Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Thursday, 14 February 2002, 3:56 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Scoop Is In The House- Today's Q&A
Guest Opinion: Statesman In Sharkies Or Just Silly?
Narco Dollars: Indexes You Should Know
Aziz Choudhry: Civil Society? Leave Me Out Of It
Desperate & Wordless For Valentine’s Performance
Fringe Festival Underway
Keith Rankin: On Tax & Migration
Big News: Religious Intersections
Napkin Diaries: Whopping Good Times
Food Costs More
Feedback: Apology Appropriate, But Compensation Dangerous
Speed Limit Would Reduce Ferry Service, Operator Warns

OTHER NEWS
Warning To Oz Politicians Labelled Arrogant & Rude
Greens Praise National’s Stand On Ship Insurance
Peters Warns Of A Green King-maker
Most Councils Oppose Marine Farming Moratorium
Nats Question Hurry To Ratify Kyoto Protocol
Bill Threatens Police Ability To Control Hoons
Nats Pledge Zero-tolerance On Gangs
DoC Could Wrap Future Film-making

Scoop Is In The House- Today's Q&A

- Today's questions of the day concerned: Life Means Life – Australian Criticism – Treaty Principles – GDP Growth Targets – Prostitution And Police - Sentencing Reform Bill – Meningitis – Palmerston North Gang Housing – Disability Strategy – Hilmorton Hospital – Afghanistani Reconstruction – Auckland Police & Burglary. See... SCP HOUSE: Questions Of The Day – 14 February [1] . See... Free My Scoop Signup Page [2] , to register to receive today’s answers in your e-mail inbox as they are posted. - Wednesday's Q&A [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0202/S00058.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/cgi-bin/newsagent/new_user.cgi?form=home
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0202/S00049.htm

Guest Opinion: Statesman In Sharkies Or Just Silly?

- Poor Bono, he doesn't get it. At first I thought he looked silly. But now I see him as dangerous. Okay, well, silly and dangerous. At least that's how he looked at the World Economic Forum held recently in New York. See... BONO, BLOODY BONO [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0202/S00056.htm

Narco Dollars: Indexes You Should Know

- The Solari Index is my way of estimating how well a place is doing. It is based upon the percentage of people in a place who believe that a child can leave their home and go to the nearest place to buy a popsicle and come home alone safely. See... The Real Deal: Narco-Dollars For Dummies [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0202/S00054.htm

Aziz Choudhry: Civil Society? Leave Me Out Of It

- If there's one phrase I could do with hearing less of during 2002, it's "civil society". I'm not alone. Many of my friends, community activists and organisers in a number of countries also cringe at the ritualized, ubiquitous usage of the phrase. We shudder at the thought that we might be mistaken for being part of it. See... All This "Civil Society" Talk Takes Us [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0202/S00055.htm

Desperate & Wordless For Valentine’s Performance

- Thieves have struck the Fringe Festival. On the eve of their opening performance, THE LAST GASP team have been deprived of their prized possession. A dictionary. See… Lost For Words and A Valentine from the Fringe [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/CU0202/S00023.htm

Fringe Festival Underway

- The Lordz of the Rings, Various Street Locations, 12.30pm Becoming A dad ain’t no cricket match, The Market Space, 7pm The Odyssey, Capital E, 6pm Post – punk, BATS, 8pm The Last Gasp, No.5 Cable St, 6.30pm. See… Fringe NZ Listings 2002 Opening Day, Feb 14th [1] and Venue Change For Fringe NZ Opening Ceremony

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/CU0202/S00028.htm

Keith Rankin: On Tax & Migration

- The New Zealand government has rightly apologised to the Chinese community for the discriminatory poll tax that Chinese immigrants had to pay from the 1880s to the 1930s. It is not clear however to what extent the apology is for the iniquities of the poll tax per se, or for the fact that the tax was levied only on Chinese. See... Keith Rankin: Taxing Migrants [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0202/S00051.htm

Big News: Religious Intersections

- Since September 11 it has been interesting seeing how the Christian Church and the Islam community are trying to build bridges based on common ground – yet in the US some Christian denominations don’t want anything to do with each other, let alone other faiths. See... Big News: Is The Father Of Jesus The God Of Islam? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0202/S00052.htm

Napkin Diaries: Whopping Good Times

- There I was on Sunday in Island Bay, bopping along to Koa’s tunes with Wanda Martini, Sarah Barr, Gita Mann and a beaming, cheerful crowd, high on Lothlorien’s sparkling feijoa wine and the whole Whopper Chopper experience. See... What A Whopper! [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0202/S00057.htm

Food Costs More

- Food prices rose 1.5 percent in January 2002, according to latest figures from Statistics New Zealand. The increase in January was mainly due to a large rise in fresh vegetable prices as a result of difficult growing conditions in many parts of the country. See... Food Prices Rise 1.5 Percent [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0202/S00112.htm

Feedback: Apology Appropriate, But Compensation Dangerous

- I fully support the initiative taken by the government in acknowledging that the years of discrimination against early Chinese settlers in New Zealand was wrong. See... Scoop Feedback: Apology To Chinese NZers [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0202/S00053.htm

Speed Limit Would Reduce Ferry Service, Operator Warns

- The Interisland Line, operators of Cook Strait Ferries, has warned of significant reductions to ferry services unless the status quo is retained for speed restrictions in the Marlborough Sounds. See... Status Quo For Ferries Must Be Retained [1] MORE: - ACT - Marlborough Council Needs To Get Real [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0202/S00105.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00167.htm

Warning To Oz Politicians Labelled Arrogant & Rude

- Australians are our friends and allies and should be treated with respect, says National Party Leader Bill English referring to Clark's outburst over criticism she received from Australian Ministers. See... English Apologises For Clark’s Snub [1] and Clark Can't Handle The Truth [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00169.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00165.htm

Greens Praise National’s Stand On Ship Insurance

- Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today congratulated National MP Nick Smith and the Insurance Council for forcing the Government's hand on compulsory minimum insurance for all ships. See... Oil Spill Insurance Will Help Keep Out Rust-Bucket [1] and Govt. Ship Insurance Policy Must Extend Beyond Oil [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00177.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00170.htm

Peters Warns Of A Green King-maker

- How can the Labour Party even contemplate such an accommodation with a party prepared to snuggle up to those who harbour such hatred and disdain for nations, simply because those nations economically and socially achieve? See... Speech text of Speech by Rt Hon Winston Peters [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00176.htm

Most Councils Oppose Marine Farming Moratorium

- ACT Environment Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff today said that all but two of the country's 14 regional authorities are opposed to the Government's moratorium on marine farming. See... Most Councils Oppose Marine Farming Moratorium [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00175.htm

Nats Question Hurry To Ratify Kyoto Protocol

- “If the Government is genuine about 'keeping in step with not ahead of' our trading partners on the Kyoto Protocol - then why is it so determined to ratify it before them?” National Finance spokesman David Carter asks. See... Kyoto -- What's The Rush Helen? [1] MORE: - Business NZ - Major Contradiction On Kyoto Protocol [2] - Federated Farmers - Farmers Say Kyoto Analysis Not Enough [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00173.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0202/S00113.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0202/S00108.htm

Bill Threatens Police Ability To Control Hoons

- The Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill, reported back by a Parliamentary Select Committee on February 12, will prevent Judges from helping Police to crack down hard on violent sports louts says ACT Justice Spokesman Stephen Franks. See... Courts Blocked From Supporting Police Crack-Downs [1] and Sentencing Bill: Parole Board Trumps Courts [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00172.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00166.htm

Nats Pledge Zero-tolerance On Gangs

- The Government must be the most stupid group of people in New Zealand if they don't realise that Palmerston North gangs are living in taxpayer subsidised housing, says National's Police spokesman, Tony Ryall. See... Kick The Gangs Out [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00163.htm

DoC Could Wrap Future Film-making

- ACT Arts and Culture Spokesman MP Penny Webster today joined with New Zealand in congratulating Peter Jackson and his team for Lord of the Rings's thirteen Oscar nominations. See... DoC Wants To Ban Filmmakers From National Parks [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0202/S00171.htm

ENDS

© 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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