Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Friday, 24 February 2006, 5:11 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:
Employment: Air NZ Trims Engineers And Takes Scythe To Other Workers
RECOMMENDED AUDIO:
Health: Hodgson Announces Investigation Into Focus 2000 -
Health: NZ's Bird-Flu Planning To Be Used As WHO Model
MORE HEADLINES:
Employment Law: CTU Applauds Minimum Wage Bill Passing First Reading
Opinion: Peters Ought To Be Encouraged For 'Soft Criticism' Of U.S
UN Haiti welcomes national dialogue after election
Right-wing posturing from Congress on Arab firm’s role at US ports
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Paul Buchanan on Cold War Communism and World Peace
Motornet Gets Directions From A Beamer
Suzan Mazur: Spinning the Returned Euphronios
David Slack compares broadband deals and oranges
MORE COMMENTARY:

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
POLITICAL NEWSLETTERS:
SCOOP IS IN THE HOUSE:
Economy: NZ-Australia Economies Eye Common-Ground
Health: Nurses Shortage Must Be Addressed By Better Pay: NZNO
Foreign Affairs: Peters Lays Down NZ's Five Year Policy Plan
MORE POLITICS NEWS:

It is annual Netguide.co.nz New Zealand Internet Awards time again & this time the awards are to be judged by public vote. Scoop would respectfully ask its readers to go to the following URL…
http://www.netguide.co.nz/webawards/index2.htm
…and seriously consider voting for Scoop.co.nz in one or all of the following categories.

- BEST MEDIA SITE - - BEST NEW SITE OR RELAUNCH - - SITE OF THE YEAR - - BEST HIGH-SPEED INTERNET SITE - - BEST HOME PAGE -

…. The Scoop Team

Employment: Air NZ Trims Engineers And Takes Scythe To Other Workers

- The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union is challenging Air New Zealand’s latest round of jobs cuts, saying that it’s time the airline worked with its employees for the sake of everyone. National secretary Andrew Little said that it was unbelievable that the company had today announced another 470 jobs would go, hard on the heels of the drama over contracting out engineering. “Air New Zealand got that wrong, and it’s probably got this wrong too,” he said. See... Air NZ – don’t get it wrong again [1] EARLIER:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0602/S00328.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0602/S00324.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00261.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0602/S00323.htm

RECOMMENDED AUDIO:

Scoop Audio: Selwyn Manning & Simon Pound discuss Labour's list MP Marian Street, and Winston Peters' 'soft criticism' of the U.S. [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00281.htm

Health: Hodgson Announces Investigation Into Focus 2000 -

The government will carry out an organisational review of Focus 2000 in addition to a financial audit and quality audits of the organisation's disability support facilities, Health Minister Pete Hodgson announced. The Minister's comments follow this afternoon's meeting between the Ministry of Health and the board of Focus 2000. See... Hodgson announces review of Focus 2000 [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00379.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0602/S00064.htm

Health: NZ's Bird-Flu Planning To Be Used As WHO Model

- New Zealand's work to plan for a possible flu pandemic will be used by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a model to guide the planning efforts of other countries, Health Minister Pete Hodgson announced today. The WHO will use the Ministry of Health's public awareness campaign material – including brochures and broadcast advertising – to help other governments develop similar campaigns. See... WHO seeks New Zealand help for pandemic planning [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00385.htm

MORE HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0602/S00159.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0602/S00321.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0602/S00320.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0602/S00069.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0602/S00198.htm

Employment Law: CTU Applauds Minimum Wage Bill Passing First Reading

- "The Council of Trade Unions is eager to make the case to MPs for the removal of youth rates, and inject some sense and evidence into this debate,” said Ross Wilson, Council of Trade Unions President. Parliament tonight decided to send Sue Bradford's Minimum Wage (Abolition of Age Discrimination) Amendment Bill to select committee. "Various business lobby groups have used the publicity generated by Sue Bradford’s bill to paint a picture of dreary employment prospects for young workers should the bill pass," said Ross Wilson. See... Youth wages bill goes to select committee [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0602/S00150.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00355.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0602/S00145.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0602/S00149.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0602/S00337.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0602/S00340.htm

Opinion: Peters Ought To Be Encouraged For 'Soft Criticism' Of U.S

- State Of It editorial Selwyn Manning writes that Criticisms by Winston Peters, of the USA's level of understanding of NZ's role in the Pacific is fully justified and indicates a shift in thinking - from that of an opposition MP to ministerial responsibility. It ought to be encouraged. But has Peters gone far enough? In time, one can imagine this foreign minister, armed with a box of facts, determining a view and aggrieve that recent history has relegated New Zealand's national identity, and indeed its international identity, down to that of third-way insignificance. See... Soft-Criticism Of Unappreciative U.S. Fair Comment [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00263.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00275.htm

UN Haiti welcomes national dialogue after election

- After updating the Security Council on the election process in Haiti, the United Nations top envoy to that country welcomed President-elect René Préval’s invitation for Haitians to join together in a national dialogue. “We believe that dialogue and reconciliation are the concepts to be applied today in Haiti, and we also expect that his dialogues with the private sector he announced for tomorrow will also be fruitful,” said Juan Gabriel Valdés, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative for Haiti. See... UN Haiti welcomes national dialogue after election [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0602/S00394.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0602/S00397.htm

Right-wing posturing from Congress on Arab firm’s role at US ports

- Congressional leaders of both parties are engaged in a cynical publicity stunt in their criticism of the Bush administration for approving the takeover of commercial operations at six Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports by a port management company owned by the government of Dubai, a Persian Gulf sheikdom that is part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). For Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, New York’s two Democratic senators, as well as a dozen other senators, congressmen and governors of both parties, the campaign against the sale of port operations to Dubai provides a welcome opportunity to combine anti-Arab agitation with an attack on the Bush administration from the right. See... Right-wing posturing: Arab firm’s role at US ports [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0602/S00410.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0602/S00408.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0602/S00406.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0602/S00402.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0602/S00398.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0602/S00390.htm

Paul Buchanan on Cold War Communism and World Peace

- In 1990, somewhere in the bowels of the Pentagon, someone in the Joint Chiefs of Staff is reputed to have said that the United States would rue the day that the Berlin Wall fell. At least the Communists running the Soviet Union and its allies shared the logics of conventional and nuclear deterrence that preserved the relative peace of the 45-year-old Cold War. See... Paul Buchanan: When Communists Look Good [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00274.htm

Motornet Gets Directions From A Beamer

- ‘Please take the next exit on your left. Then, turn right in 200 metres,’ says the modulated voice of BMW’s satellite navigation system. Failing to follow instructions does nothing to raise a non-automated response. Even a complete 360 will see the GPS based system pause for the briefest of seconds before re-plotting the correct course, and re-issuing instructions. It’s really quite frustrating… There’s an unflappable quality in many German cars and the new BMW 330i is no exception. See... MOTORNET: On Your Command - The BMW 330i [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00299.htm

Suzan Mazur: Spinning the Returned Euphronios

- The battle for ownership of the Euphronios vase illustrates perfectly how the New York Times publishing family fools only itself. Sales of the newspaper deservedly continue to decline as the people responsible for putting the Times out think they can get away with hoodwinking the public. See... Suzan Mazur: The Italy-Met Euphronios Accord? [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00265.htm

David Slack compares broadband deals and oranges

- Business New Zealand waded into the Broadband debate yesterday. Quoting from the release: "Business NZ has called for a more factually based argument over broadband access." ... Coverage, so far, of their contribution has been a little short on an actual comparison of the oranges, apples and lemons in question, which of course is what you want in a more factually based argument, so I asked Business NZ for a copy of the data. See... Public Address 23/02/06 - All you can eat, assuming you're not very hungry [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00277.htm

MORE COMMENTARY:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00298.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00297.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00296.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00295.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00294.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00293.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00292.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00291.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00290.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00289.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00288.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00287.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00286.htm
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00273.htm
[15] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00272.htm
[16] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00271.htm
[17] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00270.htm
[18] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00269.htm
[19] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00268.htm

POLITICAL NEWSLETTERS:

Molesworth & Featherston (Weekend) – Feb. 18 2006 [1] Transtasman Political Letter – 23 Feb. Digest [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00202.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00285.htm

SCOOP IS IN THE HOUSE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00382.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00354.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00313.htm

Economy: NZ-Australia Economies Eye Common-Ground

- Australia's Peter Costello and NZ Finance Minister, Michael Cullen, have signed a treaty on Mutual Recognition of Securities Offerings and a revised new Memorandum of Understanding on Business Law Coordination. In addition, both Governments have committed to implement the recommendations of the first report of the Joint Trans-Tasman Council on Banking Supervision and to legislative amendments to facilitate information sharing between the competition regulators in both countries. See... NZ- Aus: Ministers announce key achievements [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00353.htm

Health: Nurses Shortage Must Be Addressed By Better Pay: NZNO

- Results of a new survey of primary health nursing staff, conducted by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, signal a looming recruitment crisis in the sector, unless the pay gap is closed between them and their counterparts in public hospitals (DHBs). See... Nursing Recruitment Crisis Looms in Primary Health [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0602/S00057.htm

Foreign Affairs: Peters Lays Down NZ's Five Year Policy Plan

- Scoop Audio: Alastair Thompson reports that Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and National Foreign Affairs Spokesman Murray McCully today delivered speeches to a seminar held at Victoria University. The speeches were billed as an opportunity for the two major parties to explain the points of difference between their policy perspectives in the international arena. In the final result however the audience learned that there is actually very little light between the foreign affairs policies of New Zealand's two major Parliamentary parties. See... Scoop Audio: Peters & McCully Talk Foreign Affairs [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00244.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00293.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00297.htm

MORE POLITICS NEWS:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00331.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00330.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00343.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00342.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00340.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00326.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00345.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00344.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00341.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00336.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00335.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00325.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00332.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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