And The Alliance

- Former Dunedin North Alliance candidate, Quentin Findlay said that he was shocked and angry over an Alliance decision to vote against a Green measure to restore the Emergency Unemployment Benefit over summer. See... Findlay to seek Alliance Caucus Censure. [1] in the Politics wire. Meanwhile ACT says voting against the Green Party’s Social Security Private Member’s Bill which aimed to remove work testing of sole parents has embarrassed the Minister of Social Services Steve Maharey, and again exposed him as the Minister of “flip-flops”.. See... Maharey Exposed Over Sole Parent Work Testing [2] in the Parliament wire. The Alliance’s Liz Gordon has replied. See... Alliance Will Fight For Student Benefit [3] . EARLIER: - GREEN - Bill for students & beneficiaries defeated by Govt [4] - STUDENTS - Labour and Alliance fail students [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00123.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00358.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00344.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00320.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0008/S00030.htm

More Petrol Price Rises

Petrol prices increases today reinforce the need for a benchmark petrol price, Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton said last night in response to the latest petrol price rise – another 3 cents – announced by Mobil.. See... Crude oil price increases = petrol increases [1] in the Parliament wire. MORE REACTION - MTA - Petrol Prices Rise - A Windfall To The Taxman? [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00362.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0008/S00120.htm

Scoop Opinion: Upton Online - The Princely Attributes Of Michael Cullen

- The passage of the Employment Relations Bill was an unedifying affair best described by a Special Disaster Edition of From the Plains of the Serengeti (see below). But the Government’s justification of itself does deserve some comment. See... Upton-on-line: Prince Charming or Prince Churlish? [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0008/S00361.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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