Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Friday, 26 August 2005, 11:17 am
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:
Labour And Greens Take Buzzsaw To National's Forestry Policy
RECOMMENDED AUDIO:
Lyndon Hood Pokes Good Clean Fun At Tax Cuts: Satire -
Former All Black Captain Becomes Fairfax CEO
Greens Urge Govt To Get Economy Into Balance
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
Venezuela Appalled At U.S' Defence Of Assassination Call
MORE WORLD NEWS HEADLINES:

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Janis Karpinski – The General Who Took The Fall For Abu Ghraib
Chuckman & Shultz On The Call For Chavez's Assassination
The Summer Of Cindy Sheehan
Keith Rankin On The Struggle Of UNITEC
No Right Turn On The War Clouds Over Iran
The Strange Tale Of Selective Humidity Striking Clermont County OH.
MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
Goff Cites Another National 'Flip-Flop'
United Ensures It Keeps Close To National
MORE POLITICS HEADLINES:

Labour And Greens Take Buzzsaw To National's Forestry Policy

National's forestry and environment spokesmen have contradicted themselves, Conservation Minister Chris Carter said today. "National's environment spokesman Nick Smith said on National Radio this morning and I quote: National's [forestry] policy has not yet been released. It will be released in the next few weeks and there is an absolute commitment from National that there will be less indigenous trees cut down. Now National's forestry spokesman Brian Connell has told NZPA that actually National's policy will definitely lead to more native trees being cut down. See... What is National's forestry policy? [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00648.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00677.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00640.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00639.htm

RECOMMENDED AUDIO:

[1] SCOOP AUDIO: Selwyn Manning on 95bFM with Simon Pound(Talks about the impressions of Election 05's first week of political campaigning.) [2] [3] SCOOP AUDIO: Selwyn Manning on Adelaide Radio(Talks about Awatere-Huata, Election Campaign 05, Andrew Wilkie, rock throwing crimes.) [4] [5] SCOOP AUDIO: Kevin List on Radio Active (Talks about the finance leaders debates and United Future's preference.) [6]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00202.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00202.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00195.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00195.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00193.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00193.htm

Lyndon Hood Pokes Good Clean Fun At Tax Cuts: Satire -

"A lot of people know the story about me and the socks," said National leader Don Brash in a recent Television broadcast, "The cost of having them washed by the hotel would have been a unacceptable burden on the taxpayer. So instead I decided to borrow the money and use the benefit derived from have clean socks to pay the debt and the compounding interest over the life of the sock." See... Lyndon Hood: Finance Briefs [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00213.htm

Former All Black Captain Becomes Fairfax CEO

- SYDNEY - David Kirk MBE, the Chief Executive Officer of PMP Limited, will be appointed CEO of Fairfax, replacing Fred Hilmer AO. Mr Kirk’s appointment will be effective from late November 2005. Mr Dean Wills AO also announced that he will be stepping down as Chairman and resign from the Board, effective tomorrow. The Board has elected Mr Ronald Walker AC CBE as Chairman. See... David Kirk Appointed CEO Of Fairfax [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0508/S00464.htm

Greens Urge Govt To Get Economy Into Balance

- The Green Party says the Government should stop sitting on its hands and actively intervene to reduce New Zealand's all-time record trade deficit before it tips the current account deficit into crisis. Statistics New Zealand today released July trade figures which show imports have risen and exports have fallen in the past month, leading to an all-time record July year trade deficit of $5.4 billion. See... Greens call for action on sick trade deficit [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00670.htm

MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0508/S00457.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0508/S00455.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0508/S00439.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0508/S00068.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0508/S00163.htm

Venezuela Appalled At U.S' Defence Of Assassination Call

- Caracas, Venezuela - Venezuela’s Ambassador to the U.S., Bernardo Alvarez, held a press conference and released a statement today, in which he highlighted that contrary to the State Department’s claim, Pat Robertson, who had called for Venezuelan President Chavez’s assassination, is “ no ordinary private citizen.” Earlier in the day State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack had said, “Pat Robertson is a private citizen and that his views do not represent the policy of the United States.” Later, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld echoed this, saying Robertson is “ a private citizen. Private citizens say all kinds of things all the time.” See... Venezuela’s Ambassador Condemns Robertson's Call [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0508/S00231.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0508/S00229.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0508/S00221.htm

MORE WORLD NEWS HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0508/S00238.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0508/S00234.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0508/S00232.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0508/S00220.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0508/S00216.htm

Janis Karpinski – The General Who Took The Fall For Abu Ghraib

- " I had been hesitant to speak out before because this Administration is so vindictive. But now I will ... Anybody who confronts this Administration or Rumsfeld or the Pentagon with a true assessment, they find themselves either out of a job, out of their positions, fired, relieved or chastised. Their career comes to an end." - Janis Karpinski, interview with Marjorie Cohn, August 3, 2005. See... Marjorie Cohn: An Interview With Janis Karpinski [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00209.htm

Chuckman & Shultz On The Call For Chavez's Assassination

- The Rev. Pat Robertson’s call for the US to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez brought a rare, small burst of US attention to South American politics. However, as we describe below, Robertson’s comments are just the cap to months of spinning by the Bush White House about the dark political threat hanging over this continent where I live, and Bolivia specifically. Here is the story of -- George Bush and Bad Intelligence: The Sequel. See... The False Intelligence Game In South America [1] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00208.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00197.htm

The Summer Of Cindy Sheehan

- Folks who watch the fair-and-balanced coverage of Fox News or perhaps CNN, the most "trusted name in news," might think Camp Casey is a neat new name for the Gaza Strip in Palestine or even a teenage hideout in Aruba. They would probably be surprised ... See... Sheila Samples: Suddenly, This Summer... [1] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00206.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00203.htm

Keith Rankin On The Struggle Of UNITEC

- Two important stories this year have been Unitec's long struggle for recognition as a form of university, and the record high balance of payments deficit that New Zealand is now experiencing. See... Keith Rankin: Universities of Technology [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00199.htm

No Right Turn On The War Clouds Over Iran

- Last week, in a scene strikingly reminiscent of the lead-up to America's current foreign policy disaster in Iraq, we saw President Bush blustering against Iran, threatening to use force unless that country ended its nuclear program. See... No Right Turn: Iran - No Military Solution [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00198.htm

The Strange Tale Of Selective Humidity Striking Clermont County OH.

- The 2005 Hackett-Schmidt contest for Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District took place in the midst of ongoing concerns about the 2004 Presidential election. Ohio was ground zero for Election Day irregularities, controversies, and charges of election fraud. See... The Veteran Of Fallujah Defeated By OH's Humidity [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00186.htm

MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00201.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00200.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00205.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00204.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00207.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00211.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00210.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0508/S00196.htm

Goff Cites Another National 'Flip-Flop'

- National's latest foreign affairs spokesman, Gerry Brownlee, has slipped deftly into his party's well-established ability to flip-flop over New Zealand's nuclear-free legislation, Foreign Minister Phil Goff said today. See... New spokesman, new nuke flip-flopper for Nats [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00664.htm

United Ensures It Keeps Close To National

- Unlike New Zealand First, United Future would be interested in talking with National after the election about its tax cut package, United Future leader, Peter Dunne, said today. "We were the first party to announce our tax policy back in May. It combines giving tax relief at all income levels through a $3000 tax free threshold and an increase to the other tax thresholds. "National's policy also focuses on raising the thresholds, so we think that provides a good basis for talks. See... United Future is committed to tax relief [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00631.htm

MORE POLITICS HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00642.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00643.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00641.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00668.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00649.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00667.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00659.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00651.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00660.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00650.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0508/S00644.htm

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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