Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Wednesday, 1 February 2006, 2:30 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:
Industry News: Unemployment Dropped 22 Percent In 2005
Foreign Affairs: Goff Supports Strong Security Council Message To Iran
Politics: Brash Delivers Orewa-III Speech On The Economy
Health: Counties Manukau Health Opens New $8m Neonatal Unit
Media: Critic "Date-Rape" Issue Banned By Censor
Scoop Audio: PM's Post-Cabinet Press Conference
MORE HEADLINES
US, EU threaten cut-off of funds to Palestinian Authority following Hamas victory
Iraq: Saddam Hussein Trial At Risk
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES

SCOOP COLUMNS:
State of the Union: Other Perspectives
MORE COMMENTARY

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
Defence: Kiwi soldiers To Remain In Bosnia For Another 14 Months
Electricity Sector: Price Controls Looming for Transpower
MORE POLITICS NEWS

Industry News: Unemployment Dropped 22 Percent In 2005

New statistics show that the number of people receiving an Unemployment Benefit fell by a further 14,543, or 22 percent over the year to December 2005. Social Development and Employment Minister David Benson-Pope says the latest quarterly benefit statistics prepared by the Ministry for Social Development highlight the strong gains the Labour-led government has made in moving New Zealanders off benefits and into work. The latest figures show that overall the total number of people receiving any kind of benefit decreased by a further 17,616, or six percent in the 12 months to December. See... Unemployment benefit numbers drop by 22% in 2005 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00015.htm

Foreign Affairs: Goff Supports Strong Security Council Message To Iran

- Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Phil Goff expressed New Zealand's support for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) extraordinary meeting in Vienna on February 2 and 3 to report Iran’s nuclear programme to the United Nations Security Council. "The unanimity of the concerns expressed by Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the United States should send a strong and clear message to Iran," Mr Goff said. See... NZ supports decision on Iran nuclear programme [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00016.htm

Politics: Brash Delivers Orewa-III Speech On The Economy

- National Party leader Don Brash says the chickens have come home to roost with the slowing economy: “Labour’s legacy is a faltering economy. We have the unedifying spectacle of a Prime Minister who is supposed to be leading the country, instead frozen like an opossum in the headlights of an oncoming Aussie truck… The collapse in business confidence is like the warning light on your petrol tank – ignore it at your peril. Well, it is flashing, and the Government is asleep at the wheel.” See... Economy suffers as Labour fails to act [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00001.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00002.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00011.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00003.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00009.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00004.htm

Health: Counties Manukau Health Opens New $8m Neonatal Unit

- A new $8 million neonatal unit will be a huge asset for families in Counties Manukau and the wider Auckland region, Health Minister Pete Hodgson said today. The unit – which had its official opening today at Middlemore Hospital – was developed following a national review of neonatal capacity in 2004. "Having a newborn baby with a serious illness is a tremendously difficult situation for any family to deal with," Pete Hodgson said. "The government has been determined to do all we can to ensure quality neonatal services exist for all New Zealand families. See... New neonatal unit to provide care for 600 newborns [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00014.htm

Media: Critic "Date-Rape" Issue Banned By Censor

- The Office of Film and Literature Classification has banned an issue of the Otago University student magazine Critic Te Arohi because it tends to promote sexual violence and criminal activity. The New Zealand Police submitted the magazine for classification after it was published primarily because it contained an article on how to drug and rape women written from a drug-rapist’s perspective. The Classification Office also received submissions from the magazine’s publisher, the New Zealand Drug Rape Trust, Rape Crisis Dunedin, and the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards. See... Otago University Students’ Magazine Critic Banned [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0602/S00002.htm

Scoop Audio: PM's Post-Cabinet Press Conference

- The Prime Minister Helen Clark enjoyed a rather relaxed post cabinet press conference today, with a good many gallery journalists having headed northwards in order to receive National Leader Don Brash's Orewa speech firsthand. Those in the gallery that remained wished to know what the PM thought about Dr Brash's speech to the residents of Orewa. Other topics canvassed on a hot, muggy Wellington day included a possible visit by British PM Tony Blair and whether PMs (both past and present) are kept in the dark by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB).Scoop Audio: PM Has Presser, While Brash Rarks Up Orewa [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0601/S00244.htm

MORE HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0602/S00005.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0602/S00001.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0602/S00002.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0602/S00004.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0602/S00006.htm

US, EU threaten cut-off of funds to Palestinian Authority following Hamas victory

- The election of Hamas has been met with threats by the United States, Europe and Israel to cut off funds to the Palestinian Authority (PA). The US, the United Nations, the European Union (EU) and Russia—which make up the quartet backing President Bush’s so-called “Road Map to Peace in the Middle East”—issued a statement calling on Hamas to renounce violence and accept Israel’s right to exist. The Arab League has also insisted that Hamas recognise Israel. See... US, EU threaten cut-off of funds to Palestine [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0601/S00432.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0601/S00428.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0601/S00418.htm
[4] - http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1698730,00.html

Iraq: Saddam Hussein Trial At Risk

- Government interference with the independence of the judges in the trial of Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants threatens the fairness of the proceedings, Human Rights Watch said today. The trial is scheduled to resume in Baghdad on Sunday. “The demand for Presiding Judge Rizgar Amin’s dismissal, which contributed to his resignation, was nothing less than an attack on judicial independence,” said Richard Dicker, director of the International Justice Program at Human Rights Watch. See... Iraq: Saddam Hussein Trial At Risk [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0601/S00429.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0601/S00433.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0601/S00425.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0601/S00424.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0601/S00410.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0601/S00409.htm

State of the Union: Other Perspectives

- This is an unpatriotic government. This is a government that deals openly in illegalities, whether it is attacking a country which has done us no harm, two countries -- Iraq and Afghanistan -- because we now believe, not in declaring war through Congress as the Constitution requires, but through the President. ‘Well, I think there are some terrorists over there, and I think we got to bomb them, huh? We'll bomb them.’ See... Gore Vidal Delivers State of the Union [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00006.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00004.htm

More Commentary:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00007.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00005.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0602/S00003.htm

Defence: Kiwi soldiers To Remain In Bosnia For Another 14 Months

- New Zealand will extend its deployment of Defence Force staff officers serving in Bosnia and Herzegovina for another 14 months from March 1, Defence Minister Phil Goff said today. "New Zealand currently has a Liaison and Observation Team of up to ten personnel, and three staff officers serving alongside British counterparts as part of the European Union-led EUFOR mission," said Mr Goff, who made the announcement after meeting British Defence Secretary John Reid in London. See... NZ extends Bosnia commitment [1] MORE DEFENCE NEWS:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00008.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00007.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00006.htm

Electricity Sector: Price Controls Looming for Transpower

- The Commerce Commission today published its reasons for its intention to declare control of the electricity transmission services supplied by Transpower New Zealand Limited, the owner and operator of the national grid. Transpower is a monopoly and is subject to Government regulation administered by the Commerce Commission and Electricity Commission. See... Reasons: intent to declare control of Transpower [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0601/S00234.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0601/S00233.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0601/S00174.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0602/S00006.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0602/S00004.htm

MORE POLITICS NEWS:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00017.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00012.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0602/S00005.htm

© 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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