Scoop Archive: Campaign 2002 - Blow By Blow

Monday, 29 July 2002, 2:24 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

She’s A Hard Road Running The Perfect Campaign - But I’ve been inspired by the hard work I’ve seen in every part of New Zealand over the past several weeks by candidates, their support teams and rank and file party members. See... Campaign Closing Speech - Bill English

Public Money Not For Pro-GE Lobbying – Greens - Crown Research Institutes should have better uses for taxpayer money than helping to pay for pro-GE ads, a spin hotline and pro-GE election kits for candidates, the Green Party said today. See... CRIs Buy Into Pro-GE Election Lobbying
TODAY’S GE BUNFIGHT IN FULL:
- Assn Of CRIs - Public Good
- Life Sciences - Criticism of its funding sources rejected
- PSRG - Life Science Network Advertisement
- GE FREE NZ - Public funding of GE ads "Unacceptable"

The People’s Poet Vs. The Prime Minister - Wellington Central Alliance candidate and political bard Robert Reid finished his campaign in style last night. See... Beware The Prime Minister …

The Economy Is Election Issue #1 – Business - A quick fire last minute poll of businesses in the Auckland region has re-affirmed overwhelming support for economic growth as the number one election issue. See... Vote To 'Make The Boat Go Faster'

Put Social Justice First, CTU Asks Greens - “It would be a pity if the Green Party position on the GE issue denies it the opportunity to play a constructive role in the next Government,” Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today. See... Don’t Sacrifice Social Justice, CTU Asks Greens

Be Careful What You Vote For, AA Warns - “People have taken Transport for granted up to now in the election, but they could wake up to a major change in the way they run their lives if they are not careful with their vote,” the AA’s Motoring Policy Manager Jayne Gale warned today. See... Transport Key Issue On Saturday, Says AA

Conservative Christian Credentials Questioned - United Future leader Peter Dunne claims to be pro family. Yet his voting record says otherwise. See... Peter Has Dunne With Family Values

The Young & Write-shuss Know Who They’re Voting For - This Saturday New Zealanders get to choose their future. On election day the side-shows over Paintings and Corn will be forgotten and New Zealanders will look at the real issues that are affecting them and their children. See... The New Write 24/7/2002

We Shall Overcome The Night Before - Green MP Nandor Tanczos today urged all New Zealanders to make sure they voted on Saturday, saying a hard night before or cold weather was no excuse to stay indoors or in bed. See... Vote: Rain, Hail, Shine, Or Hangover

The Greens’ Two Heads At Odds – Blue Greens - "Rod Donald has let the GM moratorium out of the Green Party's bag, with his reminder this morning that the Greens are seeking only a three-year extension of the existing moratorium." This today from Terry Dunleavy, national convener of Bluegreens, which tenders independent advice to the National Party on environment and heritage issues. See... Greens Let The Moratorium Cat Out Of The Bag

Hold The Red Tape – Prebble’s Plea For Small Business - The Labour government has made a sustained attack on small business. Since Labour took office, thousands of dollars in compliance costs have been added to the average small business, and driven many to the wall. See... Small Business Under Attack from Labour. See also... First World Economy for a First World Education

Winston’s Fixing Our House - “If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” There are powerful forces at work that threaten our house, New Zealand. New Zealand First’s campaign has been about these forces, the things dividing our country, and what needs to be done to fix them. See... A House Divided - Winston Peters Speech

A Prince Among Biosecurity Polices - Green Biosecurity Spokesperson Ian Ewen-Street today said the Green biosecurity policy was by far the strongest and most comprehensive of all the political parties. See... Green Biosecurity Policy Sets The Standard

Libertarianz Shake A Fist At Big Govt - Russell Watkins and the Libertarianz say they have got big plans for Big Government - "they want to stamp out big government, big time! And in your lifetime." They plan, they say, "to get politicians out of your face, out of your pocket, and out of your life - for good!" See... Libertarianz Have Got Plans For Big Government

Govt Without Greens Could Be Very Blue Indeed - Six years ago the Greens came to Parliament - at first three of us, then seven. And things began to change. Issues were discussed that had never been raised in the House before. See... The Spectre Of A Right Wing Coalition Government

The Party That Couldn’t Share May Lose Its Toys - How will history judge the 2002 Election? Probably as a gamble that failed. Labour, seeing the glittering prize of an outright parliamentary majority tried to ambush the electorate. See... Santa’s In Trouble And Calls In Rudolf

Labour-led Coalition Not A Foregone Conclusion - There is now a distinct possibility that National will be able to cobble together a minority coalition government according to Save Our Squadrons Campaign spokesperson, David Dickens. See... Labour On The Way Out?
MORE:
- Winston Peters - Mischievious Musings

Greens Top Vote Environment Survey - The make-up of any coalition after the election will be crucial for the environment according to a report which contains an analysis of party policies released today by environment, conservation and recreation organisations. See... Survey: Coalition Choices Crucial for Environment

Health & Education Concerns Because Govt Can’t Run Them - A survey published in the NZ Herald today shows that health and education are two of the top three concerns in this election - “as they are every election, and with very good reason,” says Libertarianz deputy Dr. Richard McGrath. See... No Waiting Lists For Veterinary Care

Let Go Of The Polls And Vote On Instinct - National MP Marie Hasler has asked her rivals to give Waitakere voters a break - to stop harassing them with tiresome, tactical ‘advice’ and let electors think for themselves. See... Give Waitakere Electorate A Break

International Sharemarket No Place For Retirement Savings - The dive in the international sharemarket this month reinforces the risk of the Cullen fund, says National Leader Bill English. See... Sharemarket Upheaval Shows Risks Of Cullen Fund

Euchk: Franks Gets A Load Of Greens' Transport Policy - The Green Party's transport policy is social engineering of the worst kind, ACT Transport Spokesman Penny Webster MP said today. See... Greens Want Empty Roads
GREEN TRANSPORT POLICY:
- Invest In State Of The Art Public Transport
- Speech Notes From Launch Of Green Transport Policy

Private Property Owners Love Their Environments - “For some years, regulations to protect 'The Environment' have buried the people who are actually able to protect their environment - property owners,” says Libertarianz spokesman Peter Cresswell. See... New Zealand's Persecuted Minority: Property Owners

National’s Way Forward For Maori - The way forward for Maori will be defined by their full participation in New Zealand society, secured through economic independence and self-reliance, National's Maori Affairs spokesperson Georgina te Heuheu said today. See... National To Increase Maori Participation

Labour’s Disability Strategy - Labour has pledged to retain its strong focus on disability issues and continue to implement the New Zealand Disability Strategy. See... Labour pledges strong disability focus and Labour On Disability Issues

Imminent Desert War Should Be Election Issue - War in the Middle East against Saddam Hussein is almost certain before the year's end, but the position of our political leaders is not known on what New Zealand's stance is to be. See... Should NZ support Desert Storm 2?

65 At 65 Not Enough - “Superannuation polices of both major parties will insure that the 'well-earned Kiwi retirement' becomes a poorly-deserved impoverished future,”says Grey Power's superannuation spokesperson Frank Moloney. See... "Impoverished Future" For Retired Kiwis. Michael Cullen says Frank Moloney has his facts tangled.. See... Super pledge honoured - Labour

No Crap Is Taking No Crap - The controversial youth political website nocrap.org.nz has received it's second complaint to the Electoral Commission, with claims the site encourages violence and features inappropriate language and content.* See... NO CRAP soldiers on

Michael Refuses To Play 20 Questions - Yesterday I challenged the Minister of Finance to answer 20 questions about how Labour's policies will help get New Zealand back to the top half of the OECD. See... Answer the questions Dr Cullen...
MORE ON THE ECONOMY:
National - National Has Done Its Figures - Carter

Is Abortion Still An Election Issue? - The major political parties are conducting the election campaign on the issues of health, education and law and order. The most important issue is respect for the right to life. See... Right To Life more important than Corngate

Greens Welcome ECO Endorsement - Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today welcomed a report from the Environment and Conservation Organisation (ECO) which put Green policies on the environment head and shoulders above the other parties. See... Greens welcome endorsement of environment policy and ECO’s report, Survey: Coalition Choices Crucial for Environment

Jim Sutton On Climate Change And Water Wars - Ladies and Gentlemen: international pundits say the next big international war will not be fought over oil, but over water. Jim Sutton Speech On Water Management and Climate change the biggest threat to agriculture

Win-win Australian Deal Not So Good Afterall - ACT Social Services Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman said the Government has finally conceded its so-called `win-win' migration deal signed with Australia a year-and-a-half ago was a defeat for this Government and New Zealand. See... Govt Admits Win-Win Oz Deal Was A Lose-Lose

Victims Debate Crucial Says Goff - Justice Minister Phil Goff says that Victim Support is right to bring the debate on law and order back to focus on victims’ rights. See... Victims’ Rights Critical
MORE:
Matt Robson - The only party to commit to victim fund

Clark And Anderton Too Good For Their Own Good - “This has been an unusual election campaign. … one of the most important factors has been that New Zealanders are feeling good.” See... Coalition Government is victim of own success

Rodney Hide’s Election Nightmare - The polls are pointing to a nightmare scenario: Michael Cullen atop the economy propped up by the fundamentalist Greens and the ever-erratic Winston Peters. See... Michael Cullen: Not a Safe Pair of Hands

Angry With Gordon - Grey Power is incensed by the article in the weekend Herald by Gordon McLauchlan in his footnote at the end of his journalistic remarks on the political debate with Mike Hoskings. See... Grey Power Incensed By Gordon McLauchlan

Immigrants Should Make Sure They Vote - “A joint Communiqué by New Zealand Federation of Ethnic Councils and Refugee Council of New Zealand urges all ethnic Migrants and refugees to register their votes at the general elections to be held on 27th July 2002. See... Ethnic Communities Alerted To Register Their Votes

Richard Prebble's Letter from Wellington - ACT's tracking polls at the weekend put the party at 10 percent - that's 13 MPs. ACT's focus groups say Richard Prebble “won” the third party leaders' debate. Last week ACT's website received a record 500,000 hits. See... Richard Prebble's Letter from Wellington 22/7/2002

Prebble’s Plan’s To Lift RMA Roadblock - ACT leader Richard Prebble took to the Auckland motorways this morning to announce ACT's plan to break the gridlock on the city's roads. See... RMA Causes Road Gridlock

Peters Shakes The Black Widow’s Web - We know we are in for a week of accusations and aspersions. And we know that you can’t go out and tell lies about your opponents. We say to Labour, YOU stop telling lies about New Zealand First and we will stop telling the truth about you. See... Black Widow At Large

Jim Anderton Campaigning On Jobs - Jim Anderton today announced that the Progressive Coalition will work to create better access for businesses to inward investment and business support in the next term of office. See... Jim’s One stop job shop
- One stop job shop
- Vote for jobs - Jim Anderton Speech

Muriel Newman: Workers Worse Off - Working families are much worse off as a result of 32 months of a Labour Government. According to Statistics NZ, real wages fell by 0.9 per cent last year, and while they are expected to grow by 0.7 percent this year, the forecast is a drop to 0.3 per cent next year. See... Working Families Lose Out Under Labour

Greens Release Education Policy - The Greens today launched their education policy, promising 3000 new teachers over the next five years, maximum class sizes of 20 students and a review of the NCEA with a delay or stop of its implementation if necessary. See... Greens Promise To Address Teaching Crisis

20 Questions For Cullen On The Economy - National's Finance spokesman David Carter is challenging Michael Cullen to provide real answers on how Labour intends enhancing New Zealand's future economic prospects. See... 20 Questions Cullen Must Answer

National Must Front With The Figures – Cullen - “National has thrown away any claim to be taken seriously in this campaign through its failure to produce costings of its policy platform,” Finance Minister Michael Cullen said today. See... National Welshes On Promise To Produce Costings

Image: The Alliance Chicken At Large - A secret call to the Chicken hotline was made by Student President Richard Neal. Crackers duly accepted the invitation and flew into Canterbury University early Friday afternoon. See... Image: Crackers Returns…. And Brings A Friend

Image: The ‘Clarkies’ Corn Cover-up Can - Auckland, 20 July: Giant “Clarkies Corn Cover up” cans greeted Helen Clark on her campaign trail in Auckland. See... Image: Greenpeace - Clarkies Corn Cover up - GE

Labour And CTU Put The Pincer Manoeuvre On Peters - “The Prime Minister’s attack on New Zealand First’s Immigration policy and the CTU President’s attack on New Zealand First’s record clearly demonstrate that Labour will sink to any depths in their efforts to rule alone,” New Zealand First Leader Leader Winston Peters says. See... Labour Turns Guns On New Zealand First
MORE:
- CTU - NZ First’s Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Such Bittersweet Tragedy - Friends, Wellingtonians, countrypeople, lend me your ears. I come for your party vote, not for your electorate one. Laila Harre will win the Waitakere seat, So we need your party vote to bring more Alliance M.P.s into Parliament with her. The evil that parties do lives after them. The good is oft interned at the ballot box. See... The quality of campaigning is not strain'd

The Parties’ Promises Priced - There will be job losses, sharp interest rate rises, tax increases and a fire sale of publicly-owned asset sales unless Labour and the Progressive Coalition form the next Government, Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton predicted today. See... Parties can’t pay for promises

Swot Up On Every Alliance Policy Online - Alliance Leader Laila Harré today announced that the full Alliance policy programme for 2002 is now available on the Alliance website www.alliance.org.nz. See... Full Alliance Policy Programme Now On Website. See also... Alliance releases Trade and Sovereignty Policies

Social Justice Costs - The Alliance Tax Policy would raise the money needed to cure the worst ills of New Zealand society, and put money back into the pockets of low and middle income earners. See... Taxation - Fairness and Social Spending

Choose National For When The Golden Weather Turns - “Warnings from Deutsche Bank that economic growth is going to halve during the coming year is another wake-up call for voters that the golden weather is coming to an end,” says National's Finance spokesman David Carter. See... It's The Economy, Stupid! and NZ Quarterly Economic Forecasts - July 2002

Free GP Visits For The Elderly Pledged - The Auckland superannuitant population of over 100,000 will get free GP visits if Jim Anderton’s Progressive Coalition is back in government, says Deputy Leader Matt Robson. See... Over 100,000 Auckland superannuitants get free GP

Labour Tough On The Border - Mr Sutton said that Labour's biosecurity policy, released today, demonstrated that commitment to maintaining New Zealand's environment. See... Labour Launches Biosecurity Policy and Labour On Biosecurity

Robson Faces Sensible Sentencers - Thank you for the invitation to speak tonight. I’m Matt Robson representing Jim Anderton’s Progressive Coalition Party. See... Matt Robson To Sensible Sentencing Trust. See also… Parties must get behind new prisons’

Survey Damning Of NCEA - Mr Mallard and NZQA would have you believe that all you need to do is apply “professional judgement” as to what level a student falls with in. The reality is that the achievement standards have many unquantifiable terms such as “enough”, “more than”, and some. See... NCEA Nation-wide Teaching Staff Survey 2002
REACTION:
- Richard Prebble - The Solution Must Be To Scrap NCEA
- Trevor Mallard - Minister Casts Doubt On Survey
- Nick Smith - Survey Confirms NCEA Debacle

School Trustees Threaten Legal Action Over Strikes - “I understand that STA will be asking the Employment Court for a declaration as to the legality of the strike and if the strike is illegal, for an injunction to stop it,” Education Minister Trevor Mallard said.See... Early Decision To Avoid Court Action Urged
MORE:
- PPTA - PPTA Sticks To Its Guns
- Greens - High Noon For Teachers

Defence Should Be Top Of Election Agenda – SOS - Defence is the first responsibility of government. When government’s decide to change a long-standing approach to defence the issue is of such importance that it should be put to the people at election time. Every one should have their say on defence. See... Election 2002: Defence Policies Assessed

Winston Leads With Media Attack - Throughout this campaign New Zealand First has been pilloried, mocked and ridiculed by what passes for political commentators in New Zealand. See... The Sleeper Awakes - Winston Peters Speech

4 Weeks Or Not 4 Weeks? Margaret Or Steve? - Steve Maharey and Margaret Wilson should explain why one is telling employers one thing, yet the other is telling workers the opposite, says National's Industrial Relations spokesperson, Simon Power. See... Just Who Is The Boss?
SEE ALSO:
- Sue Bradford - Need For Green

Lockwood Wants To Liven Our International Look - “For New Zealanders to enjoy better jobs and a higher standard of living we need to secure and grow our trade,” says National's Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman Lockwood Smith. See... National To Rebuild International Reputation

McCarten’s MMP Primer For Union - Alliance President Matt McCarten is offering Engineer, Printing and Manufacturing Union President Andrew Little a lesson in MMP basics. See... Engineers Fail MMP Knowledge Test

Thank Alliance For Gains For Workers – Harre - Speaking to you today as Associate Minister of Labour and Leader of the Alliance its good to look back at what we have achieved in government for working people over the last two and a half years. See... Laila Harre Speech To EPMU Conference
SEE ALSO:
- Jim Anderton - EPMU speech

Social Heart In Alliance Economic Policy - Alliance Leader Laila Harré today released the Alliance’s Children’s Policy at the same time as she released her party’s Tax and Economic Policies, deliberately linking the three policies together to underline that the Alliance would make sure children were the “first call on government policy and allocation of resources.” See... Alliance Policies For Children, Economy & Taxation

Progressive Coalition’s Social Security Commitments - Grant Gillon MP and Progressive Coalition candidate for Northcote will release the full Progressive Coalition policy on social security when he speaks to the North Shore Community and Social Services Network meeting today. See... Progressive Coalition Social Security policy

Kiwibank’s Already Paid Its Way - Anderton - Kiwibank has had such a significant influence in the market that it has already paid its way. See... The success of Kiwibank and Profits of overseas banks

Nats Promise Legislation For Faster Roads - National will allow public-private partnerships and road tolling to finance building new roads and to finance public transport, National Leader Bill English said releasing National's transport policy in Auckland today. See... National Will Legislate To Build Roads Faster and Special Legislation To Get Auckland Moving

PPTA Offers Mallard No Election Favours - If the Government wanted a smooth ride into this election, it should have resolved pressing problems in the secondary education sector 16 months ago, PPTA president Jen McCutcheon said today. See... Don't Panic Mr Mallard - Settle!
MORE:
- Nats - Bullying Tactics Won't Sort Teachers' Row
- Govt - Get Real PPTA
- Govt - Give kids a chance
- Govt - Trevor Mallard Letter To Jen McCutcheon

Cullen Tuts Over National’s Figures - “The National Party’s accounting would make even Enron executives blush,” Finance Minister Michael Cullen said today. See... National’s Accounting Would Make Enron Blush.
See also... Cullen Speech To Business NZ Conference

How Loose Is Cullen On Inflation? - “Michael Cullen is doing neither himself nor New Zealanders any good with ill-informed and politically self-serving comments about inflation and monetary policy,” says National Party Leader Bill English. See... Cullen's Tolerance Of More Inflation A Concern

What Laila’s Got For Workers - Alliance Leader and Associate Minister of Labour, Laila Harré, released the Alliance’s Employment Relations policy today in advance of a speech to Business New Zealand. See... Alliance releases Employment Relations Policy
SEE ALSO:
- Alliance - Labour won't introduce 4 weeks annual leave
- EPMU - Workers Will Fight For Holiday - Union

NZ First The Best Insurance – Peters To Business - You are prudent business people who know about managing risk. The risk is a Labour government on its own, or one that is pulled to the left by the Greens, or one that can work productively with New Zealand First. See... Low Growth Is No Growth - Peters Speech

Life Will Mean Life When I’m PM, Says English - While Helen Clark clearly could not be bothered attending today's Law and Order march in Wellington the least she can do is let people know how she voted in the 1999 referendum on tougher sentencing, says National Party Leader Bill English. See... English Supports Victims Of Crime

Scare Tactics Threaten Economic Growth – Anderton - If there is anything that can slow our economic growth and shatter what has been built by the Clark/Anderton Government over the last three years it is a return to the policies of the past and the negativity they bring with them. See... Where to from here? - Jim Anderton Speech

Farmers Fans Of Golden Weather, Not Labour - “Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton is in la-la land if he thinks farmers or the rural sector are fans of Helen Clark or her Labour Government,” says National's Agriculture spokesman Gavan Herlihy. See... Sutton In La-La Land Over Farmer Support
MORE:
- Jim Sutton - Labour True Champions Of Rural People
- Laila Harre - Alliance releases Agriculture Policy

Labour Offers More Than A Charter For Broadcasting - The next Labour government will continue to develop partnerships with all those involved in the broadcasting sector to ensure more local content, Broadcasting Minister Marian Hobbs said today. See... Broadcasting partnerships promised and Labour Party Broadcasting Policy

Govt’s NCEA Implementation Inept, Says Smith - The Government's failed implementation of the new school qualification is the real scandal of this election, says National Education spokesperson Nick Smith, in today releasing a survey of teachers on the NCEA. See... Survey Confirms NCEA Qualification Debacle

Robson Offers Superannuitants Some Winter Warmth - Fifteen dollars a month rebate on power bills during winter for all superannuitants is a cornerstone commitment for the Progressive Coalition, candidate Matt Robson told a meeting of Greypower members in Christchurch today. See... Progress in cabinet – not threats

Dalziel Hails Return To State Accident Compensation - “Labour has delivered on its commitment to return the ACC scheme to its founding principles of community responsibility, comprehensive entitlement, complete rehabilitation, real compensation and administrative efficiency. See... Dalziel releases Labour’s ACC policy and Labour On ACC

How Prebble Wrestled The Worm & Won - ACT leader Richard Prebble says he's pleased by the results of last night's “worm” debate, given the fact that ACT's polls show undecided voters are mainly ex-Alliance supporters who can't work out which party on the Left to support. See... ACT's Key Issues Of Concern To All Nzers

Silly Chooks To Be Released Into Natural Habitat - The Greens will launch their Animal Welfare policy tomorrow (Wednesday 17) at midday with the symbolic release of three ex-battery hens in parliament grounds. See... Greens launch animal welfare policy

Hobbs Promises A Real Broadcasting Policy - Broadcasting Minister Marian Hobbs says National’s broadcasting policy is lightweight, vague and lacks commitment to public broadcasting. See... National's Broadcasting Policy Hides Real Agenda
SEE ALSO:
- Nats Policy - Culture, Commerce And Content

Golden Weather Backdrop To Labour’s Rural Policy - We've been lucky during the past three years. Generally speaking, New Zealand's farmers have never had it so good. A unique combination of good climatic conditions, a low dollar, and good international prices have resulted in record incomes for farmers. Good things, of course, do not last forever. See... Jim Sutton Speech At Riverside Field Day. See also... Cullen Speech To Federated Farmers National Conference

The New Zealand We Fought Two World Wars For - An academic from Victoria University recently called for New Zealanders to “share their beautiful country’ and asked whether we want to keep our country for ourselves. Well I’ve got news for that ivory tower dweller. Yes we do want our country for ourselves! We fought two world wars for that right. See... The New Beneficiaries - Winston Peters Speech

National’s Big Plans For Forestry Industry - “National recognises the forestry industry's contribution to the economy as well as its ability to contribute to New Zealand's future economic growth,” says National's Forestry spokesman Phil Heatley. See... National Backs The Forestry Industry

National’s Offering To Senior Citizens - National will increase funding for carer relief, education and to aged residential care facilities, National Senior Citizens Spokesperson Dr Lynda Scott said today releasing Nationals Senior Citizens policy. See... More Funding To Elderly, Veterans Card

Jim Anderton Defends His Regional Development Turf - “Comments on Radio NZ today by National Finance Spokesperson David Carter show that National is still against supporting regions and businesses,” said Industry and Regional Development Minister Jim Anderton. See... National Still Doesn’t Support Industry

Nats Favour More Private Sponsorship For Arts - A vibrant arts community is only as vibrant as the people within it, says Belinda Vernon, National's spokesperson on Arts, Culture & Heritage, releasing National's policy today. See... Being Kiwi - Celebrating Arts, Culture & Heritage

I'm Not Anti-Asian – Peters - According to research completed by Massey University, Maori came from mainland China. That means I have Chinese blood in me. All who have migrated to New Zealand, and that includes my ancestors, came to this country to find a better life for themselves and their children. See... One Country - Winston Peters Speech
MORE ELECTIONEERING ON IMMIGRATION:
- Winston Peters - Immigration Inquiry - Kiwis pay
- Michael Cullen - Auckland Chinese Meeting
- Lianne Dalziel - Speech - Labour’s immigration policy
- George Hawkins - Ethnic Affairs Policy - Phone Service

Peters Can Fix It, In Or Out Of Govt - The New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters today said he could not discuss the issue of forming coalition governments until the day after the election. See... Coalitions Not The Issue: Peters

Prebble Speech: ACT Polling Rocks, Govt Rocked - ACT's tracking polls have accurately predicted the official polls. Our polls predicted ACT breaking 6 percent, before the TV polls did, and we had National down to 24 percent. We have also tracked the rise and fall of New Zealand First. See... This Election Is Wide Open

Greens Push For Prevention Focus For Health - The Green Party wants 10 percent of the Health Budget dedicated to public and preventative health within five years, an additional $150 million each year. See... Focus On Health, Not On Sickness and Green Health Policy Summary

NZ First Cops It From Goff - “Last night on television and again this morning the Labour Party, which has become increasingly indignant about the Greens’ GE attack, launched their own attack on New Zealand First. We can expect much more of this over the next two weeks,” New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters said. See... Labour Declares War On New Zealand First

Progressive Coalition’s Pledge Leaflet - Everyone under 20 in jobs, education or training by 2005, as a step towards full employment. See... Progressive Coalition - Cornerstone Commitments

Electoral Rolls Available For Scrutiny Wednesday - The electoral rolls that will be used for this year's general election will be available for electors to check their enrolment details from this Wednesday 17 July. See... Electoral Rolls On Display From Wednesday

Anderton Campaigns Up The Line - It is probably the most negative campaign I have ever seen. It is certainly a campaign based on fear and threats. See... Jim Anderton speech to public meeting in Levin and Progress for older NZers - Jim Anderton Speech

Cullen Talks The Talk With Grey Power - Over the years, I have had many stimulating discussions and debates at Grey Power meetings. While we have not seen eye to eye on some of the detailed questions regarding super policy and other issues affecting older New Zealanders, I believe that we share a belief that governments should mean what they say and say what they mean. See... Michael Cullen Speech to Grey Power

Campaign Being Fought On Wrong Battleground - The Labour Party has spearheaded the first ever 'phoney' election in New Zealand's 150 years of parliamentary history. It is phoney, not only because the campaign is being manipulated by a political agenda, but also because of the false war being orchestrated between Labour and the Greens. See... Let's Take Back The Election Agenda

Age Concern’s Election Issues - Age Concern believes New Zealand can have a fabulous future. The World Health Organisation says 'Ageing is a privilege and a societal achievement. It is also a challenge which will impact on all aspects of 21st century society.' See... Key Issues To Promote NZers Ageing Well

Bread, Milk… Oh Look, There’s Richard Prebble - I am visiting Jay Dee's Dairy today - a dairy which as been robbed three times - to make a point. There has been a crime wave of violence directed against the new New Zealanders who run small businesses, such as dairies. See... Violence Against Small Business Owners Ignored

Peters’ Economic Prescription - New Zealand’s economic performance has been poor since the mid 1980s. We need to change that. One reason for our poor performance has been the myopic focus on the reduction of inflation. See... 2020: A Vision - Winston Peters Speech

Greens Propose A Different Sort Of Justice - Green MP Nandor Tanczos today launched the party's justice policy, calling for a moratorium on new prisons. See... No More New Prisons And Justice That Works

National Calls For More Bobbys To Beat Burnout - It's no wonder police are struggling to find time to take leave when police stations around the country are struggling to find frontline staff, says National's Police spokesman Tony Ryall. See... Police Risk Burn Out Over Staff Shortages

Industry Creates Jobs, Not Romantic Idealism - Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey today attacked the Green Party for their failure to address the issue of sustainable job creation. See... Maharey – Greens anti-jobs and Record Number Of Employment Placements Achieved

Alliance Promotes “Zero Waste Of People” Policy - Alliance leader Laila Harré launched an employment policy in Dunedin today that pledges to restructure Treasury and reorient the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy to ensure that full employment is a key economic goal. See... Employment Policy Promotes “Zero Waste Of People”

Anderton Plans More Regional Development - Progressive Coalition leader Jim Anderton today told Greymouth Grey Power members that the Progressive Coalition wants every region to get a major $2 million initiative every three years. See... $2m regional initiative every three years and Jim Anderton Speech To Buller Grey Power

Can't Trust Greens, Guess That Leaves Me – Anderton - “The Greens’ tactics and threats, show that the Progressive Coalition is the best option for a coalition with Labour,” says Progressive Coalition leader Jim Anderton. See... New Zealanders have Progressive option

Harre’s Policies For Her - Alliance leader and Women’s Affairs Minister Laila Harré has released a women’s policy aimed at improving women’s health and wellbeing, and progressing their economic equality and educational outcomes. See... Alliance releases Women’s Policy

Prebble Makes A Skyhawkish Speech - I've come to Ardmore today to launch ACT's defence policy because based here at Ardmore are planes in the Warbirds Squadron - fighter aircraft from the Second World War, that are flown by enthusiasts. See... ACT is Campaigning on Security - Prebble Speech

Sue Out Of The Office, Into The Community - Thanks very much for coming along today to share in our launch of the Green Party's Income Support and Community Economic Development policies. See... Greens launch CED / Income Support policy - Speech

We Can Handle The Truth, Helen, Says Hide - "Helen Clark has run down New Zealand's defence capability but has been refusing for over a year to release the advice that the Chief of Defence Carey Adamson gave her government,” ACT Finance Spokesman Rodney Hide claimed today. See... PM Challenged to Come Clean on Defence Advice

Greens Launch Nasties Tax Policy - Green Party Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today launched the party's Ecological tax reform policy outside the toxic waste site at Mapua, near Nelson. See... Making the polluters pay

Anderton’s Health Policy - Hospitals Close By - Progressive Coalition leader Jim Anderton today told Orewa Grey Power members that the Progressive Coalition wants 90 per cent of New Zealanders to be within 60 minutes by road of a hospital offering general specialist services. See... Hospitals to be 60 km from 90 % NZers

Labour Transport Policy Neither Here Not There - Labour's transport policy is a mish-mash of cliches and contradictory objectives, ACT leader Richard Prebble says. See... Labour's Transport Policy Is A Mish-Mash and Labour's Transport Policy Is Completely Lacking

Labour Transport Policy: Social & Economic Goals - Transport Minister Mark Gosche says Labour’s transport policy will help New Zealand’s economic development as well as meeting social and environmental goals. See... Labour’s Transport Vision

Nats Want To Banish PC From Family Court - New Zealand’s family law system must keep pace with a changing society and not be hijacked by political correctness, says National’s Justice spokesperson Wayne Mapp. See... A Modern, Commonsense Approach To Law

Winston Peters’ Discipline Formula - New Zealand First knows the answer. We will introduce military or community service training for the young unemployed in trouble and for some first time offenders. See... Is This Really The Way You Want It? - Peters

Dumb & Dumber - “National had 9 years to introduce its “You Stay, We Pay” tertiary policy and didn’t do so for a simple reason – it is stupid,” says NZ First education spokesperson, Brian Donnelly. See... Dumb And Desperate: Pay To Stay

Progressive Coalition’s Happy Deal For Youth - Progressive Coalition candidate, Matt Robson today launched the party’s over-arching youth strategy in a document titled Healthy Heads and Happy Hearts. See... Healthy Heads And Happy Hearts and Healthy Heads and Happy Hearts

Use The Private Sector – ACT’s Health Solution - It is significant that not one independent health professional has been prepared to state that Labour can achieve its promise of reducing waiting lists. ACT's policy is the only practical, workable solution. See... Only ACT Is Campaigning on Health and Labour Should Come Clean on Contracting Out

Extra Current For Bright Sparks - Government policy has taken a major step forward and for the first time is offering substantial more support for gifted and talented students. See... Govt Support For Gifted And Talented Children and Navcon Conference - Trevor Mallard Speech

Scoop Link: The Paintergate Report - The full police report into Paintergate is now available. See... Full Police Report On PM's Art Forgery - HTML Version or Adobe PDF Version - Via act.org.nz
MORE:
- Bill English - Five Questions Helen Clark Must Answer
- Winston Peters - Paintergate's A Diversion
- Bill English - What more don't we know?
- Police - Inquiry into allegations

Accept Liability For GE Mishaps – Greens’ Challenge - Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons is challenging the Government to put their money where their mouth is and accept liability for any “accidents” involving GE released into the environment. See... When GE Goes Bad
TODAY’S GE NEWS ROUND-UP
- Govt - Work on GM liability - Law Commission
- Life Sciences - Strict Liability is Not Appropriate for GM
- GE Free - Govt Suppression of GM liabilty Report
- Govt - GM Tamarillo Trial Concerns
- Life Sciences - Europe rapidly adopting GM
- Scoop Feedback - Regarding Adrian Picot On GE

Winston’s Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Thank you for joining us here tonight. This speech will not be reported in your paper, and this meeting will probably not feature on the television news. See... The Manipulators - Winston Peters Speech

Cullen Recaps Labour’s Economic Policy - Thank you for your warm welcome. Yesterday I had the pleasure of launching Labour’s economic policy. It sets out the kind of fresh mandate we are seeking to provide leadership and public investment in the New Zealand economy. See... Speech to Gisborne Chamber of Commerce Luncheon

The Secret Literary Life Of Economists - “Dr Cullen’s bad policies are like a fat jockey slowing down a race- horse,” National list candidate and former Governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr Don Brash, said. See... Blame The Fat Jockey Not The Horse: Brash and Mistruths Tangled In Metaphors - Cullen

We Can Stop Crime – Stephen Franks - This morning I want to show you that New Zealand does not have to accept its current level of crime. Our crime level is a politically inflicted wound. It is within our capacity to solve it, as experience in New York has proven. See... Zero Tolerance Has Worked In New York

National & Labour Release Rural Policies
- Bill English - National Aims For Strong Rural Communities
- Jim Sutton - Labour Releases Its Rural Policy

Labour’s Tourism Policy - Labour is committed to actively pursuing, in partnership with tourism sector stakeholders, the vision for a sustainable tourism future outlined in the NZ Tourism Strategy 2010. See... Labour On Tourism and Labour working in partnership with the tourism
REACTION:
- Katherine Rich - Labour Tourism Waffle

Alliance Makes Pledge On Housing - Alliance Leader Laila Harré today released her party’s Housing Policy, saying the Alliance had a very strong commitment to making sure every New Zealander had access to affordable, high quality housing. See... Alliance To Deal With Housing Shortage and Alliance Housing Policy 2002

Nats Oppose Treaty Clause In Local Govt Bill - A National Government will continue a partnership approach with local bodies, and work to ensure services provided by central Government, regional councils and local territorial authorities are not duplicated, says National's Local Government spokesman Alec Neill. See... National On Local Government

Shirley Campaigning In London This Week - ACT Deputy Leader Ken Shirley said today that he has contacted thousands of kiwis in Britain who are eligible to vote ahead of his visit to London this week. See... ACT Deputy Leader Chases Votes in UK

Promenading Is Political - "Walking is the most democratic, healthiest and cheapest form of transport. We create no emissions, don't wear out the footpaths, make the streets safer by our presence and affect retail profit most directly," says Green candidate Celia Wade-Brown. She was pleased to be included in consultation on the draft New Zealand Transport Strategy. See… Walking Should Come First

Green Campaign Launch: I Have A Green Dream - I look forward to the day when it is accepted as obvious that we will not build a knowledge economy if students have nothing to live on while they study; that it does not make sense for each individual when they move around a city to cart a tonne of metal with them; that enough food for all can be grown without pesticides; and that New Zealand does not need or want GE outside the lab. See... Jeanette Fitzsimons Speech to Campaign launch and Donald Campaign Launch.: Why Settle For Less?

Nats Tertiary Ed Policy: You Stay, We Pay - “The New Zealand Universities Students Association (NZUSA) need to get their facts right on National's Tertiary education policy,” says National's spokesman Maurice Williamson. See... Read the policy again and National's tertiary policy applies to all students
REACTION:
- Bill English - Quality and choice
- Steve Maharey - National’s policy offers nothing
- ATSA - Labour & Nats Both Half Right
- NZUSA - Students Will Pay if Bill Gets His Way

Want Health Policy? Knock Yourself Out
- ACT - We Need a Public/Private Partnership in Health
- ACT - ACT Health Policy Launch
- Alliance - Alliance Releases Health Policy - KiwiCare
- Labour - Labour On Health
- Labour - Labour's vision for affordable health
- Labour - looking healthy; National’s feeling sick

English Takes It To The Wellington Town Hall - National stands for a strong economy. National stands for standards in education. National stands for tougher sentencing. National stands for settling Treaty claims. See... English Address to National Party Conference. See also… Sowry Address to National Party Conference

ACT Campaign Launched: We’re #3 - We are launching today ACT's election campaign. Today's launch is another first - an international rally. See... ACT Campaigning on the Real Issues

I Did Not Meet Mr Anderton In That Closet - “Media enquiries today relating to Matt McCarten’s suggestion that I was found in a wardrobe when having a meeting with Jim Anderton result from further figments of an over fertile imagination,” New Zealand First Leader, Winston Peters says. See... McCarten McStaken

Peters’ Gravy Train Busting Gathers Steam - We have a gravy train here that makes the nepotistic Crown Forestry Rental Trust look like a philanthropic society. What we have is an industry which manufactures ‘spontaneous’ refugees for our south seas, soft touch paradise. See... Another Gravy Train Exposed - Winston Peters

Prebble Labels Peters A Racist - “Helen Clark is failing in the most important test of leadership, moral leadership and courage. It took no courage to criticise Jeanette Fitzsimons and whether the GE moratorium should be extended by 18 months. It does take courage and moral leadership to speak out against Mr Peters' racism,” ACT Leader Richard Prebble said. See... A challenge to Helen Clark

Labour Launches Economic Policy – Labour believes that economic policy should aim to promote sustainable and balanced economic development in order to create full employment, higher real incomes and a more equal distribution of income. See... Policy Launch: Labour On The Economy
MORE LABOUR POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Labour's Commerce, Communications and IT Policy
- Labour committed to science and innovation

Tanczos Negotiates Pansy Smear With Straight Bat - Green Auckland Central MP Nandor Tanczos today said the dirty politicking had started again with a homophobic poster being pasted around Auckland, alleging to be part of Nandor's campaign. See... Dirty politics starting already

Shops Black Out Against Dietary Supplement Rules - Health food stores across the country will “black out” products endangered by the Government’s proposal for draconian rules on dietary supplements. See... Health Food Stores Support Nationwide Blackout Day and Health Store Protest Action
MORE:
- Govt - Minister Says Misinformation Must Stop
- Greens - Greens back black-out day

Govt Considering Taxing People Out Of Cars - AA - A draft New Zealand Transport Strategy could raise petrol taxes by as much as $1 a litre if implemented a group of road user organisations warned today. See... Foundations for Massive Petrol Tax Increase Laid.
LINK: Leaked Draft Transport Strategy
MORE:
- Sue Kedgley - Road lobby over-reacting
- Judith Tizard - Transport Strategy Claims Outrageous
- Bill English - Cullen Must Come Clean On Tax Plans
- Penny Webster - Transport Strategy Is A Horror
- Belinda Vernon - Come Clean On Petrol Tax

Hide On Helen On Tax - “Helen Clark believes New Zealanders are low taxed. She opened her campaign declaring that New Zealand has tax rates “lower than anywhere in the western world, in fact lower than anywhere in the whole OECD except Mexico”. See... Helen Clark on Taxes

National Welfare/Employment Policy - New Zealand can do better in the fight against unemployment, says National's Employment spokesperson Bob Simcock, in releasing National's employment policy today. See... National Releases Employment Policy
REACTION:
- Steve Maharey - Rhetoric On Welfare Won’t Create A Single New Job
- ACT - National Welfare Policy Is A Start
- Anti-DPB Campaigners - Crap Policies Make Great Headlines

Labour Justice Policy Labour today outlined its key priorities and programme for the continuing reform of the justice system. See... Labour Justice Policy launched

How Green Are Our Greens? - NZ First MP, Brian Donnelly is calling on commentators to examine closely the ‘Greens’ voting record on GE and cloning issues. See... Greens Voting Record On GE Deserves Scrutiny

Green Tertiary Policy - Green MP Nandor Tanczos today released the party's Tertiary Education policy, saying that a universal student allowance and capped fees were needed to roll back the user pays model in education. See... Greens Throw Down Gauntlet With Tertiary Policy

Prebble’s Been Thinking Again - ACT has Rolls Royce polling. The real issues facing the country, in order, are health, education, law and order, and the economy. See... I’ve Been Thinking about the Election

National Immigration Policy - National will review the points system used for immigrants so that New Zealand can accept more immigrants who have the skills the country needs, National Immigration Spokesperson Marie Hasler said today. See... Employment Key To Migrant Success

Prog. Coalition Tertiary Education Policy - Education is not only a right, it is also an investment in a productive, healthy society. Our goal is to provide publicly funded early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary education. See... Progressive Coalition Teriary Education Policy

THE GE DEBATE:
- Greenpeace - Europe To Take Prize For Strictest GE Labelling
- Life Sciences - Flawed figures no basis for decision making
YESTERDAY'S GE NEWS & OPINION:
- Sustainability Cn. - Five Times More Risky for NZ
- Guest Opinion - Can We Work It Out?
- i/v Transcript - Sir Peter Elworthy On RNZ
- Life Sciences - How independent is the Sustainability Council? and Curious Contradictions
- Fonterra - Response To The Sustainability Council

More Of Our Leaders On Air - NZ On Air is pleased to announce the funding of a 'snap' one-hour election television special - an insight into politicians' pre-election fever as they prepare to woo voters. See... NZ On Air Gives Spin Doctors the Vote

New Offer For Secondary Teachers On Table - Education Minister Trevor Mallard today confirmed that the government has tabled an offer to PPTA members in response to the claim tabled on 21 June. See... Government Tables Offer To Secondary Teachers and Offer Seems Below Teachers’ Expectations - PPTA

Fitzsimons Intimates Govt May Not Pass Go - Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said that post-election negotiations would focus on whether 'it would be more sensible not to let a government form in the first place.' See... Could You Imagine This Chaos In Government?
MORE:
- Bill English - Labour And Greens All Wishy-Washy

The Kyoto Police - “As Labour continues with its head-long rush into ratifying the Kyoto Protocol farmers face the prospect of having inspectors roaming the countryside counting sheep and cattle,” says National's Agriculture spokesman Gavan Herlihy. See... Labour to unleash Kyoto police on farmers

Labour Releases Employment Relations Policy - Employment relations policy will continue on the current path of returning good faith and productivity to New Zealand workplaces, Labour Minister Margaret Wilson says. See... Labour committed to balance and safety at work and Labour On Employment Relations
REACTION:
- CTU - Commitment Welcomed
- Alliance - Push Labour On Industrial Relations
- Nats - Labour Shows True Anti-Business Colours

$80m For Kiwibank Should’ve Gone Into Police - The second Kiwibank armed robbery is a matter of grave concern, ACT Finance Spokesman MP Rodney Hide said today. See... Second Kiwibank Armed Robbery - Grave Concern

Prebble Talks Law & Order At The Scene Of The Crime - I've come here today to the pizza parlour where Marcus Doig was brutally murdered. I've come to register the country's outrage, not just at the senseless crime but also the fact that the man who did this evil act will receive no punishment. See... Do One Crime and Get the Second for Free

Labour Campaigning World-wide Too - The Labour Party is sending one of its second term MPs to promote the Labour message to the estimated 100,000 New Zealanders in London entitled to enrol and vote in the July 27 General Election. See... New Zealand Labour Campaign To Hit London

Greens Launch Their Everything (Environment) Policy - Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today released the Green Party's policy on the environment, saying the policy aimed to put New Zealand's industry, environment and economy on a sustainable footing. See... Greens Launch Policy On Environment
SEE ALSO:
- ECO - Environmental Gauntlet Thrown Down

Labour “Exploring The Feasibility” Of Health Tax - “Labour has made no commitment to introduce a dedicated health tax. We have committed ourselves only to exploring the feasibility of the idea,” Revenue Minister Michael Cullen said today. See... Setting The Record Straight On Health
OPPOSITION TAX ATTACK:
- ACT - Whip Lets Secret Tax Bombshell Out of the bag
- ACT - Labour Must Deny Secret Health Tax Plans
- ACT - Health Tax Would Be Crippling For Workers
- Nats - Voters Warned About Labour's New Taxes
- Nats - Labour's Tax Increase Agenda Revealed
- Nats - Govt Breaks Pledge With Another Tax Grab

Kids Buying Liquor Without ID - “It is quite unacceptable for young people to be able to buy alcohol without producing ID,” said Tariana Turia, Associate Minister for Health. See... Alcohol sales to young people must be checked and Alcohol Survey Results In ‘Wake Up Call’

Haden Brown Case Shows Sentencing Laws Inadequate - MP for Tauranga and Leader of New Zealand First, Rt Hon Winston Peters, today said “the case of Haden Brown who brutally bashed his mothers head in with a hammer, highlights the hopeless inadequacy of Labour’s new sentencing laws”. See... Sentencing Rules Highlighted As Hopeless
MORE:
- Phil Goff - Whangarei Sentencing

Labour’s Industry Training Policy - A skilled workforce is one of the drivers of growth and innovation. We will enable people to enhance their skills throughout their lifetime so that our country can become more prosperous and confident. See... Labour On Industry Training
MORE:
- Labour On Industry Training
- Labour commits to 250,000 in industry training
- Education and Training Leaving Age

Mixed Reaction To Painted Apple Moth Decision - Forest and Bird welcomed today's Cabinet decision to continue with targeted aerial spraying of painted apple moth in Auckland. Forest and Bird is advocating for painted apple moth eradication because of the threat it poses to native forests. See... Forest & Birds Welcomes Moth Decision
MORE:
- Re: Moth Pest Spray Date Announced
- Painted Apple Moth Aerial Spraying
- Painted Apple Moth

New GE Lobby Group Calls For 5-year Moratorium - Five eminent New Zealanders called for a five-year moratorium on the release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) at today's launch of the Sustainability Council of New Zealand. See... Call for Five Year Moratorium on GMO Release
REACTION:
- Marian Hobbs - Cautious Approach To GM Maintained
- Laila Harre - Alliance welcomes Sustainability Council
- ACT - Self-Described Eminent NZers
- Bill English - Nats Will Still Lift Moratorium
- GE Free NZ - Stand On GE Welcomed
- Greens - Sustainability Council Talks Sense
- Labour - Response To Sustainability Council
- Life Sciences - Extension of moratorium a contradiction

NZ Defence Experts Issue Green Paper - "Successive New Zealand governments have discouraged both public debate and public consultation about defence strategy. The result is an absence of any defence strategy, lower defence spending and an increasing specialization in high-risk ground forces." See... A Green Paper on New Zealand Defence Strategy and the full text of the Green Paper… Choice Or Chance? - NZers Thinking About Defence
More On NZ's Defence:
- Asia Pacific security challenges – Goff speech

Lee In The Clear On Personal Grievance Claim - “I welcome the Employment Tribunal's decision that there was no basis for a personal grievance claim brought by Darryl Evans against the Parliamentary Service,” Cabinet Minister Sandra Lee said today. See... Lee welcomes Employment Tribunal decision

It Speaks! Progressive Coalition Swipes At Greens - Jim Anderton said he was concerned but not surprised the Greens were talking about Coalition with National. See... Greens Coalition With National Huge Concern

National’s Environmental Alternative - “Members of the Bluegreens movement are over the moon that so much of their advice of environment and heritage issues has been incorporated into the National Party's policy for the coming election.” See... Over The Moon On National's Environment Policy
MORE:
- Forest & Bird - Bare Pass
- Nick Smith - Greens criticism all hazy
- Marian Hobbs - So What's New?
- Bill English - Leadership On Environment
- Jeanette Fitzsimons - Won't Clean Up Waterways

Left-Leaning Labour Member Expelled - Today the Labour Party has announced their decision to suspend my membership from the Labour Party. They claim to have done this purely because I am standing against Paul Swain (the Labour candidate) in the seat of Rimutaka. See... Expulsion from the Labour Party

Labour Education Policy Launched - Hon Trevor Mallard Minister of Education MP for Hutt South 3 July 2002 Education – the next steps forward A Labour-led government after the election will continue its programme to lift the standard of education for all New Zealanders. See... Education – the next steps forward
MORE:
- Excellence for schools
- Early Childhood Education – a focus for Labour
- Special Education to focus on student support
- Labour On Early Childhood And Compulsory Education
REACTION:
- ACT - Mallard's Last Act

Tertiary Education A Hot Topic - Student frustration at Labour's inability to deal with the student loan issue is understandable, says National Leader Bill English. See... Student loans frustration grows
MORE:
- NZUSA - 80% of NZers Support Universal Allowance
- ATSA - Labour Promise on Student Allowances Still Short and Maharey Promises Fee Maxima
- Medical Students - Medical Students Criticise Policy
- Young Nationals - Labour's Promise: More Student Debt
- Maurice Williamson - Another control-freak policy
- Nandor Tanczos - More Mediocrity From Labour
- Laila Harre - Labour’s Tertiary Policy Not Enough

Get A Real Job - Peter Brown MP should consult the PSA Journal: State Sector Conference Special December 2000 before accusing me of “sullying” the reputation of a Radio New Zealand journalist, says National MP Tony Ryall. See... Stick to stevedoring Peter. For Peter Brown’s offending comments see… Where Lies The Truth?

Donna Awatere-Huata Visits No Tree Hill - ACT's proposal to fast-track Treaty settlements is a great policy for Maori and for all New Zealanders, ACT Education and Maori Affairs Spokesman MP Donna Awatere Huata said today from One Tree Hill. See... ACT: Last Party To Represent All Of New Zealand. See also... One Law for All - Richard Prebble Speech

We’re Not Going To Take It – Winston’s One Liners The bleakness of our weather at this time of the year is testimony that this is no time to hold an election. See... We’ve Had Enough And We’re Not Taking Any More

Greens Super Policy - Green Party Co-leader Rod Donald today outlined the party's superannuation policy in a speech to a Grey Power meeting in Waikanae, north of Wellington. See... Donald Outlines Super Policy

Labour Needs A Coalition Partner – NZUSA - The New Zealand University Students’ Association (NZUSA) is describing the Labour Party tertiary education policy as a mixed bag for students that is lacking in specifics, and is saying it is further evidence of the need for a coalition government to ensure real progress on the issue of student debt. See... 5 out of 10, More Work Needed
LABOUR’S TERTIARY POLICY:
- Labour Tertiary Education Policy Builds On Access
- Key Role For Adult And Community Education
- Labour On Tertiary Education
- Labour On Tertiary Education
MORE REACTION:
- Nandor Tanczos - More Mediocrity From Labour
- Laia Harre - Labour’s Tertiary Policy Not Enough

Campaign 2002: Libz List - It’s A Dirty Job… - "At this election, and every election, you only have two clear choices," affirms Watkins. "You have the choice of Nanny State in a dozen different guises, or you have the Libertarianz - the only party standing for the freedom of the individual." See... Libz - Reluctant Politicians

ACT Kings Of The Online Campaign - ACT is building our election campaign around the web. Each day in the campaign ACT is going to hold a press conference around this time - live streamed over the web - so that we can talk directly with the voters. So that ACT can campaign not on personalities, but on the issues and ACT's positive solutions. See... ACT Leads e-Politics Campaign and Images: The Debit Card

The New Write: When Online Campaigning Goes Bad - Helen Clark is apparently furious about a cheeky website making fun of her - not, not No Crap (not yet anyway). See... The New Write 2/7/2002

Pupils Denied Playstation For PM’s Photo Op - Helen Clark has sunk to new levels by having a school open during the holidays so she could visit it with a camera crew, National's Education Spokesperson Nick Smith said today. See... School's Open - Clark's Latest Forgery

Retired Defence Officials’ Green Paper Welcomed - A National Government will not let New Zealand become a “defence beneficiary” as Labour intends through its plans for the future structure of the country’s defence forces, says Richard Worth, National Party Defence Spokesman. See... Labour’s Defence Concepts “Tragi-Comic”
GREEN PAPER:
- A Green Paper on New Zealand Defence Strategy
- Respect Views of Retired Defence Officials

Harré Smells A Grand Coalition - Alliance Leader Laila Harré has challenged Bill English to come clean and confirm that National will support Labour on confidence and supply votes, essentially forming a Grand Coalition between Labour and National. See... National And Labour Flirt With Grand Coalition

Campaign 2002: Labour Campaign Launch - I stand before you today, proud to be Prime Minister of New Zealand, and proud to be leading the New Zealand Labour Party in this election campaign. See... PM Helen Clark's Campaign Launch Address and Labour's Election 2002 Pledge Card
REACTION:
- Laila Harre -. Labour’s Pledge to National Voters

Campaign 2002: National Campaign Launch - Thank you for your work for the National Party - the party of the national interest, the party that wants New Zealanders to have the future they deserve, the party that shares the aspirations of New Zealanders from all walks of life and knows how a country ... See... 2002 Election Campaign Opening - Bill English

Campaign 2002: Alliance Campaign Launch - “I am often asked by profile writers and journalists why I turned to politics when most of my peers were turning to the first 15. Perhaps the truth is that I was just more scared of fast growing boys than the fast growing protest movement.” See... Alliance Campaign Launch - Laila Harre Speech

Campaign 2002: ACT Party List Released - The ACT Party has put forward an exciting list for the future, says Richard Prebble. See... ACT Party Releases List - Prebble Speech and ACT 2002 Party List
REACTION:
- Pete Hodgson - Bye Bye Act

Better Blue Green Than Red Green - The media prominence given to Bluegreens candidate Guy Salmon as a likely new National MP overshadows the probability that National Bluegreens MP's will out-number the Green Party in the next Parliament. See... More Bluegreens Than Red Greens In Next Parliament

Clark Led Govt Gets CTU Stamp Of Approval - “The Council of Trade Unions has no hesitation in recommending to union members to support the election of a Labour led Government on the 27th July,” said CTU president Ross Wilson today. See... CTU supports Labour led Government

Variations On Can We Fix It? Yes We Can - Why are we having an election in the middle of winter? What constitutional crisis brought this on? It is clear isn’t it? See... Labour In Debit? - Winston Peters Speech

Alliance Makes Family Benefit Pledge - The Alliance is committed to a universal family benefit paid to every family for every child, and will cut the taxes of those on the lowest incomes, Alliance leader Laila Harré announced today. See... Alliance Will Reinstate Universal Family Benefit and Speech to Forum on Children and Family Violence

Fertility Funding Cut - More than 100 babies will not be born in Auckland next year if the Waitemata Health Board carries out its threat to slash public funding of fertility treatment. See... Waitemata Health Board Denies Babies Life and Serious Health Cuts Under Labour Govt.
BACKGROUND:
- NZ Infertility Society - Inequity In Reproductive Health
- NZ Infertility Society - Family Commitment
- Nats - National To Fund Fertility Treatment

National’s Health Rescue Plan - National will implement a rescue package for district health boards which have accumulated a combined operating deficit of over $300m in two years, National Leader Bill English said today announcing National's Health Policy at the Mt Eden Medical Centre. See... National Announces Health Rescue Package
- National Will Address Mental Health Crisis
- National Will Stop Decline To Second World Health
REACTION:
- Annette King - Policy Barely Registers A Pulse

Richard Prebble Helps Interpret Labour’s Pledge Card - They're the promises you make when you're making no promises. Labour is a party that has run out of ideas. See... Richard Prebble's Letter from Wellington 1/7/2002

Green Cover Essential To Parliamentary Ecosystem - Green Party Co-leader Rod Donald has congratulated the leaders of Labour and National for highlighting the real issue in this election: the role and importance of the Greens in parliament over the next three years. See... New Zealand Needs Third Party Insurance

There’s An Even More Sensible, Pragmatic Way - United Future leader, Hon Peter Dunne, is calling on disgruntled National voters thinking of voting Labour to stop the Greens forcing an early election over GE to give their party vote to United Future. See... Disgruntled Nats Should Vote United Future

Labour’s Parental Policy - The skills parents need to be successful in a very demanding society are to be central to Labour’s policies if it is returned to government. See... Parents Council To Promote Positive Parenting. See also United Future NZ... Call For Empowerment Of Parents In Education

Tanczos Goes Skiing – Green Women’s Policy Launch - Nandor will be in Queenstown and Wanaka on Wednesday and Thursday 3 and 4 July. See... Nandor Hits The Slopes
- Greens Raise A Glass To Mourn Last Clean Water
- Greens launch Women's Policy

Cullen Calls Bill’s Bluff - Finance Minister Michael Cullen today challenged Bill English to give an assurance that National would back Labour on confidence and supply if the Greens tried to pull the plug over GE. See... Cullen Nets Two Porkies From English

Health Cuts Begin To Bite - Waitemata and Counties Manukau couples affected by infertility will be left without tertiary fertility services if two district health boards cut fertility services, says National's Associate Health spokesperson Dr Paul Hutchison. See... Serious Health Cuts Under Labour Govt.

Detention Decision An Affront To NZ’s Sovereignty - National - Justice Baragwanath's decision amounts to a free entry, open-door policy and constitutes a refusal to recognise the imperative of border security, says National's spokesperson for Immigration, Marie Hasler. See... Judge's Decision Overrides NZ's Sovereignty
MORE:
- Howard's End: Detention Mandatory Pigeon-holing
- Greens - Release Asylum Seekers Now, Say Greens
- Stephen Franks - Dithering Results In Bad Message
- Winston Peters - The Law Is An Ass
- Richard Prebble - Advertising For Boat People
- Phil Goff - Stark Message To People Smugglers

Bill English Launches Bulk Funding Mark II - National today announced a bold plan to raise education standards for young New Zealanders and put parents and principals in control of schools. See... National delivers bold reform plan for education and Bill English - Speech to School Principals
REACTION:
- ACT - National Takes First Step on Education
- Labour - National Education Policy – Boring Old Mistakes

Jim Anderton's In The Deep South - Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton today announced Industry New Zealand funding of $100,000 for capability building in Southland. See... Southland Gets $100,000 For Capability Building and Otago Receives $100,000 For Capability Building

Richard Prebble’s Been Surfing - If you log on to Labour's website, you could be forgiven for thinking there is no election. There's nothing on the site to indicate that Labour is campaigning. See... Labour's Secret Agenda -- Richard Prebble

Pete Hodgson Is Talking GE In Otago - “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming along and congratulations to the Otago Daily Times for its initiative.” See... ODT Sponsored Debate on GM - Pete Hodgson Speech

Winston Peters Is Mixing His Metaphors (Again) - In the Second World War the Germans used the term Blitzkrieg - lightening war - to describe a certain type of campaign. See... Will New Zealand Wake Up On The 27th Or The 28th ?
More From Winston:
- Final ACT List

Matt Robson’s In Prison - Four new self-care units at Arohata Women’s Prison for low security inmates nearing release will help break the cycle of offending for young women and their babies, Corrections Minister Matt Robson said today at the official opening ceremony. See... New Units Help Break The Cycle Of Offending

Young Nick’s Head Talks - Finance Minister Michael Cullen today welcomed the agreement by the vendor and the potential purchaser of the Young Nick’s Head Station to extend their offer for six weeks to allow negotiations with the local iwi. See... Cullen Welcomes Talks On Young Nick’s Head
MORE:
- Greens - Overseas Takeover Of Strategic Land
- Forest & Bird - Stronger Controls Needed

More Aerial Spraying Approved - The Cabinet has approved a $30 million programme to attempt to eradicate the southern saltmarsh mosquito around the Kaipara Harbour, Associate Biosecurity Minister Marian Hobbs announced today. See... Mosquito Eradication Programme Approved

TVNZ Changes In The Wind, Just Not Yet - Broadcasting Minister Marian Hobbs says that after further consideration she has decided it is not appropriate to direct Television New Zealand to include the charter in the company's Statement of Corporate Intent in this pre-election period. See... TVNZ Charter: Formal Implementation Delayed

E-Government = E-Politics - State Services Minister Trevor Mallard today welcomed an international survey that ranks New Zealand as third on a global e-government leadership index. See... International Survey Rates Our E-Government Highly

Ngati Kahu Treaty Settlement Progress - Settlement of the Ngati Kahu historical Treaty claims will move a step closer tomorrow when Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Margaret Wilson travels to Karepori Marae in the Far North. See... Ngati Kahu reaches Treaty settlement milestone

Wording Of Poll’s GE Question Misleading – Greens - Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said today a Herald poll was offering false hope to people that realistic conditions could be imposed on the release of genetically engineered organisms. See... Herald Poll Holds Out False Hope On GE Safety
MORE:
- Life Sciences - Poll Result Confirms Acceptance Of GM

Laugh All The Way To The Ballot Box - “Many young people are cynical and bored with politics. This website aims to show that politics is not necessarily boring, and that some parties do have a sense of humour,” says spokesperson Jamie Simpson. See... No Crap Is Back

Business Welcomes Nats ACC De-regulation Policy - “Returning to manufacturers the right to choose their accident insurer is a step in the right direction,” said John Walley, CEO of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association. See... National ACC Policy Gets the Big Tick
MORE:
- Federated Farmers - Importance of Competition
- Nats - National Will Offer Accident Insurance Choice

Talks With Northland DHB Over Safety Issues - Health Minister Annette King says she has asked the Ministry of Health’s Deputy-Director General of Clinical Services Colin Feek to convene a meeting with Kaitaia and Whangarei clinicians next weeks, to discuss clinical credentialing issues affecting the Far North. Kaitaia Hospital Safety Concerns
SEE ALSO:
- ACT - Labour Breaks Health Promises

National Finds Something To Like In The Polls - National Party Leader Bill English isn't at all surprised by the Waikato Times latest poll which shows Nationals Sandra Goudie moving further ahead in the key seat of Coromandel. See... National continues to poll ahead in key seats

Overseas Green Candidates Campaign World-wide - The Green Party is looking to boost its number of overseas special votes by selecting two list candidates based in Sydney and London. See... Green Candidates Rally Overseas Vote

Nats Pledge Family Assistance Overhaul - New Zealand is not giving all of it's children the best start in life and is failing to ensure the best care of young children in vulnerable families that desperately need help, National Leader Bill English said today. See... National Will Give Our Children A Better Start

The Anti Zoning Zone - ACT Education Spokesman Donna Awatere Huata will tonight launch a pressure group of concerned parents and education professionals who want to eliminate unfair school zoning. See... Anti-Zoning Pressure Group Launch

General Strikes Are Coming - Margaret Wilson's attempts to ratify conventions that could allow general strikes gives a clear message of what to expect if voters return a second-term Labour Government, National Industrial Relations Spokesperson Simon Power said today. See... General Strikes - Labour's Hidden 2nd Term Agenda

Prebble’s Been Speaking - This is the election you have when you are not having an election. Labour, with its mile-high polling, is trying to do as little campaigning as possible. I have checked Labour's website. See... Let's Have an Election - Richard Prebble Speech and Govt Suppressed Crime Survey

It’s Not Too Late For The Skyhawks - The ACT Party will reconstitute an airforce strike capability, ACT leader Richard Prebble said today, in response to a call from the Save our Squadrons Campaign. See... ACT Will Restore Air Strike Wing and Clarify Air Combat Force Policy - SOS To National

Green List A Rainbow - The Green Party has become the first major political movement in New Zealand history to do more than pay lip service to gender equity, with the release today of its candidate list. See... Green List Makes History and Green Party List

We’re Picking Up National Votes Too, Greens Say - Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today said a number of National Party supporters have told her they will be switching their party vote to the Greens over the party's commitment to keep GE out of the environment. See... National Voters Coming To Greens Over GE

Bringing Race Into Sentencing Outrages SPCS - The SPCS executive committee believes that most New Zealanders would be outraged by Fairbrother’s attempt to play the ‘race card’ and invoke a ‘doctrine’ of racial hegemony to ‘explain’ Alder’s criminal behaviour in order to lobby for a reduced sentence. See... Playing The Race Card And Conduct Most Heinous

Reclaiming Our Place In The OECD Food Chain - I was very pleased to learn that the theme of the conference is “Back into the top half of the OECD: New Zealand’s long run economic performance’. See... Cullen To NZ Association of Economists Conference

PREFU Comments A Road To Damascus – Peters - “I think he’s finally got it,” the New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters said today in response to Labour’s Cullen belatedly suggesting it was time for the Government to look at the Reserve Bank’s policy target agreement. See... Peter's Welcomes Cullen's Damascus Experience
MORE:
- David Carter - Dr Cullen Asked To Explain What He Means
- Deutsche Bank - PREFU 2002 and Comments by Cullen
- Michael Cullen - Prefu outlook strongly positive
- Bill English - Soft On Inflation? - Slashing Of Health
- David Carter - That's As Good As It Got!

Greens Say They’ll Put The Brakes On Wgtn Bypass - Green Transport Spokesperson Sue Kedgley said only the Greens had a strong position opposing the proposed inner city bypass and the party was determined to make sure the proposed project was evaluated against a new set of criteria negotiated between the Greens and the Government. See... Greens committed to stopping inner city bypass
ROAD FUNDING ANNOUNCED:
- Transfund - National Land Transport Programme
- Govt - Launch of National Land Transport Programme
- Govt - Land Transport Investment Welcomed
- Govt - Funding boosts economic development
- CBC - Bypass Funding Uncertain
- ACT - Flawed Labour Policy
- Nats - Transfund left in the lurch?
- Federated Farmers - Political Priorities

Looking For LOV - The process of acquiring new light operational vehicles for the New Zealand Army to replace the ageing Landrover fleet is now getting underway, Defence Minister Mark Burton announced today. See... Defence Minister Announces Major Tender

Work On A Deal Over Holidays, Huata Tells PPTA - It is appalling that the PPTA will waste the school holidays instead of using them to work on a deal with the Government, ACT Education Spokesman MP Donna Awatere Huata said today. See... PPTA Should Use Holidays To Reach Deal

Boost For Canterbury Women’s Health - Health Minister Annette King says women's health services in Canterbury will receive a major boost with a $79 million redevelopment for Christchurch Women's Hospital. See... Minister Announces $79m Redevelopment

Hold Off On NCEA Until It Can Be Made To Work - Reports today of an Auckland school shunning the National Certificate for Educational Achievement highlights the urgent need for the qualification to be reviewed, says National's Education spokesperson Nick Smith. See... Review NCEA Before More Schools Back Off
SEE ALSO:
- ACT - Rejection Of NCEA Is Just Starting

NZ Increasingly Resembling Clockwork Orange - Peters - When we launched the New Zealand First 2002 Election campaign on 17 June we said we would do things in the next three years: that this election was about the rights of ordinary Kiwis. See... Fixing The Lawlessness - Peters Speech

DHB Appointments - Health Minister Annette King today announced the appointment of five new board members to District Health Boards, a new chair of Waikato DHB, and the reappointment of the current chair of Tairawhiti DHB. See... New Appointed DHB Members And Chairs

NZ To Challenge US Steel Protectionism - New Zealand would pursue a legal challenge at the World Trade Organisation against the safeguard measure on steel imports imposed by the United States for a three-year period in March, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton announced today. See... New Zealand To Take Steel Case To WTO
SEE ALSO: NZ Wins WTO Case Against Canadian Milk Subsidies

PM Won’t Re-visit Cave Creek - Prime Minister Helen Clark has today advised Christchurch lawyer Grant Cameron that she does not intend to get involved in a re-examination of issues around the Cave Creek tragedy. See... Cave Creek Inquiry

Govt Help For Clean Up In Weather Bomb’s Wake - The Thames-Coromandel District Council will receive an ex-gratia payment of up to $330,000 in response to last week’s civil emergency, Civil Defence Minister George Hawkins announced today. See... Government Responds To Thames-Coromandel Disaster

What Nurses Want - “We hope the experience and advice of our more than 32,000 members will be taken into account when the parties are preparing their election policies,” president Jane O’Malley said. See... Nurses Organisation election manifesto release

Life Sciences Definition Of Safe Doesn’t Satisfy - Despite GE foods having been approved and released into our food chain without any long term testing, Life Sciences Network is claiming that ‘Approved use of GM is safe’. See... Life Sciences Network Hedges Bets On GE Safety
TODAY'S GE PR BOMB:
- Life Sciences - Greenpeace Can’t Face Facts
- Consistency Not Their Strong Suit
- PSRG - Look At Research Into Foods
- Greens - Aus Govt Admits It's All Or Nothing

Jim Anderton’s Progressive Coalition Registered - General Secretary Marty Braithwaite today welcomed the registration of the Progressive Coalition by the Electoral Commission. See... Progressive Coalition Registered and Registration For Another Political Party

Crime Survey Suppressed, Says ACT - ACT leader Richard Prebble has written to Justice Minister Phil Goff, seeking the immediate release, under the Official Information Act, of results of a household crime victim survey carried out by the Justice Ministry at the end of last year. See... ACT Seeks Release of Crime Survey and Prebble Speech

Kedgley’s Complaint On the Go As Smoker Sues - Green MP Sue Kedgley today welcomed the first legal action against New Zealand tobacco companies and said she was awaiting the outcome of her complaint to the Commerce Commission against deceptive and misleading practices by tobacco companies. See... Greens Await Outcome Of Complaint Against Tobacco
SEE ALSO:
- Libz - Another Cigarette Smoker In Denial

Scoop Link: Helen’s Unkind Pretender - Helen Clark’s official election campaign site has an imitator. And in this case it could probably not be said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. See... Scoop Link: Follow Which Leader?

McCully Under Fire Over Maori Grants Attack - Over $17 million in grants to 2019 Maori organisations have been attacked by National MP Murray McCully as "a politically-driven , racially-based slush fund." See... Politically-driven, racially-based fund - McCully
REACTION:
- Winston Peters - National's Policy A Sham
- Parekura Horomia - McCully speaks for Maori Members
- Stephen Franks - Test National On Its Treaty Policy
- Winston Peters - McCully Can’t Be Serious

Everything You Need To Know About ACT Policy - We believe people flourish and prosper when they have control over their own lives, and that individuals - not governments - know best how to lead their lives and spend their own money. See... A Vision For New Zealand

Prebble’s Letter: Labour’s Risky Strategy - Helen Clark's snap election has caught her own party napping. In most electorates, Labour has not put up any billboards (most of its volunteers are teachers, who are on strike). Trevor Mallard is using last election's hoardings! See... Richard Prebble's Letter from Wellington 24/6/2002

Chief Censor Not Censorious Enough - “The availability of films, videos and DVDs featuring ‘sexual violence’ combined with ‘graphic violence’, to those 18 years of age and older, has dramatically increased since Mr Bill Hastings was appointed to the roles of Acting Chief Censor in December 1998 and Chief Censor in October 1999.” See... Sexually Violent ‘Entertainment’

More Maori Voters Digging The Greens - Green Party co-leader Rod Donald said the Green message was getting through to Maori voters, as a Marae Digi-poll today revealed the Green Party has broken the 10 percent threshold. See... Green Support Surges Amongst Maori Voters

Votegreen: Chock Full Of Open Source Goodness - The Green Party has today launched its new election website at http://www.votegreen.org.nz. See... www.votegreen.org.nz Launched

Helpline For Drug Users - The Associate Minister of Health, Hon Tariana Turia, announced today that the Ministry of Health is working with the Alcohol Drug Association to offer a Drug Helpline, similar to the existing Alcohol Helpline. See... New Drug Helpline Planned
MORE:
- Tariana Turia - Launch of Treatment Works Week
- ALAC - Support For Treatment Works Week

Peters Speech: Can We Fix It? Yes We Can! - There is an election coming. A winter election. A winter election following one of the shortest Governments of your lives. There is no constitutional reason for this election being held now. See... Security, Super, And Success

More Evidence Of Labour/Green Conspiracy - ACT Environment Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff says a public debate arranged at very short notice between Labour and the Greens for Dunedin this week further highlights the level of contrivance in the apparent “conflict” between the two parties. See... ACT Reiterates Support For Progress On GM

Student Groups Enthusiastically Greet Alliance Policy - The New Zealand University Students’ Association (NZUSA) is today challenging all other political parties to match the Alliance’s commitment to relieving student debt announced today in their tertiary education policy. See… Alliance Policy Sets Standard for Other Parties
MORE:
- ATSA - Alliance Education Policies On Right Track
- OUSA - Alliance Throws Down The Gauntlet
- Alliance - No more tinkering
- Staunch - Alliance Only Choice Left

To Spank Or Not To Spank? - “The Governor-General should be reprimanded for having made policy statements during the lead up to a general election,” stated Party Leader Graham Capill. See... Governor General Chastised
MORE:
- Correctives - Hands Off The GG, Capon!!!

Fortuin Speech: Racial Harmony & National Identity - Don’t ever apologize for your heritage… celebrate it and find ways where it can enrich your new homeland. Never allow anybody to strip you of your sense of selfworth and somebodyness because you are a migrant or a refugee. Dignity is what you carry in your inner being, not a label others bestow upon you or strip from you. See… Xenophobia or a Lack of National Identity

SPCS Promoting Unhealthy Attitude To Sex - “Consensual legal sex is not dirty, and the sooner the state gets out of the way of adults filming themselves acting legally, and letting adults decide for themselves and their children what they can see, the better!” declared Libertarianz Spokesman on Free Speech Scott Wilson. See... Anti-Sex Bullies Want State To Replace Parents
MORE:
- SPCS - “Baise-Moi”, Porn And French Children

Anderton Favours Breezy Waiata Over Turgid Dirge - Jim Anderton says he has proposed Pokarekare Ana be given status as a national song, alongside our National Anthem. See... Pokarekare Ana and Being a New Zealander - Speech

CTU To Host Labour/Green GE Stoush - The Council of Trade Unions has organised a debate on the crucial genetic modification issue between Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimmons and the Minister of Research Science and Technology Pete Hodgson. See... CTU Organises GM Debate Between Labour And Greens
GE SCRAP OF THE DAY:
- Pete Hodgson - New Zealand’s Science Future
- Jeanette Fitzsimons - Govt Sacrifices Truth
- Life Sciences - LSN Joins In GE Visibility Day Activities
- Greens - Fitzsimons To Debate GE With Hobbs, Hodgson

Peters On Greens: What You See Not What You Get - Beneath the bland and reassuring faces of Rod and Jeanette there lurks a strange menagerie of causes, - ideologies - fads - therapies and obsessions. Occasionally the mask slips. See... Kiwi Culture & Values Under Threat - Peters Speech

Independent Schools Oppose Relaxing Pot Laws - The principals heading the Independent Schools of New Zealand are unanimous in their condemnation of any relaxation of the current laws on marijuana. See... No Tick For Decriminalising Marijuana

Student Debt Levels Ahead Of Forecast - ATSA President, Julie Pettett, announced today that “if nothing is done to arrest the growth of this absurd scheme, we estimate that the Solicitor-General’s 17.5% prediction will confront the New Zealand working population by the end of 2008, fully sixteen years ahead of forecast.” See... Student Debt Warning Set To Arrive 16 Years Early

New Zealand Incarceration Rate Already Too High - Green Justice Spokesperson Nandor Tanczos today said the election hype on law and order was ignoring the evidence and treating voters' with contempt. See... Slogans No Substitute For Good Policy - Nandor

Corporate Citizens Must Face Responsibilities – CTU - “Huge multi-national companies like Carter Holt Harvey must recognise their responsibilities of corporate citizenship,” said Council of Trade Unions secretary Paul Goutler today. See... Call For Corporate Citizenship At Carters Rally

Kiwis More Violent Than Aussies - A Ministry of Justice report comparing New Zealand’s violent crime rate to other countries puts this nation significantly below the United States, Canada, England & Wales while slightly higher than Australia, Justice Minister Phil Goff said. See... International Crime Rate Comparison Study

Franks Cries Foul Over Post Piece - Presenting one academic's opinion on ACT's Crime and Justice policy as fact is extraordinarily biased journalism, ACT Justice Spokesman MP Stephen Franks said today. He was responding to the Evening Post's report of a university lecturer's views, without any attempt to get comment from ACT, or even other criminologists. See... One Academic's Opinion Is Not Fact

Housing Action Group Not Satisfied With Council Move - Auckland City Council's decision to carry on regardless in their sale of council housing is a blow to democracy, reason and humanity. Their only concession, in the face of massive opposition to the annual plan, to establish the interest of central government and Housing New Zealand before proceeding with the sales programme, means nothing. See... Auckland City Councillors Ignore People's Voice
SEE ALSO:
- City Council - Govt. interest in housing
- Open Letter To Auckland City Councillors
- An open letter to all Auckland City Councillors
- Call For Councillors To Heed The Public

More Irie Vibes To The Eco-Nation - The Green Party and LOOP Recordings Aot(ear)oa have ordered a re-press of the Green Room 001 EcoNation CD after many stores sold out. See... Green CD A Sell Out and The Green Room 001: Eco-Nation

Guilty Verdict For Blake Killers Welcomed - Prime Minister Helen Clark today welcomed the decision of the Brazilian court in Macapa to find the six men accused of killing Sir Peter Blake guilty. See... Guilty Verdict On Killing Of Sir Peter Blake

English Calls For A Referendum On MMP - National will re-run a referendum on MMP before the next election, National Leader Bill English said today. See... National Will Hold Referendum On MMP

The Ol’ Health Select Committee Vanishing Trick #1 - The Labour Government now appears as manipulative and unprincipled on drug policy as the previous National-led administration, claim the Mild Greens. See... "New National" Cheat NZ Cannabis Reform

… And Vanishing Trick #2 - The New Zealand Medical Association is extremely disappointed that the Health Select Committee did not report back on its inquiry into Northland obstetrician Dr Graham Parry. See... NZMA disappointed at lack of Parry inquiry report

SA Tariff Bad News For NZ Meat - The South African Government's new tariff regime for imported red meat, which could have New Zealand exporters paying even more than 40 per cent already levied, did not seem justified, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said today. See... South African Tariff Increase Deplored

Waugh Convictions To Be Referred To High Court - Justice Minister Phil Goff has recommended to the Governor General the convictions of Alec Waugh be referred back to the High Court. See... Waugh Convictions To Be Referred To High Court

ACT Campaigning On Winston’s Turf - ACT New Zealand members of parliament will join candidates in the Bay of Plenty to launch a strong regional campaign for the party vote on Wednesday 26 June. See... ACT Will Launch Strong Regional Campaign In BoP

Bludgeoning Bureaucracy No Way To Pay Equity - New Zealand business should be alarmed at the latest Helen Clark and Margaret Wilson plan to “transform” the economy, says National's Finance spokesperson David Carter. See... Another Sledgehammer Plan For Business

Peters’ Company Tax Plan - “Australia’s PM John Howard will be weeping,” New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told a group of Auckland businessmen today. See... Peters Gives Exporters Hope

Work & Income To Help Redundant Meat Workers - Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey says that the Ministry of Social Development, through Work and Income will assist staff made redundant by the closure of the PPCS meat processing plant in Blenheim to secure alternative employment. See... Work & Income To Assist PPCS Staff To Secure Jobs

So Much For The Secret Payout Crackdown - Labour should reveal all secret payouts before the election, so the public can see they didn't deliver on their promise, National Leader Bill English said today. See... Did Labour Really Mean It?
MORE:
- Helen Clark - Newman In Cuckoo Land
- Trevor Mallard - Newman Should Get A Dose Of Reality
- PSA - ‘Golden Handshake’ Term Misleading
- Muriel Newman - Government Hypocrisy

National’s Teacher Crisis Solution - The Government is making no progress on the secondary teachers' pay dispute, particularly since Helen Clark announced last week there would be no more money available, says National Leader Bill English. See... National Will Pay Good Teachers More
REACTION:
- PPTA - And The Moon And Stars To Boot
- Trevor Mallard - National’s Empty Promises
- Nick Smith - Minister Needs Remedial Maths

Munted Members’ Cannabis Castle - “The Greens have proven themselves to be nothing more than a gaggle of high happy, hippy hoboes through their determination to have New Zealand become a Cannabis Castle in the South Pacific”, said New Zealand First Leader and MP for Tauranga, Rt Hon Winston Peters. See... Pot Plugging Greens Are Dis-Jointed
SEE ALSO:
- NORML - Cannabis Law Reform

Not Such An Old Coot, After All - I recently met a Chinese politician who was described to me as “one of China’s young, new breed of future leaders.” See... Anderton Speech To Upper Hutt Greypower

Educating Teenage Parents – Breaking The Cycle - “Getting teenage parents back to school and helping them to be good parents is key to preventing crime tomorrow,” says Corrections Minister Matt Robson. See... Keeping The Next Generation Of Kids Out Of Jail

Health Services At Risk - The strike by the nurses of Auckland's three district health boards shows that the Government is prepared to place Aucklanders' health services at risk, National Health Spokesperson Roger Sowry said today. See... Govt must act to ensure strike doesn't go ahead

French Affront To All That Is Moral - “Concern that French children’s attitude to sex is being warped by early exposure to hard-core pornography” is the subject of a recent news report in the Guardian newspaper. See... “Baise-Moi”, Porn And French Children

Waikato Water – You Can Drink It - Auckland Medical Officers of Health have approved water treated at Watercare Service Ltd’s new Waikato River Water Treatment Plant at Tuakau for supply to Aucklanders. See... Waikato Water Approved For Supply and Treated Waikato Water In Taps Soon

Labour/Green Stand-off Just A Smokescreen - Helen Clark's claim that Labour won't go into coalition with the Greens has no credibility, ACT leader Richard Prebble says. See... Labour Already In De Facto Coalition With Greens

Whose GE Polls Should We Follow? - The Chairman of the Life Sciences Network has taken issue with the results of a Green Party poll on the GE question. See... The voters dilemma, which polls to believe and Greens The Head Of The Dog, Not The Tail

More School Disruption – Call For Student Strike - “Overall students support the teachers, we don’t care if we don’t have sports, they just breed irrational attitudes towards authority and us and them mentality’s. Our teachers are more important than kicking around a ball on Sunday morning.” See... High School Student Strike
MORE:
- PPTA - National Stopwork Meetings Roster
- Trevor Mallard - Informal talks continue

Call For CTU To Withdraw Labour Party Funding - I am writing the CTU as a member of the Labour Party and former Chair of the Rimutaka Labour electorate committee. Writes Nick Kelly. See... Election Money

Survey Shows Super Savers Uncertain - Today's Saver Pulse Survey from Sovereign Financial Services shows a continuation of a very worrying trend says National Party Finance spokesperson David Carter. See... Savings Trend Is A Concern and Indecision As Numbers Saving For Retirement Drop
SUPER SPEECHES:
- Nats - David Carter To Women In Super
- Govt - Michael Cullen To Women In Super

A Simple Left Versus Right Equation - ACT leader Richard Prebble says he agrees with Bill English that the Labour Party's campaign is fundamentally dishonest. See... It's Labour/Green Versus National/ACT. See also… Greens Reject Labour and Labour's Green Ploy Dishonest -- English

Society’s Most Principled Reserve Right To Smack - The view that “smacking kids is assault”, expressed by the Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright in the weekend, is “quite erroneous” according to Rev. Gordon Dempsey, President of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards. See... GG's Views On Smacking Kids Attack Family

Get Mortgaged & Damn Dr brash - Jim Anderton is inviting New Zealanders to compare Don Brash’s actions with his rhetoric, after National’s new finance spokeperson attacked Mr Anderton today. “Under National’s Don Brash, the average homeowner with a $100,000 mortgage will pay another $100 a month in mortgage interest.” See... Brash Will Cost You $100 A Week

Recover Run Down Rail - Green Transport Spokesperson Sue Kedgley said the run down state of parts of the rail network and Tranz Rail's under-reporting of damage to it highlighted the need for Government to take back ownership of the asset. See... Rail Run Down Highlights Need For Buyback

The Road To Hell Is Paved With Unsaved Kiwis - Despite Sandra Lee's good intentions, her contribution to the recovery of the Kiwi has been blighted by her failure to engage private landowners in management of indigenous wildlife. See... Sandra Lee's Good Intentions Were Not Enough
SEE ALSO:
- Pansy Wong - Lee departure opens up race for Auckland Central

If You Link It They Will Come - The ACT Party is continuing its campaign for the overseas vote which it predicts will be significant this election because of the introduction of e-voting. See... ACT Encouraged By Overseas Vote Campaign

She’s A Rainbow, He’s A Rainbow - Labour's potential coalition partner the Green Party has no policies on education other than an intention to train teachers about the diversity of sexual orientations, ACT Education Spokesman MP Donna Awatere Huata said today. See... Sexual Orientation Forms Main Plank

ACT Hanging Tough On Law & Order - ACT leader Richard Prebble said today he could prove his claim that a woman was more likely to be the victim of crime in New Zealand than America. See... Prebble Stands By Crime Claims and Crime Figures Suppressed by Government

Lee Joins Bunkle, Campbell And Bows Out - “It is no secret that I considered at the commencement of this Parliamentary term that this was likely to be my final term in the House,” says Sandra Lee. See... Lee Confirms Decision To Retire From Parliament
MORE:
- Jim Anderton - Sandra Lee Decision To Retire and Anderton farewells Bunkle and Campbell
- LGNZ - Local Government NZ Farewells Minister Lee

PPTA Moderates Industrial Action - PPTA National Executive has decided to suspend rostering home action from tomorrow (Tuesday) in the interests of student – and teacher – safety. See… PPTA suspends rostering home action
MORE:
- Trevor Mallard - Step In The Right Direction
- Trevor Mallard - Parents can send children to school
- Student Unions - OPSA and OUSA Support Teachers and OUSA Supports Student Actions
- ACT - Mallard's Claim Lacks Credibility
- NZSTA - Stop anarchy in schools
- PPTA - PPTA calls for calm
- PPTA - We’d rather have a settlement Mr Mallard
- Trevor Mallard - Disappointment With PPTA
- Nats - Mallard Must Be Sacked
- NZ First - Government Needs To Settle Now
- Alliance - Alliance Proposes New Approach

National’s List - 1 Hon Bill English Southern Clutha-Southland; 2 Hon Roger Sowry Lower North Island Otaki; 3 Hon Dr Nick Smith Canterbury/Westland Nelson; 4 Hon David Carter Canterbury/Westland Banks Peninsula; 5 Dr Don Brash Northern. General Election 2002- National Party List Ranking and Candidates’ Bios, Alphabetically By Constituencies
REACTION:
- Jim Anderton - Brash = High interest rates for families
- Don Brash - Anderton Needs An Economic Lesson
- Winston Peters - National Ship On The Rocks
- Guy Salmon - List Placement Confirms Leadership

Plain English: The Business End Of Campaigning - “Campaigning is the best part of politics. The public actually get interested in politics for a few, brief glorious weeks, and the politicians are reminded of the awesome power of democracy - thousands of people making up their own mind, instead of the weekly diet of media making it up for them.” See... Plain English - Fri, 14 Jun 2002

Human Head On Sheep Advert Dishonest - “Pure Food Coalition's emotive anti-GM advertisement in this mornings New Zealand Herald featuring a human head on a sheep is dishonest and an affront to the scientific process,” says ACT Deputy Leader and Health Spokesman Ken Shirley. See... Anti-GM Advertisement 'Dishonest'

Truths & Lies & Law’n’order - Statistics used by ACT on crime are spectacularly dishonest and deliberately misleading, says Justice Minister Phil Goff. See... Prebble Crime Statistics Demonstrably False . Goff’s comments follow Richard Prebble today launching ACT’s election campaign. See…A Crime Referendum That Parliament Can’t Ignore and Crime a Major Concern at Field Days.
More Law’n’Order:
- Corrections Minister Matt Robson says, “I believe that we can intervene at any stage of the life of an offender, from birth onwards.” See... If you want to stop crime, start early and Getting to criminals before they get to you
- National - Minister shuts down police website, Auckland police staffing crisis worsens

Winston Peters Launches Campaign Season - Over the years it has been a privilege to serve as your MP and to have the strong support from the people of Tauranga and Mount Maunganui and the region. See... Stopping Our Sleepwalk To The Third World and New Zealand First First

The Week In Politics According To Prebble - The Labour Party has signalled to the Greens that it wants a coalition (if the centre-left wins). Why? Labour's claim that it's going for an outright majority is bogus. No party has got over 50% since 1951. See... Richard Prebble's Letter From Wellington 17/6/2002

Bill’s Hankering For An Old-Fashioned Election “This year's election is an old-fashioned National versus Labour contest,” says National Party leader Bill English. Labour's Green Ploy Dishonest -- English

ENDS

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