Top Scoop Stories – 2 December 2008 News Summary
Shelter: Chances Of Next PM Growing Up In State House Lessen
Uncivil Servants: Public Not Being Well Served With Info Requests
Audio: John Key Post Cab On Housing Stock, ETS
FULL COVERAGE: Air New Zealand A320 Tragedy
Whaling: Tough Talk In Opposition Evaporates In Govt
Electoral Finance: EFA Expert Panel Disbanded
Censorship: Classification Office Annual Report Passed For Viewing
Gordon Campbell: Creating Jobs In The Teeth Of The Financial Crisis
Data: Google Can See Your House From Here
Media: Audience Climbs Again For One News
Calamari-Tourism: World's Only Colossal Squid Display Coming Soon
Meaty News: Expert Reckons NZ Animals Will Keep Being Eaten
On the Coast: Gerry Brownlee Opens Pike River Coal Mine
Statistics: Exports and imports higher, but growth rate eases
Business Confidence: Look Out Goliath - David Is Crowned
Gordon Campbell: The Key To Escape From Thailand?
Martin LeFevre: We All Die In Mumbai
Rosalea Baker: Peter Camejo -- Presente!
Uri Avnery: Barak Ovadya, Candidate
Peter Dyer: Obama Can End Iraq War 'Responsibly'
Ramzy Baroud: Gaza - Salvation In A News Broadcast
Binoy Kampmark: Darling End For New Labour? The British Budget
Cyber Stuff: Interweb Buddies To Meet In Real Life
Weird Football: Kiwis Mix It In Gaelic World
Soap Operas: Shortland Street Fan Awards Biggest Yet
Rock: The Big Day Out brings you Dad’s Tips
Art: McCahon Painting Coming Home
Overachievement: Rhodes Scholar from University of Auckland
World News: Barack Obama Selects His National Security Team
Darwinian Struggle To Find Ticket Out Of Thailand
Wildlife at Risk: World’s Fastest Animal, In Race For Survival
Scoop Environment and Conservation: The Big Business Of Environmental Fraud
India: Coordinated Attacks, Hostages In Mumbai
Africa: Zimbabwe’s Humanitarian Crisis Likely To Worsen
Scoop World News: Opium Trade Finances Taliban War Machine
Child and Youth Issues: Efforts Needed To Improve Child Survival In Africa
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LEAD STORY
------------
Shelter:
Chances Of Next PM Growing Up In State House
Lessen
The building industry downturn means
National should invest in more state houses - not put a cap
on them - says the Green Party. "Putting a cap on state
houses as indicated yesterday by Housing Minister Phil
Heatley is irresponsible at a time of economic downtown,"
Green Party Housing Spokesperson Sue Bradford says. "Not
only will a reduction in state house build have serious
health and other consequences for people already in dire
housing need - it will also cause further dismay in the
building sector. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0812/S00008.htm
ALSO:
- Housing: Putting the Kiwi dream back in reach [2]
- John Key Post Cab On Housing Stock, ETS [3]
- Plan to upgrade NZ’s million inefficient homes [4]
- Billions in benefits in curing million sick homes [5]
- $20 billion cost of fixing country's homes [6]
- Don’t kill Green Homes Fund, urges Green Party [7]
- Retrofit initiative welcomed [8]
- Better Performing Homes For New Zealanders [9]
- Time to make our Homes Healthier [10]
- New Scheme To Make Canterbury Families Healthy [11]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0809/S00205.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0812/S00006.htm [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0812/S00022.htm [4]
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0812/S00003.htm [5]
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0812/S00020.htm [6]
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0812/S00002.htm [7]
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0812/S00034.htm [8]
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0812/S00029.htm [9]
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0812/S00008.htm [10]
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0812/S00025.htm [11]
NZ POLITICS
------------
Uncivil Servants: Public Not Being Well Served With
Info Requests
The Office of the Ombudsmen is
concerned some parts of the public service have been
deliberately delaying responses to Official Information
requests. In the office’s Annual Report to Parliament,
Chief Ombudsmen Beverley Wakem says the practice is
unacceptable and subverts the purpose of the legislation. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0812/S00023.htm
ALSO:
- Lack of mental health services - prisons risk [2]
- Students w behavioural difficulties need support [3]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0812/S00024.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0812/S00025.htm [3]
Audio:
John Key Post Cab On Housing Stock, ETS
NZ
will definitely be keeping to its Kyoto commitments said new
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key this afternoon. Mr Key
held a post cabinet press conference and answered questions
on a variety of subjects including capping the state housing
stock, the situation facing New Zealand travellers in
Thailand and the decision to scrap Labour's ETS legislation
and send the whole caboodle back for select committee
consideration. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0812/S00006.htm
FULL
COVERAGE: Air New Zealand A320
Tragedy
Scoop FULL COVERAGE of the Air New
Zealand A320 air crash, including tributes to those lost in
the tragedy, Air New Zealand news conferences, reactions,
emerging details of the aircraft, those on board, and the
investigation into what went wrong. (Image: Captain Brian
Horrell.) More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0812/S00003.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0812/S00027.htm [2]
Whaling: Tough Talk In Opposition Evaporates In
Govt
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and
Defence Minister Wayne Mapp are urging all parties to show
restraint during whaling protests in the Antarctic this
season. Dr Mapp has confirmed that the New Zealand Defence
Force does not have plans to station craft in the Ross Sea
in order to monitor developments. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0811/S00222.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0801/S00034.htm [2]
Electoral
Finance: EFA Expert Panel Disbanded
Justice
Minister Simon Power today announced that the Government has
disestablished the Expert Panel on Electoral Administration
which was established by the Labour Government two months
ago... “Following the repeal of the EFA, we will start
work on a new law that will seek as broad a range of
parliamentary and public support as possible, to provide an
enduring framework for the administration of elections.”
More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0811/S00219.htm
Censorship:
Classification Office Annual Report Passed For Viewing
The Classification Act requires that the Office
of Film and Literature Classification minimise the risk to
New Zealand society caused by the unrestricted availability
of publications depicting matters such as sex, horror,
crime, cruelty and violence. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0811/S00345.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0811/S00250.htm [2]
Gordon
Campbell: Creating Jobs In The Teeth Of The Financial
Crisis
Giving the local government portfolio
to Rodney Hide creates some management challenges for John
Key. Can Key really afford to let Hide loose down the
privatising track in local government? More
»[1]
[1] - http://election08.scoop.co.nz/creating-jobs-in-the-teeth-of-the-financial-crisis/
BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH
------------Data:
Google Can See Your House From Here
Google today
announces the launch of Street View on Google Maps in New
Zealand: maps.google.co.nz/streetview. Street View is a new
feature for Google Maps that lets internet users view and
navigate 360 degree street-level imagery of New Zealand's
cities, towns, regions and remote areas. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0812/S00008.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0812/S00049.htm [2]
Media: Audience Climbs Again For One News
November figures show TVNZ’s flagship bulletin
has grown in both audience numbers and share compared to the
same period last year. It is now heading into its second
year of continuous growth. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0812/S00039.htm
Calamari-Tourism:
World's Only Colossal Squid Display Coming
Soon
The exhibit will include the colossal squid,
dramatically lit in its custom-built tank, displays of
various body parts including the orange-sized lens of the
eye, models of its beak and tentacle swivel hooks that can
be touched and rotated, as well as a thrilling theatre
featurette immersing visitors in the world of the colossal
squid in stereoscopic 3D animation! More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0811/S00050.htm
Meaty News: Expert Reckons NZ Animals Will Keep Being
Eaten
The longer-term outlook is positive for
New Zealand’s livestock producers, who are wellplaced to
over-come short-term challenges and weather the storm
created by the current financial crisis, audiences in rural
New Zealand were told last week. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0811/S00526.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0811/S00519.htm [2]
On
the Coast: Gerry Brownlee Opens Pike River Coal
Mine
The Minister of Energy and Resources, and
Economic Development, Gerry Brownlee, today opened the new
Pike River coal mine in the Paparoa Ranges, 50 kilometres
north-east of Greymouth. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0811/S00210.htm
Statistics:
Exports and imports higher, but growth rate
eases
The value of merchandise exports was 13.8
percent higher in October 2008 than in October 2007, and
reached $3.8 billion, Statistics New Zealand said today.
Imports were up 15.3 percent to $4.8 billion over the same
period. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0811/S00495.htm
Business Confidence: Look Out Goliath - David Is Crowned
New Zealand’s best little business has earned
the honour of being crowned Supreme Award winner in the
inaugural year of The David Awards: heroes in small
business. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0811/S00463.htm
COMMENT
------------Gordon
Campbell: The Key To Escape From
Thailand?
Gordon Campbell on the escape flights
from Thailand, and on taxing people for flying long
distances. While the Australians are laying on special
Qantas flights out of Thailand in order to rescue their
citizens from a situation that could turn... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0812/S00035.htm
Martin
LeFevre: We All Die In Mumbai
Extruding onto
the land like some slow, cold lava from Hades, ten
well-trained terrorists were able to shatter the
polytheistic openness of Mumbai, and telescope the
distancing complacency of the global society... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0812/S00029.htm
Rosalea
Baker: Peter Camejo -- Presente!
Often
referred to disparagingly by the mainstream media as “the
perennial candidate”—after all, he first ran for
President in 1976—Peter Camejo was a huge force in
progressive politics in the United States. He died on
September 13, having just recently switched... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0812/S00011.htm
Uri
Avnery: Barak Ovadya, Candidate
THE ISRAELI
OBAMA. What will he look like, the Israeli counterpart of
Barack Obama? What will be his attributes? That is a
tantalizing question. It goes without saying that one cannot
construct a human being according to a recipe, like a cake
from a ... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0812/S00012.htm
Peter
Dyer: Obama Can End Iraq War
'Responsibly'
One of Barack Obama's most
compelling and popular campaign promises was his pledge to
end the war in Iraq “responsibly.” But what does
“responsibly” mean in this context? Does it mean the
United States will be assuming full responsibility for... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0811/S00404.htm
Ramzy
Baroud: Gaza - Salvation In A News
Broadcast
When Gaza's electricity is in working
order, most Palestinians in the impoverished and overcrowded
Strip huddle around their television screens. It's neither
"American Idol" nor "Dancing with the Stars" that brings
them together... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0811/S00405.htm
Binoy
Kampmark: Darling End For New Labour? The British
Budget
Binoy Kampmark writes: When a figure of
conservative propriety as Mervyn King, governor of the Bank
of England, desires government control over banks, one that
exceeds mere partial or public ownership, the political
fault lines must be changing. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0811/S00381.htm
LIFESTYLE
------------Cyber
Stuff: Interweb Buddies To Meet In Real
Life
An Auckland woman is going to meet her long
term friend she met on the internet 12 years ago for the
very first time after winning ‘The Kiwi Story’ Show Off
NZ Competition. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0812/S00027.htm
Weird Football: Kiwis Mix It In Gaelic
World
Wellington's fastest growing sport Gaelic
Football, has over 150 kiwis playing week in, week out in
their seven a side summer competition, which started on the
12 November. The games run each Wednesday evening at Ian
Galloway Park in Wilton. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0812/S00021.htm
Soap
Operas: Shortland Street Fan Awards Biggest
Yet
With almost 85,000 votes being cast in
Throng's third annual Shortland Street Fan Awards, this
year's results are the biggest yet! More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0812/S00024.htm
Rock: The Big Day Out brings you Dad’s Tips
The Big Day Out is truly one of the great
gatherings of the cultural tribes of the nation. The Punks,
the Students, the Indie Kids and the Goths had it all to
start with in ’94, rubbing shoulders with what was left of
the 80s Dole Bludger generation. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0812/S00003.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0811/S00299.htm [2]
Art:
McCahon Painting Coming Home
Te Papa is pleased
to announce that its bid for Colin McCahon's painting,
Mondrian's Last Chrysanthemum, 1976, was successful. The
painting was purchased for AUD$312,000 (including a 20%
buyer's premium). More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0811/S00285.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0811/S00137.htm [2]
Overachievement: Rhodes Scholar from University of
Auckland
A political studies graduate from The
University of Auckland keenly interested in global justice
and migration from developing countries has gained a coveted
Rhodes Scholarship for 2009. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0811/S00082.htm
WORLD
------------World
News: Barack Obama Selects His National Security
Team
With today's introduction of key members of
the National Security Team, President-elect Barack Obama and
Vice President-elect Joe Biden have now chosen nearly half
of the cabinet, including the heads of the departments of
State, Defense, Treasury, and Justice. Significant among
them is Hillary Clinton who will replace Condoleezza Rice as
Secretary of State. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0812/S00006.htm
ALSO:
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0812/S00043.htm [2]
Darwinian
Struggle To Find Ticket Out Of
Thailand
Richard S. Ehrlich writes from
Bangkok: In a Darwinian struggle, the rich buy tickets
for expensive helicopters and chartered planes, flying from
airstrips elsewhere in Thailand, while protesters blockade
Bangkok's international and domestic airports. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0812/S00001.htm
ALSO:
- The Key To Escape From Thailand? [2]
- Dysfunctional Thailand Allowed Airport Seizures [3]
- Travel Advisory: Thailand 27/11/08 [4]
- Thailand: Protests in Bangkok: Airport closure [5]
- Yellow-Shirt Mob Seizes Bangkok's Int. Airport [6]
- Should travellers to Thailand change their plans? [7]
[2] - http://election08.scoop.co.nz/the-key-to-escape-from-thailand/ [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0811/S00426.htm [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0811/S00352.htm [4]
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0811/S00353.htm [5]
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0811/S00375.htm [6]
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/lifestyle/15956.html [7]
Wildlife
at Risk: World’s Fastest Animal, In Race For
Survival
The critically endangered cheetah, the
world’s fastest land animal, is set to obtain added
international protection next week at a United
Nations-backed conference seeking the conservation of
species that cross national borders. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0812/S00050.htm
Scoop
Environment and Conservation: The Big Business Of
Environmental Fraud
Environmental fraud is big
business. The natural level of discomfort that results from
the thought of global warming is reinforced by numerous
reports claiming inevitable environmental doom. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0812/S00010.htm
India:
Coordinated Attacks, Hostages In
Mumbai
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has
condemned tonight's coordinated series of shootings and
blasts by terrorists in Mumbai, which have killed or wounded
scores of people in India's commercial capital and largest
city. "Such violence is totally unacceptable." More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0811/S00512.htm
ALSO:
- Travel Advisory: India 27/11/08 [2]
- McCully condemns Mumbai attacks [3]
- Blogwatch: How to defeat fascists and their terror [4]
- Attacks in Mumbai, India [5]
- Travel Advisory: India 27/11/08 [6]
- Thailand: Protests in Bangkok: Airport closure [7]
- Travel Advisory: Thailand 27/11/08 [8]
- Where did the gunmen strike? - Mumbai [9]
- Mumbai rocked by 'terror' shootings [10]
- Mumbai in chaos as terrorists wreak havoc [11]
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0811/S00351.htm [2]
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0811/S00214.htm [3]
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0811/S00402.htm [4]
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0811/S00336.htm [5]
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0811/S00351.htm [6]
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0811/S00353.htm [7]
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0811/S00352.htm [8]
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/world/16010.html [9]
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/world/15957.html [10]
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/world/15972.html [11]
Africa:
Zimbabwe’s Humanitarian Crisis Likely To
Worsen
A senior United Nations relief official
has urged donors to generously support the $550 million
appeal launched earlier this week to respond to the
humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe, which she warned will get
much worse without “massive” international ... More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0811/S00509.htm
Scoop
World News: Opium Trade Finances Taliban War
Machine
The opium industry is largely funding the
Taliban's war budget and is a major source of revenue for
criminal groups and terrorists in Afghanistan despite
becoming less important to the country's overall economy. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0811/S00523.htm
Child
and Youth Issues: Efforts Needed To Improve Child
Survival In Africa
Africa, and particularly
sub-Saharan Africa, remains the most difficult place in the
world for a child to survive, says a new report by the
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF. More
»[1]
[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0811/S00522.htm