Scoop Top Scoops

Top Scoop Stories 31st March, 2009 News Summary

Tuesday, 31 March 2009, 3:17 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

LEAD STORY

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Parliament Live
More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/news/parliament/live/128.html

ALSO:

Public-Private Broadband Plan - Joyce [2]

Govt releases broadband investment proposal [3]

Fibre plan huge opportunity for New Zealand [4]

Reaction To Govt Broadband Investment Initiative [5]

Broadband Questions and Answers [6]

Ultra-fast broadband to be funded by public and private sector [7]

[2] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/03/31/public-private-broadband-plan-joyce/ [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00438.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00705.htm [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00710.htm [5]

[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0903/S00352.htm [6]

[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/national/20203.html [7]

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NZ POLITICS

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ALSO:

Questions For Oral Answer - 31 March 2009 [2]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00444.htm [2]

Scoop Satire: Collins Crush!
Collins ANGRY! Collins hear car! It loud car! Collins see boy in car! Him BOY RACER!
Collins fine racer? No! Collins impound car? No!!
Collins Crush car! Collins CRUSH!
More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00352.htm

ALSO:

New legislation looks to crush boy racers' cars [2]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/politics/20126.html [2]

Gordon Campbell: The Rush To Impose The ‘Super City’ Proposal On Auckland
So Cabinet will have reached a decision by April 6th about the Royal Commission’s Auckland “Super City” proposal... Now hold your horses. Set up a Royal Commission. Get its key proposal. Put it to the public in a referendum to let them decide. Isn’t that the way it should be done? More »[1]

[1] - http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/03/31/campbell-the-rush-to-impose-the-%e2%80%98super-city%e2%80%99/

ALSO:

‘Super' city’ is not so super for local democracy [2]

Cartoon: Rodney and the Super City [3]

Have your say on Waitakere’s 10 year plan [4]

No Right Turn: A democratic deficit in the supercity [5]

No Right Turn: A democratic deficit in the supercity II [6]

PM's Presser: Richard Worth & Super Auckland [7]

Wallace & Manning – Supercity Pros n Cons [8]

Report Calls For Auckland Super City [9]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0903/S00470.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00361.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0903/S00464.htm [4]

[5] - http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2009/03/democratic-deficit-in-supercity.html" target="_blank [5]

[6] - http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2009/03/democratic-deficit-in-supercity-ii.html" target="_blank [6]

[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00357.htm [7]

[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00366.htm [8]

[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00344.htm [9]

Foreign Affairs: Goff Stands Next To Famous People
Labour leader Phil Goff met with US Vice President Joe Biden yesterday at a meeting of the Progressive Governance Summit in Vina del Mar, Chile... While there he had an hour-long meeting with Mr Biden and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and met with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00431.htm

PM's Presser Audio: Richard Worth & Super Auckland
The Prime Minister said he had given Richard Worth "a bollocking" over a potential conflict of interest during his recent private trip to India as chair of the India Trade Group... Key said subsequent to their conversation Worth had resigned as a director and shareholder of NZ Aviation and also as chair of the India Trade Group. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00357.htm

ALSO:

Turia welcomes decision on Whanganui spelling [2]

Wanganui one step closer to becoming Whanganui [3]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00428.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/national/20159.html [3]

ECE: Playcentre Seeking Clarification On Funding Delay
Inclusion in the 20 Hours ECE policy was a prominent election promise of the National party, but at a meeting with Education Minister Anne Tolley it was recently confirmed that this will not be done as part of the upcoming budget cycle. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0903/S00097.htm

ALSO:

National runs from key election pledge [2]

Govt Decision To Back Down On DPB Changes - Stupid [3]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00426.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0903/S00347.htm [3]

April 1: Tax Cuts For Well-Paid And Non-Needy Kick In Wednesday
New Zealand households will get a billion-dollar-a-year boost from tax cuts which take effect this week, Finance Minister Bill English and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne said today. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00422.htm

ALSO:

The Mapp Report [2]

National's tax cuts from a bygone era [3]

Tax cuts will make no difference to most families [4]

Tax cuts offer nothing to most Maori families [5]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00414.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00442.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00446.htm [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00447.htm [5]

The Knight Cart: Queen Approves Title Changes; Gov-General Knighted
Prime Minister John Key announced today that the Queen has finished the formalities needed to reinstate titles in the New Zealand honours system. Mr Key also announced that the Queen has approved the redesignation of the Governor-General from a Principal ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00410.htm

ALSO:

77 people to be honoured at Investiture Ceremonies [2]

Titular Honours to be reinstated [3]

Roll Out the Knightcart [4]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0903/S00346.htm [2]

[3] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00110.htm [3]

[4] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00143.htm [4]

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BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH

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Register now to be part of a interactive policy debate, live and on-line 31st March
. Go to More »[1]

[1] - http://www.thinktech.co.nz/" target="_blank

Smoko: Air NZ Welcomes Air Traffic Control Outcome
Air New Zealand welcomes the news Airways New Zealand and the New Zealand Airline Pilots Association have reached an agreement to ensure regional air traffic control towers will not need to be closed during set break times. More »[1]

[1] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00711.htm

ALSO:

Tower operators happy with breaks agreement [2]

Air NZ to cancel 25 regional services due to union [3]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/politics/20210.html [2]

[3] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00681.htm [3]

Autumn: Seasonal Climate Outlook: April – June 2009
La Niña is on the wane, and the end of autumn and start of winter looks likely to be mild. The NIWA National Climate Centre says that, on average over the next three months, above average temperatures are likely in several regions of the country. [ More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0903/S00066.htm

Real Estate: Housing Consents Downward Trend Continues
Building consent statistics for the month of February 2009 show the trend for the number of new housing units authorised, excluding apartment units, has continued to fall since June 2007... The seasonally adjusted number of new housing units authorised, excluding apartments, rose 0.3 percent in February 2009, but remains at a low level. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00665.htm

ALSO:

Telecom Partners With Bebo [2]

[2] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00598.htm [2]

Statistics: Fourth Quarter Of Economic Contraction
The economy contracted 0.9 percent in the December 2008 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. This is the fourth consecutive decline in economic activity, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP). More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0903/S00321.htm

ALSO:

NZ economy contract’s a smaller-than-expected 0.9% [2]

Smellie Sniffs the Breeze: Confirmation from HQ [3]

NZ Economy Contracts 0.9% in 4 Quarter [4]

IMF Visit to NZ: Preliminary Concluding Statement [5]

NZ dollar holds above 57 US cents ahead of GDP [6]

While you were sleeping: U.S. GDP shrinks 6.3% [7]

Govt Must Set Out Plan To Restore Growth [8]

What are the expectations for the GDP? [9]

[2] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/03/27/nz-economy-contract%e2%80%99s-a-smaller-than-expected-09/ [2]

[3] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/03/27/smellie-sniffs-the-breeze-confirmation-from-hq/ [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00627.htm [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0903/S00307.htm [5]

[6] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/03/27/nz-dollar-holds-above-57-us-cents-ahead-of-gdp/ [6]

[7] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/03/27/while-you-were-sleeping-us-gdp-shrinks-63/ [7]

[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00397.htm [8]

[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/business/20054.html [9]

Fish Oil: "Mega Deal" For New Zealand Science
The patented omega-3 emulsion technology developed by the Riddet Institute is to be marketed worldwide through Croda Europe Ltd, a world leader in natural based speciality chemicals and oils. Croda has more than 4,000 employees in 38 countries. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0903/S00063.htm

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COMMENT

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[1] - http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/03/31/campbell-the-rush-to-impose-the-%e2%80%98super-city%e2%80%99/

The Demise Of The TVNZ Charter: The Arguments the Government Wants Us to Ignore
Peter Thompson writes: The Prime Minister recently announced his government’s intention to abolish the TVNZ Charter, claiming that it ‘wasn’t working’ , that there had been ‘a number of inquiries’ into it and that there was ‘no discernible difference in ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00356.htm

Dean Baker: Taxing Main St. To Make Wall St. Richer
The new consensus among the experts who missed the housing bubble (EMHB) is that Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's plan to subsidize the purchase of junk mortgages and their derivatives will help alleviate the stress on the banking system... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00367.htm

Maya Schenwar: "Life Of Brian" Resurrected In Welsh Town
The historic town of Aberystwyth, Wales, was founded in 1109 on a land grant from King Henry I, conquered by Prince Harry of England in 1408 and razed by Parliamentarian troops in 1649. It erected the first-ever Welsh Evangelical Church in the mid-20th ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00365.htm

Stateside With Rosalea: Speechless
The photo above is from “The House” written by the official historian of the US House of Representatives , Robert V. Remini. In the text below the photo, Remini quotes from Pat Schroeder’s book on her life in the House: “He [Committee Chair ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00355.htm

Scoop Satire: Lyndon Hood - Collins Crush!
Collins ANGRY! Collins hear car! It loud car! Collins see boy in car! Him BOY RACER! Collins fine racer? No! Him not pay fine already! Collins impound car? No!! Collins Crush car! Collins CRUSH! More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00352.htm

Michel Chossudovsky: George Galloway barred from Canada under the Canada Israel "Public Security" Agreement
British MP George Galloway was refused entry to Canada on the pretext that he supported Hamas, which is categorized by the Canadian government as a ''terrorist organization.'' More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00348.htm

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LIFESTYLE

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Humanitarianism: Aucklanders Gear Up To Smash Water Pistol Record
This Sunday 5th April, thousands of Aucklanders are being invited to take a shot at breaking the Guinness World Record™ for the world’s largest ever water pistol fight. More than 2,671 participants are needed to break the current world record, which was set in Spain in October 2007. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0903/S00471.htm

Race Relations: New Book Looks At Maori-Chinese Relations
Do Māori resent Chinese immigrants? Do Chinese New Zealanders understand the role of the tangata whenua? Have Māori and Chinese formed alliances based on common values and history? More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0903/S00420.htm

Film: Red Carpet Out For NZ Star Trek Premiere
As anticipation builds worldwide for the launch of the new STAR TREK film, SKYCITY today announced it is rolling out the red carpet for its star- studded Auckland premiere at the Sky Tower on Thursday 9 April. Local and international stars will take to ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0903/S00425.htm

Easter: Christians To Carry Cross Through Wellington
For Christians in south-central Wellington, this year’s Easter celebrations will have a new flavour, with the inaugural inter-church Good Friday “Way of the Cross” pilgrimage to Newtown on 10 April. St Anne’s Catholic Church has held a street ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0903/S00398.htm

Public Talk: The Great Beer Boycott Of ‘47
The West Coast is known for its political solidarity, free flowing rain and even freer flowing beer. But the beer stopped flowing in 1947 when coasters banded together in an act of consumer solidarity that has been described as the country’s most successful consumer boycott. More »[1]

[1] - http://books.scoop.co.nz/2009/03/28/the-great-beer-boycott-of-47/

Literature: NZ To Host American Travel Writers’ Convention
New Zealand wins bid to host American travel writers’ convention Winning the bid to host America’s top travel writers for their annual conference in 2011 is a coup for New Zealand tourism, Associate Minister of Tourism Dr Jonathan Coleman announced ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00407.htm

ALSO:

American Travel Writers Choose Wellington for 2011 [2]

[2] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0903/S00422.htm [2]

IQ Tests: First Question – Have You Read The Terms And Conditions?
Consumers who respond to online IQ tests and love compatibility tests should be sure they have read the fine print. The Commerce Commission has received a number of complaints about text subscription services that originate from such websites. The usual scenario ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0903/S00384.htm

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WORLD

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International Relations: A New Strategy For Afghanistan And Pakistan
President Barack Obama with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Good morning. Today, I am announcing a comprehensive, new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0903/S00569.htm

Justice System: Judge Humiliates Teenage Rape Victim
The attitude of a Pakistani judge toward a teenage gang rape victim has caused widespread outrage, throwing the training of the country’s judicial figures into question. On March 25, 2008, additional district and sessions judge Nizar Ali Khawaja conducted ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0903/S00566.htm

Terrorism: Another Bomb Blast Rocks Rangoon
Rangoon has been rocked by the third bomb blast in less than a month. The latest explosion occurred at a guest house in the city's North Okkalapa township, killing a man and wounding two women. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0903/S00565.htm

Religious Affairs: ‘Cowardly’ Attack Against Somali Minister
New York, Mar 27 2009 5:10PM The United Nations envoy to Somalia today strongly condemned the deadly roadside bomb blast which wounded the country’s Interior Minister and killed one of his assistants in the capital, Mogadishu. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0903/S00563.htm

Political Tensions: Dialogue To Stabilize Madagascar
New York, Mar 27 2009 5:10PM The United Nations today reiterated its belief that inclusive talks are the only means to bring about a smooth transition in Madagascar, which saw the resignation of President Marc Ravalomanana earlier this month. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0903/S00560.htm

Genocide: Fugitives Wanted By Rwanda Tribunal
The United Nations Legal Counsel has called for the arrest and surrender of the 13 remaining fugitives indicted by the tribunal set up to deal with the 1994 Rwandan genocide. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0903/S00557.htm

Justice System: Uruguay Must End ‘Appalling’ Prison Conditions
Concluding his visit to Uruguay today, a United Nations human rights expert said he could not find hard evidence of torture, but urged action against what he called other “large-scale human rights violations” in detention facilities. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0903/S00556.htm

ENDS

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Top Scoop Stories 31st March, 2009 News Summary