Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Thursday, 3 November 2005, 4:47 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:
Scoop Satire: These Are The Days Of… Jonnie Howard Cries Wolf!
RECOMMENDED AUDIO:
Scoop Report: State Services Boss Mark Prebble Talks BIG Salaries
Herald Columnist Collective Gives NZHerald.co.nz's Paywall A Kicking
AUT's Te Waha Nui Wins Prestigious Media Awards
New Zealand's Melanie Lynskey Turns Out Another Hit Performance In USA
Westpac NZ Reports NZ$611 Million Op-Profit
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
Festival's Artistic Director Goes Out In A Blaze Of Colour -
The Pacific's Civil Society Speaks To It's Leaders
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Michael Collins: New Mexicans Seek Legal Protection For Vote Count
Russell Brown & More Is There!
Gregory Fortuin Talks Respect
Ernest Partridge Is Not A Bird-Flu Sceptic
Is Australia Locking Up & Deporting Kiwis?
Catherine Austin Fitts: Surviving and Thriving In Risky Times
MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
NZ Passports Get Electronic – Cost More Than Doubles to $150
Govt. Welcomes Party Pill Research, Waits For More
Volume Of TVNZ Employment Disputes On Air Worry te Heuheu
Judith Collins Supports Tikanga Review After Taking Seating Offence
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:

Scoop Satire: These Are The Days Of… Jonnie Howard Cries Wolf!

Scoop's Lyndon Hood embellishes… My fellow Australians: [1] Today the Government will introduce an urgent amendment to Australia’s counter-wolf legislation. The Government has received specific and credible intelligence this week which gives cause for serious concern about a potential wolf threat. Wolf! Wolf, I say! Not that I'm at liberty to tell you where the wolf is, or what it's doing. But I can assure you that it looks to be a very alarming wolf indeed. My, what big teeth he has! See... Howard Demands Emergency Anti-Wolf Legislation [2] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00069.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00069.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00042.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00041.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00040.htm

RECOMMENDED AUDIO:

[1] SCOOP AUDIO:Alastair Thompson on 95bFM (Discussed with Simon Pound the Pacific Island Forum, Australia Terror scares and the resumption of Parliament) [2] [3] SCOOP AUDIO:Kevin List on Radio active (Discussed: Brand Zaoui (inc.) and the resignation of Ian Fraser.) [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00068.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00068.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00051.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00051.htm

Scoop Report: State Services Boss Mark Prebble Talks BIG Salaries

[1] - Kevin List reports... Taking his hands off the tiller of the ship of state (briefly) the State Service Commissioner Mark Prebble answered Scoop's written questions regarding the topical subject of higher salaries for Public Service chief executives. Question: Who sets the salaries of Public Service chief executives? Part three of the SSC Annual Report deals with The Remuneration of State Sector Employees. In Section One Mr Prebble explains that "The State Sector Commissioner has a role in setting and reviewing the remuneration of 32 Public Service chief executives." Question: Who else besides Mr Prebble has a role in setting the remuneration of Public Service chief executives? See... SSC Reply To Scoop Questions On Higher Salaries [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00057.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00057.htm

Herald Columnist Collective Gives NZHerald.co.nz's Paywall A Kicking

- Unannounced and without any reference to us, around September 21 the Herald introduced a pay-to-view section on its website which it called Premium Content. All our columns were corralled in the section, inaccessible even to us unless we wanted to pay to see our own work. All of a sudden we'd been dubbed premium writers but we felt like premium mushrooms - kept in the dark but not even fed any bullshit. We were told nothing. See... Fourteen NZ Herald columnists: Premium Mushrooms? [1]

[1] - http://publicaddress.net/default,2675.sm#post

AUT's Te Waha Nui Wins Prestigious Media Awards

- Auckland University of Technology dominated the Wallace Awards for political journalism and general election coverage this year. The journalism newspaper Te Waha Nui, with its special three-edition coverage of this year's general election and campaign, won the top award and a prize of $750. The judges complimented AUT's School of Communication Studies paper on its "breadth of coverage, effective choice and use of a variety of writing styles, good design and an above-average standard of writing generally." See... AUT's Te Waha Nui tops political coverage awards [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0511/S00018.htm

New Zealand's Melanie Lynskey Turns Out Another Hit Performance In USA

- Cassava Films - Although the independent horror/thriller "Serial Slayer," released today, November 3, on DVD in New Zealand, was shot entirely in California, the film boasts a healthy amount of participation from New Zealand's own. First and foremost, there's New Plymouth's Melanie Lynskey, famous for her role as Pauline Parker in Peter Jackson's "Heavenly Creatures." As the star of "Serial Slayer," this was Lynskey's second collaboration with American writer/director Mark Tapio Kines. See... Melanie Lynskey & Crew Enhance U.S. Horror Movie [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0511/S00035.htm

Westpac NZ Reports NZ$611 Million Op-Profit

- Westpac New Zealand today reported a solid NZ$611 million operating profit for the financial year ended 30 September 2005, underpinned by strong growth in business lending and retail deposits, prudent expense management, steady improvements in customer satisfaction levels, and a strategic decision not to participate in the mortgage rate ‘war’. The 2005 result represents a 6% increase in normalised operating profits, from $539 million to $569 million, once non-recurring items are excluded. See... Westpac NZ Reports Solid Performance In 2005 [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0511/S00047.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0511/S00063.htm

MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0511/S00010.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0511/S00017.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0511/S00015.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0511/S00013.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0511/S00009.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0511/S00053.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0511/S00050.htm

Festival's Artistic Director Goes Out In A Blaze Of Colour -

Internationally recognised as one of the world’s leading multi-arts festivals, the New Zealand International Arts Festival presents a three week feast of dance, theatre, fine and popular music, opera, visual arts, literature and multimedia events this coming summer in the capital city. For Carla van Zon, the 2006 Festival programme is extra special: “This will be my last Festival as Artistic Director and my present to the festival audiences of NZ. See... Arts Festival: Bursting with magic and colour [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0511/S00031.htm

The Pacific's Civil Society Speaks To It's Leaders

- Full Text of Civil Society Meeting Communique: "WE, the representatives of national and regional civil society organizations from the Pacific, who met in Port Moresby from the 21st to the 24th of October 2005, thank the Forum Leaders for the opportunity to contribute to their discussions at the 36th Pacific Islands Forum Summit. WE appreciate the hard work that has gone into the preparation of the Final Draft document. We have some suggested changes and additions." See... Port Moresby Statement of 6th Pacific Civil Forum [1] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00044.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0510/S00396.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/features/fc.html

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00070.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00069.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00068.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00066.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00064.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00062.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00060.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00059.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00055.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00054.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00051.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00049.htm

Michael Collins: New Mexicans Seek Legal Protection For Vote Count

- New Mexico rarely generates much national news. When it does, as in the Wen Ho Lee nuclear espionage investigation, it can be explosive. Now a little-known lawsuit before New Mexico District Court Judge Eugenio S. Mathis has the potential to alter the face of American elections. See... New Mexico Law Suit Delves Inside Voting Machines [1] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00067.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0511/S00052.htm

Russell Brown & More Is There!

- The Los Angeles Times column by Lawrence Wilkerson, headed The White House cabal somehow escaped my attention over the past week, but I think it's still worth drawing attention to, because it's extraordinary... See... Public Address 03/11/05 - Premium Mushrooms [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00066.htm

Gregory Fortuin Talks Respect

- I thank you for and admire your courage (or is it financial acumen) in not going for the “safe $15000 a pop professional” and opting for a colourful card-carrying member of what was once a banned so-called terrorist organisation to address your leadership dinner. Although we are no longer banned and everybody wants photo opportunities with Mandela, many still think the rest of us are a bunch of terrorists. See... G. Fortuin: I Wish To Be Respected, Not Tolerated [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00062.htm

Ernest Partridge Is Not A Bird-Flu Sceptic

- Several leftish bloggers have published their doubts that the alleged avian flu menace is anything more than another Bushevik distraction. – and just in time to draw our attention away from Plamegate and the "Scooter" Libby indictments. See... Bird Flu Is Real – And You’re On Your Own [1] EARLIER:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00061.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00036.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00021.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00018.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00016.htm

Is Australia Locking Up & Deporting Kiwis?

- "I'm a Kiwi who was a businessman in Australia. When I started writing this I was a detainee in Baxter Detention Centre. Baxter is notorious in Australia. For the benefit of those who may not yet be aware of Baxter, it's a purpose-built prison facility for Australia's Immigration Department. It's an isolated compound in arid and inhospitable country north of Adelaide." See... Eyewitness Account: The Kiwi Who Went To Baxter [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00060.htm

Catherine Austin Fitts: Surviving and Thriving In Risky Times

- We are shifting from a world where we are governed by government to a world where we will govern ourselves. We will chose leaders in new ways -- first and foremost by being one. We would be wise to not depend on support and services from the taxes that we pay. We would also be wise to assume that the leaders of big banks, corporations, universities, endowments, foundations and other large organizations may not have our best interests at heart. See... Mapping The Real Deal: On Building Lifeboats (Featuring a free trial of a Solari Audio Seminar) [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00058.htm

MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00065.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00064.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00059.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00056.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00055.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00054.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0511/S00053.htm

NZ Passports Get Electronic – Cost More Than Doubles to $150

- Internal Affairs Minister Rick Barker announced today the introduction of a new “e-passport”, which contains an electronic chip for holding information about the passport holder. From tomorrow passports issued by the Department of Internal Affairs will contain the security chip. All existing passports remain valid until their expiry date and applicants will automatically receive a new e-passport when they reapply. See... NZ passports to contain security chip [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00042.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00043.htm

Govt. Welcomes Party Pill Research, Waits For More

- Dr Gee's research on 61 patients admitted to Christchurch hospital after taking party pills was welcomed today by Associate Health Minister and Chair of the Committee on National Drug Policy, Jim Anderton, but there is more research yet to come. See... Research on party pills welcomed but more to come [1] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00048.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0511/S00016.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0511/S00014.htm

Volume Of TVNZ Employment Disputes On Air Worry te Heuheu

- The latest revelations regarding TVNZ now flowing from Susan Wood’s employment case are deeply worrying, says National Party Broadcasting spokeswoman Georgina te Heuheu. See... TVNZ stars in its own reality show [1] 03 November 2005 |

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00047.htm

Judith Collins Supports Tikanga Review After Taking Seating Offence

- National Party MP Judith Collins says she supports a proposal for a review of the use of Maori tikanga in the state sector. She is commenting after being asked to sit in the second row of a Maori ceremony celebrating the opening of a new administration ... Collins: Review of tikanga urgently needed [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00039.htm

MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00038.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00046.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00045.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00044.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00041.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00040.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00037.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00036.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00035.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00033.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00031.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00030.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0511/S00029.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.

Contact Alastair Thompson

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