Scoop Today - Coalition Negotiations Completed

Thursday, 2 December 1999, 4:24 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Scoop has all the news you need...

The Battle Of Seattle - image from DAMN! - http://damn.tao.ca/wtopage/wto.htm

TOP SCOOPS

Labour / Alliance Complete Coalition Agreement

– Labour and the Alliance have completed their coalition agreement. The document contains no major policy agreements and, as such, is much looser than the 1996 coalition agreement. It goes to the labour caucus tomorrow and the Alliance council over the weekend before being signed on Monday. Parliament is set to be recalled one week before Christmas so that legislation increasing tax rates can be passed. Increases to the minimum wage are also expected to be an Alliance priority this year.

Quote of the Week – from Keith Rankin’s Thursday Column

- “In its own way, the election proved that cannabis does damage individuals' intellectual and moral faculties. Over 18,000 people voted for the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party. If any of them had had even half a brain, they would have voted Green, thereby putting some liberalisation of cannabis laws at least on the agenda. By voting against their own self-interest, they discredited their cause. Furthermore, what kind of person is it who cares about nothing else other than the cannabis laws?”

Democracy In Kuwait Not For Women

- Remember the 1990 Gulf War? It was fought because Iraq invaded Kuwait and the West wanted a return to democracy. Yesterday, the Kuwaiti parliament killed democracy and again denied women the right to vote. John Howard reports. See... Democracy In Kuwait Not For Women [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9912/S00011.htm

Kerry Packer Is Watching You!

- A huge computer database containing the personal and financial details of almost every Australian is being constructed for Kerry Packer's PBL company and will be operational by Christmas. John Howard reports. See... Kerry Packer Is Planning To Watch You! [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9912/S00010.htm

Rankin on Thursday: Whither the Greens?

- Following the election results on the Internet, I willed the Green vote over the 5% mark. It was like watching the ‘runs per over required’ statistic in a one-day cricket match. See... Rankin Column: Whither the Greens? [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9912/S00009.htm

Hero Parade Cancelled

– The annual Hero Parade will not go ahead next year due to financial constraints. Originally the date of the parade was moved back from February to November to allow time to solve financial pressures. The Hero Trust has now announced there will be no parade this year and they are instead focussing on 2001.

Second ANZAC Frigate Arrives

- New Zealand’s second ANZAC class frigate Te Mana has completed her maiden voyage and arrived in the Devonport Naval Base. The ship which cost $500 million is very similar to Te Kaha and experienced no difficulties in its sailing from Melbourne. The ship will be officially commissioned in Tauranga next Friday.

Lindsay Perigo ‘Comments’ On WTO Protests: A Libertarian Perspective

- Seldom have so many of the dregs of humanity been concentrated in one location at once. Squillions of Socialists in Seattle! Thousands of Comrade Kelsey think-alikes ... Luddite lunatics, Marxist morons, Communist cretins, Neanderthal nitwits, Anarchist animals, Green gargoyles ... opposed to free trade, opposed to free anything except free access to Other People's Money… See... Perigo: Libertarian 'Perspective' On WTO Protests [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9912/S00012.htm

Meetings Continue - More Violence Expected

- Seattle is braced for more violent clashes over the next few days after a state of emergency was declared today in Seattle (Nov. 30th) and a curfew imposed. Enforcing the curfew with 70,000 seemingly well equipped and highly organised protestors on the streets could prove difficult. Meanwhile the WTO meeting is continuing.

Bill Clinton / Madeleine Albright WTO Comments

- See... Clinton Remarks to Farmers and Students in Seattle [1] , The Clinton Administration Agenda For Seattle WTO [2] , Clinton Fact Sheet on Opportunities for US Farmers [3] and Albright Remarks to the World Trade Organization [4] in the Business wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9912/S00018.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9912/S00016.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9912/S00015.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9912/S00013.htm

MORE SCOOPS

Scandal Marred Model Agency In Free Calender Gift

- PR Newswire is giving the media a taste of the future in its millennium gift, an interactive computer desktop calendar from Elite Models Inc – the modeling agency embroiled in scandal after a television documentary revealed drug taking and sex with underage girls. See… See... Elite Models Gives Away Free On Line Calender [1] in the Business wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9912/S00020.htm

Alliance ‘state bank’ could backfire says Greens

- The Green Party is urging the Labour-led government to initiate greater co-operation between existing New Zealand owned financial institutions rather than adopt the Alliance’s proposal for a new state bank. See... Alliance ‘state bank’ could backfire says Greens [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9912/S00008.htm

Disgust At ‘Massey Greed’ As 10 per cent Fee Rises On Cards

- The New Zealand University Students Association (NZUSA) is disgusted that Massey University is proposing a 10-16% tuition fee increase, when the institution is expecting a 5 million dollar surplus without any fee increases. See... Massey University – Surplus Greed [1] in the Education wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED9912/S00002.htm

Health Ministry Defend $800,000 Travel Budget

- Overseas travel by Ministry of Health staff is an essential part of building a strong public health system which gives New Zealanders the best of international thinking and practice, Director-General of Health Dr Karen Poutasi says. It is not a perk. See... Health Ministry Defend $800,000 Trave Budget [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO9912/S00003.htm

More Enrolled in Election Than 1996

- New Zealand Post’s Electoral Enrolment Centre (EEC) has announced that 90,778 more eligible electors enrolled for this year’s general election than for the 1996 election. See... More Enrolled For Election Than Ever Before [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO9912/S00005.htm

Forest and Bird cautious on possum fur idea

- The Forest and Bird Protection Society is not enthusiastic about proposals floated by Alliance leader Jim Anderton to provide government assistance to the possum fur industry. See... Forest and Bird sounds caution on possum fur idea [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO9912/S00002.htm

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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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