Newsworthy 24 June 2005

Last 4 political polls 19 June - One/News/Colmar Brunton
Nat 43 Lab 41 18 June - Fairfax/AC Nielsen
Nat 38 Lab 40 16 June - TV3/TNS
Nat 36 Lab 40 3 June - NBR/Phillips Fox
Nat 38 Lab 37

Ten of the best Great achievements in New Zealand sport:

·Golfer Michael Campbell wins the US Open at Pinehurst, North Carolina - 20 June 2005
· Swimmer Danyon Loader wins two gold medals at Atlanta Olympic Games - 1996
· New Zealand yachtsmen win, and then defend the America's Cup - 1995 and 2000
· All Blacks win the inaugural Rugby World Cup, beating France in the final - 1987
· New Zealand's soccer team, the All Whites, qualify for World Cup in Spain - 1982
· Athletic John Walker wins gold in the 1500m at the Montreal Olympics - 1976
· Athlete Peter Snell wins 800m gold medal in Rome (1960) and 800m and 1500m gold in Tokyo (1964)
· Golfer Bob Charles wins British Open at Royal Lytham St Annies - 1963
· Edmund Hillary - with Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, conquers Mt Everest - 1953
· Tennis player Anthony Wilding wins the men's singles final at Wimbledon. Finishes a four times champion - 1910.

Ten of the worst - Harder to pick but since Labour came into office in November 1999 my picks include a growing recognition that the Government has:

- totally failed to deal with the divisiveness spawned by one particular interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi;
-perpetuated a culture of welfare dependency, with over 300,000 working age adults dependent on a benefit despite some of the best international conditions in a generation;
-created an absolute debacle in the way they have implemented the NCEA system;
-squandered hundreds of millions of dollars on sub-degree tertiary courses, with most of those who enrol in them failing to complete them;
-presided over a shambles in the 111 emergency call system;
-allowed some of the worst criminals in the prison system to get cash compensation for alleged mistreatment and "hurt feelings";
- allowed the Immigration Service to become totally dysfunctional, at considerable cost to both New Zealand society and to our international reputation;
- -spent a vast amount of money on the bureaucracy, but starved front-line teachers, doctors and nurses of resources; · multiplied compliance costs facing the business sector with changes to employment law, Holidays Act, RMA, HSNO, and OSH; and
- -failed to make any meaningful impact on the congestion on our roads.

It would be easy to add others including the current Kyoto debacle discussed below and the planned tax relief amounting to a derisory 67cents a week for New Zealanders earning less than $38,000 a year. And even that 67cents would not be available until 1 April 2008.

Kyoto When the Kyoto Protocol was ratified in 2002, Labour said we would have surplus credits of 54 million tonnes. They have now admitted a deficit of 36 million tonnes. This 90 million tonne difference amounts to $1.3 billion at $15 a tonne, the price of Labour's carbon tax, or $3 billion at $34 a tonne, the current price for carbon on European markets.

So a billion dollar error has been made in calculating New Zealand's carbon balance.

National will review its Kyoto policy to weight up whether it is in New Zealand's best interest to be the only country in the Southern Hemisphere with Kyoto obligations. Our major trading partners are simply not prepared to sign up to those obligations.

Prime Ministerial Honours The Prime Minister has continued to collect honours.

In December 2003 she received the Ceres Medal from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation "in recognition of her commitment to promoting international partnership and food security towards a safe and just world".

On Monday she received the Star of the Solomon Islands in recognition of an "exceptional contribution in restoring law and order in the Solomon Islands".

Doubtless this further supports her claim on 1 September 2003 when she said "I sometime wonder whether I am a victim of my own success as a popular and competent Prime Minister".

Political Quote of the Week "History is past politics, and politics is present history."- E. A. Freeman - English Historian

24 June 2005 No. 33

Upcoming Events

24 June Richard speaking at Rotary Club of Courtenay Place luncheon Official opening of AUT Art & Design building Somervell Memorial Presbyterian Church Centennial 24-26 June National Party Conference in Wellington 24 June - 25 July House in Adjournment 25 June Croatian National Day Order of St John Annual Regional Awards 26 June Opening of "Ten Minutes to Midnight" 20th anniversary of the Bombing of Rainbow Warrior

28 June Richard to address Rotary Club of Downtown Auckland NZ/France Friendship Fund reception in Wellington Lions vs Manawatu - Palmerston North 29 June Parliament reception for the All Blacks and Lions St Aidan's launch of Centennial Parish history

"From Royal Mail to E-Mail". 1 July Rotary Club of Epsom change-over night 2 July Lions vs All Blacks - Wellington 3 July Sensible Sentencing Debate in Christchurch "Lock them Up - Or let them loose". 4 July American Independence Day

HMNZS NGAPONA Change of Command ceremony 5 July Launch of Redevelopment of Auckland Art Gallery

Lions vs Auckland - Auckland 8 July Taiwanese Community fundraising dinner 9 July Lions vs All Blacks- Auckland 10 July - 12.15pm Epsom Electorate luncheon with guest speaker Hon Maurice Williamson speaking on Roading Now. Enquiries Sue Chatfield (09) 520 3532

ENDS

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