Top Scoop Stories April 1st, 2009 News Summary

Wednesday, 1 April 2009, 4:21 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

LEAD STORY

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Gordon Campbell: Six Days Left Before Auckland's Future Decided
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:

Obama’s debut on the world stage , more Auckland [2]

‘Super' city’ is not so super for local democracy [3]

Cartoon: Rodney and the Super City [4]

Auckland needs better Maori representation [5]

Have your say on Waitakere’s 10 year plan [6]

No Right Turn: A democratic deficit in the supercity [7]

No Right Turn: A democratic deficit in the supercity II [8]

Manukau to talk ‘Super City’ at public meeting [9]

PM's Presser: Richard Worth & Super Auckland [10]

Wallace & Manning – Supercity Pros n Cons [11]

Report Calls For Auckland Super City [12]

[2] - http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/04/01/campbell-obama%e2%80%99s-world-stage-debut-more-auckland/#auckland [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0903/S00470.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00361.htm [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00006.htm [5]

[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0903/S00464.htm [6]

[7] - http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2009/03/democratic-deficit-in-supercity.html" target="_blank [7]

[8] - http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2009/03/democratic-deficit-in-supercity-ii.html" target="_blank [8]

[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0904/S00003.htm [9]

[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00357.htm [10]

[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00366.htm [11]

[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00344.htm [12]

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NZ POLITICS

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ALSO:

Questions For Oral Answer - 1 April 2008 [2]

Questions and Answers - 31 March 2009 [3]

Today In Parliament: 31.03.09 [4]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00019.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00457.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0903/S00372.htm [4]

Foreign Affairs: Parliament Congratulates Helen Clark
John Key: I move that this House expresses its congratulations to New Zealand’s former Prime Minister the Rt Hon Helen Clark on securing the very important role as head of the United Nations Development Programme. Today, at around 8.30 New Zealand time, the United Nations General Assembly voted to endorse her in this role... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00023.htm

ALSO:

SG Appoints Helen Clark As UNDP Administrator [2]

Clark confirmed as Head of UN's development programme [3]

Full interview with Helen Clark [4]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0904/S00002.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/world/20252.html [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/world/20258.html [4]

Crime Stats: Recorded Crime Up 1.2 Percent, Increase In Violent Crime Slows
Recorded crime rose 1.2 percent in the 2008 calendar year with the increase mainly reflecting the growth in New Zealand's population over the same period. Statistics released today show that there were 431,381 offences in 2008, compared with 426,380 ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0904/S00004.htm

ALSO:

High resolution rate - good policing, more police [2]

Stats show police success in fight against crime [3]

Northland District Crime Statistics [4]

Calendar year crime - Waikato District [5]

Counties Manukau Crime Statistics [6]

Central District Crime Statistics [7]

Auckland City Area Crime Statistics [8]

Canterbury Crime Statistics [9]

Wellington Police District Crime Statistics [10]

[2] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00016.htm [2]

[3] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00011.htm [3]

[4] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0904/S00013.htm [4]

[5] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0904/S00012.htm [5]

[6] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0904/S00009.htm [6]

[7] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0904/S00008.htm [7]

[8] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0904/S00007.htm [8]

[9] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0904/S00006.htm [9]

[10] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0904/S00004.htm [10]

Foreign Affairs: NZ Can Only Do So Much UN Stuff
New Zealand has decided not to pursue its candidature for election to the Human Rights Council in 2009, Foreign Minister Murray McCully announced today. Mr McCully said the decision had been made to avoid four nations contesting three positions, following the United States’ indication that it would seek a Council seat. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00005.htm

ALSO:

Backwards step for independent foreign policy [2]

Obama's charm sinks NZ's UN human rights bid [3]

SG Welcomes US Intention To Seek HRC seat [4]

SG Appoints Helen Clark As UNDP Administrator [5]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00015.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00017.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0904/S00003.htm [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0904/S00002.htm [5]

April 1: Green Party Pulls Plug For Planet’s Sake
In a bold move to combat global warming and the Government’s indifference to New Zealand’s Kyoto commitments, the Green Party is leading from the front and will immediately stop using most electrical appliances in its Parliamentary offices as of today. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00002.htm

Ban the Bunny - Update Easter
- More »[1]

[1] - http://blog.greens.org.nz/2009/04/01/ban-the-bunny-update-easter/" target="_blank

ALSO:

Kiwiblog: National to appoint Cullen as Reserve Bank Governor [2]

April Fools Day 2009 [3]

Public-Private Broadband Plan - Joyce [4]

Govt releases broadband investment proposal [5]

Fibre plan huge opportunity for New Zealand [6]

Government direction on broadband welcomed [7]

Reaction To Govt Broadband Investment Initiative [8]

Biggest installation of cables NZ has ever seen [9]

Broadband Questions and Answers [10]

Quarterly report on broadband quality [11]

Ultra-fast broadband to be funded by public and private sector [12]

[2] - http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2009/04/national_to_appoint_cullen_as_reserve_bank_governor.html" target="_blank [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0904/S00013.htm [3]

[4] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/03/31/public-private-broadband-plan-joyce/ [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00438.htm [5]

[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00705.htm [6]

[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0903/S00472.htm [7]

[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00710.htm [8]

[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00725.htm [9]

[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0903/S00352.htm [10]

[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0904/S00006.htm [11]

[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/national/20203.html [12]

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]

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:

Cartoon: Slumdog Richard Worth [2]

Cabinet confirms plans for Whenuapai [3]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0904/S00006.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00450.htm [3]

W(h)?anganui: Geographic Board To Publicly Consult On Dropped ‘H’
“Wanganui, the name given to the town to reflect its position near the mouth of the Whanganui River, was spelt incorrectly and has never been formally gazetted by this Board or its predecessors. It is therefore not currently an official New Zealand place name.” More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0903/S00450.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]

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BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH

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Milk: Future Proofing New Zealand’S Dairy Cows
AgResearch scientists have unlocked the first keys on how to improve New Zealand’s dairy cows’ milk production. One and a half year into their research on how the mammary gland is able to respond to different environmental influences, they have now identified, what they term, an “epigenetic event”. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0904/S00002.htm

Scoop Business: NZ Dollar Slumps After RBNZ Says Rates Out Of Line
April 1 – The New Zealand dollar tumbled more than 1 U.S. cent as the Reserve Bank said interest rates are out of line with the monetary policy outlook, and could put unnecessary pressure on borrowing. More »[1]

[1] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/04/01/nz-dollar-slumps-after-rbnz-says-rates-out-of-line/

ALSO:

Long-term interest rates out of line with RBNZ [2]

Bollard says long-term rates too high; kiwi slumps [3]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0904/S00004.htm [2]

[3] - http://business.scoop.co.nz/2009/04/01/bollard-says-long-term-rates-too-high-kiwi-slumps/ [3]

Keith Rankin: Tax Cuts 2009-2011
Today, the first round of the National Government's personal tax cuts became effective, along with the raised employee ACC employee levies. There are three main areas of controversy. First, taxpayers with children will need to be earning at least $41,025 annually before they see any increase in their after-tax earnings. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0904/S00005.htm

ALSO:

Government delivers April 1 tax cuts, SME changes [2]

900,000 Kiwis get extra payments [3]

National's tax cuts from a bygone era [4]

Tax cuts will make no difference to most families [5]

Tax cuts offer nothing to most Maori families [6]

Time For A Fiscal Diet - Not A Tax Deferral [7]

Make your tax cut work for you [8]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00422.htm [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00013.htm [3]

[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00442.htm [4]

[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00446.htm [5]

[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00447.htm [6]

[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00449.htm [7]

[8] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00722.htm [8]

April 1: Flight Centre Individual Jet-Pack Flights
Flight Centre Announces New Zealand’s First Individual Jet-Pack Flights
• First of its kind in New Zealand
• Will greatly reduce travel time, take-off from anywhere
• Fares starting from just $50 per flight
More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0904/S00002.htm

ALSO:

Auckland area pushes to become a republic [2]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0904/S00001.htm [2]

World First Pinot Chocolat
- [ More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0904/S00004.htm

ALSO:

April Fools Day 2009 [2]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0904/S00013.htm [2]

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 contracting out tactics contemptuous [3]

Air NZ to cancel 25 regional services due to union [4]

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

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0903/S00353.htm [3]

[4] - http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00681.htm [4]

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

Media Boxes: TiVo Coming To New Zealand!
Hybrid Television Services has revealed its plans for the launch of TiVo in New Zealand by Christmas this year. The TiVo media device, which launched in Australia in July 2008 has met with outstanding demand responding to the consumer's desire to watch what they want, when they want. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0903/S00596.htm

ALSO:

Telecom Partners With Bebo [2]

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

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COMMENT
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Gordon Campbell: Obama’s Debut On The World Stage
This week will be dominated by coverage of Barack Obama’s first foray on the world stage, as President. Today and tomorrow he will be in London for the G20 gathering to discuss economic stimulus... More »[1]

[1] - http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2009/04/01/campbell-obama%e2%80%99s-world-stage-debut-more-auckland/

Martin LeFevre: A War By Any Other Name
Afghanistan has replaced Iraq as America’s main war. That means the mantra of progressives that we ‘took our eye off the ball by invading Iraq’ has come back to haunt us. Obama is ‘doubling down’ in Afghanistan, sending 4000 more troops in immediately, 17,000 more this summer, and God knows how many more after that... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0904/S00008.htm

Frankin Lamb: Has Washington Lost Lebanon?
''We anticipate that the shape of the US assistance programs in Lebanon will be evaluated in the context of Lebanon's parliamentary election results and the policies formed by the new Cabinet” More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0904/S00010.htm

Sherwood Ross: Space Race Hikes Risk Of Nuclear War
An unchecked race to militarize space is underway that is “increasing the risk of an accidental nuclear war while shortening the time for sanity and diplomacy to come into play to halt crises,” an authority on space warfare says. By 2025, the space capabilities of the leading space powers... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0904/S00004.htm

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... More »[1]

[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

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LIFESTYLE
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Old Boppers: Beatles 'Reunion' To Potentially Help NZ Schools
The two surviving members of the legendary Beatles are headlining a special benefit concert this coming Saturday (April 4) in New York that could result in funding for at least two New Zealand schools under the Stress Free Schools initiative. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0904/S00015.htm

Performing Arts: Plight Of The Exiled Revealed In New Work
April 1, 2009 Plight of the exiled revealed in 'her-storical' new work Her mother was a refugee form war-torn Poland, her father sought a new life from the ashes of post-war Holland and their stories sparked a voyage of discovery for award-winning ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0904/S00012.htm

Sheep: Live Streaming Of Shearing Champs
Followers of sheep shearing world-wide will be able to watch the New Zealand Shearing Championships during a live internet streaming video of the event from Te Kuiti this weekend. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0904/S00011.htm

April 1: World First Pinot Chocolat
Just in time for Easter, New Zealand has become the first country in the world to successfully combine chocolate and wine – a decadent marriage of quality and taste. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0904/S00004.htm

ALSO:

Link to virtual tasting [2]

April Fools Day 2009 [3]

[2] - http://www.kimcrawfordwines.co.nz/pinotchocolat/index.html" target="_blank [2]

[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0904/S00013.htm [3]

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

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WORLD
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US Military: The Ethics Of U.S. Department Of Defense
On October 23, 2006 the Lawrence Journal World or LJ World published an article which silently uncovered a funding scandal within Kansas University, in Lawrence, Kansas. In 2005, the universities department of geography received at least $500,000 in Department ... More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0904/S00026.htm

Global Warming: US Rejoins Climate Talks In Bonn
Todd Stern, US Climate Change Envoy for the United States said President Obama's administration was 'seized with the urgency of the task before us' at the opening session of international climate change talks in Bonn today. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0904/S00023.htm

Violence Against Media: BBC Guide Beaten By Thai Military
While the Thai Foreign Minister has given public assurances to the international community that repatriation of the Lao-Hmong shall take place on a voluntary basis, the Thai military seems to have its own ideas on how to deal with the situation. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0904/S00024.htm

Scoop Human Rights: Workers To Accompany Palestinian Farmers
8am, Tuesday 31st of March 2009: Eight international Human Rights Workers (HRWs) in the Gaza Strip will be accompanying 25 Palestinian women farmers from the village of Al Amannat to their lands. More »[1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0904/S00025.htm

ALSO:

Speech: McCully - NZ statement on Afghanistan [2]

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0904/S00007.htm [2]

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

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Top Scoop Stories April 1st, 2009 News Summary