Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Wednesday, 24 May 2006, 4:42 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics
TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:
Human Rights: United Nations Seeks Closure Of Gitmo – Again
QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:
RECOMMENDED AUDIO:
Education and Health: Report Says Good Food Helps Learning
Corrections: Department Management to be Reviewed
Environment: Nandor 'n' Fitz Tag-Team Attacks Environ-Ministry's Publication Costs
Dancing with the MP: Is Rodney Hiding from Parliament?
Kiwi Pride: Popular Chelsea Garden Gets Kiwi Visual Treats -
MORE HEADLINES:
Politics: PM Has Short Pre-Caucus Chinwag With Press
Palestine: Who’s Guilty?
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Polygamy: Senator Orrin Hatch – Polygamy Apologist - Exposed
Public Relations: Dennis Hastert Illustrates What Not To Say To A Taxpayer
Immigration: Who's Afraid Of The Mexicans?
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
Leak Watch: Nats Cite Cunliffe's Leaky History
Charity: Auction Sets Market Value of Brash Lunch
Race Relations: Clark Waxes Lyrical on Te Atairangikaahu Anniversary
Legislation: Smacking Proponents Sieze on Bradford Comments
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:

Human Rights: United Nations Seeks Closure Of Gitmo – Again

For the second time this year, a United Nations body has chastised the United States for its torture of prisoners and told it to close its prison camp at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. In February, the UN Human Rights Commission criticized the US government for force-feeding hunger strikers there - calling it torture - and urged the United States to "close the Guantánamo Bay detention facilities without further delay." See... Marjorie Cohn: UN to US: Close Guantanamo! [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00317.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0605/S00243.htm

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00566.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00559.htm

RECOMMENDED AUDIO:

Scoop Audio: Selwyn Manning on Radio Adelaide discusses: 2006 Budget fallout; [1] Mountain climber Mark Inglis being criticised for not helping dying climber; RAMSI criticised for failing Solomons. RDU Audio: Scoop's Kevin List discusses with RDU's Wammo: [2] Mark Inglis - Private NZ prison and Australia's Detention Camps - Rodney Hide… RDU Audio:Wammo talks to PM Helen Clark. [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00354.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00348.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00347.htm

Education and Health: Report Says Good Food Helps Learning

- The kids are so much easier to teach. If an army marches on its stomach; kiwi kids’ learn on theirs, according to new research published by the Obesity Action Coalition The report that will be released at the Agencies for Nutrition Action Nutrition and Physical Activity Forum in Invercargill on Thursday reviews the research on how children’s eating affects their school performance. See... Report: Nutrition impacts on Learning [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0605/S00095.htm
[2] - http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/0605/ExecSummary.pdf
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00567.htm

Corrections: Department Management to be Reviewed

- New Zealand First law and order spokesperson Ron Mark has welcomed the Government's announcement of a review of the Corrections Department's Head Office. “We have been asking the Minister for some time to look closely at Head Office, and we are pleased that he has accepted the need for this review," said Mr Mark. See... Mark Welcomes Corrections Shake-Up [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00581.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00586.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00583.htm

Environment: Nandor 'n' Fitz Tag-Team Attacks Environ-Ministry's Publication Costs

- An expensive Ministry for the Environment publication has been slammed by the Green Party as "complacent pap" and a waste of taxpayers' money. The Party's Environment Spokesperson Nandor Tanczos says that the $125,000 spent on printing and distribution, plus unknown staff time, could have been better spent on a publication that would have been useful for people. See... Ministry puff piece a waste of taxpayer dollars [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00578.htm

Dancing with the MP: Is Rodney Hiding from Parliament?

People were justifiably outraged in the 1996 Parliamentary term, when Alliance MP Alamein Kopu notoriously abandoned her party mid-term, gave her proxy to the minority National government, and was never seen around Parliament again (despite continuing to collect her MP's salary). Now, it seems to be happening again - and the culprit this time is the perkbuster himself, Rodney Hide. See... Where's Rodney? [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00360.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00359.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0605/S00224.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00310.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0605/S00494.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00213.htm

Kiwi Pride: Popular Chelsea Garden Gets Kiwi Visual Treats -

A striking New Zealand ‘human bird’ flown to London by Air New Zealand captivated VIP guests and top media from around the world yesterday at the opening of the 2006 Chelsea Flower Garden Show. An embodiment of New Zealand beauty, ‘Bird of the Sea’, a never-before-seen piece of WearableArt, was unveiled at Tourism New Zealand’s 100% Pure New Zealand Garden at Chelsea. See...Air New Zealand unveils live ‘human bird’ [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0605/S00523.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00564.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0605/S00230.htm

MORE HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00574.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0605/S00252.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0605/S00247.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0605/S00535.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0605/S00226.htm

Politics: PM Has Short Pre-Caucus Chinwag With Press

- Yesterday a flotilla of top brass from the Labour Party, including the Prime Minister, visited Turangawaewae Marae to honour the 40th anniversary of the coronation of the Maori Queen. Because of this regal visit the Prime Minister did not have her regular Monday afternoon post cabinet press conference. However on the way to Labour's caucus this morning the PM gave assorted members of the press her views on a number of recent happenings. See... PM Gives Short Pre-Caucus Presser – 23.05.06 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00331.htm

Palestine: Who’s Guilty?

- THOSE WHO listened to the radio news last Saturday heard a stunning report: that Muhammad Abu-Ter and Uri Avnery had barricaded themselves together in a private home in a-Ram. The very fact that these two - the No. 2 man of Hamas and the notorious Israeli leftist - were together was already shocking enough. But the fact that they had invaded the home of an innocent Palestinian family and barricaded themselves there, like criminals fleeing from the police, was even more staggering. This false news item would, perhaps, deserve no special mention, if it were not typical of the whole media coverage, not only of this specific demonstration, but of all joint demonstrations of Israeli peace activists and Palestinians. See... Who's guilty? The victim of course: Palestine [1] ALSO:Israel: The "Only Democracy in the Middle East"? [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0605/S00442.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0605/S00443.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0605/S00437.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0605/S00444.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0605/S00439.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0605/S00428.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0605/S00427.htm

Polygamy: Senator Orrin Hatch – Polygamy Apologist - Exposed

- Last week on these pages I cited a polygamy political coverup, which includes US Senator Orrin Hatch (Rep-UT), who is on record as condoning polygamy. With US Senator Patrick Leahy (Dem-VT) several days after the Scoop story appeared taking on Hatch over Hatch's now-infamous polygamy comments at a southern Utah town meeting in April 2003, just 35 miles from the fundamentalist Mormon polygamy cult's headquarters in Utah, and Hatch in denial about the statements -- I decided to revisit the event by contacting questioners present at the time. I also took another look at published reports of the meeting. See… Reports Reconfirm Hatch Said He Condones Polygamy [1] . See also... Scoop Link: Leahy Takes On Hatch Over Polygamy [2] & Suzan Mazur: Most Wanted In Polygamy Coverup [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00364.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00335.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00244.htm

Public Relations: Dennis Hastert Illustrates What Not To Say To A Taxpayer

- In a debate over extending tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, Dennis Hastert justified the rip-off of the middle class and poor with these words: "well, folks, if you earn $40,000 a year and have a family of two, you don't pay any taxes. So you probably if you don't pay any taxes, you are not going to get a big tax cut. Now, if you earn $1 million a year, you are going to pay about $400,000 of taxes. Maybe you'll get a $40,000 tax cut ..." See... Hastert Gave the Dems the House, If They Want It [1] Catherine Austin Fitts On Who Is REALLY Winning The War In Iraq [2] - I never cease to be amazed at the extent to which successful policies are portrayed as failed policies, and the transfer of public resources to private parties are spun as the result of government and bureaucratic “incompetence.” Recent financial headlines are full of news of record profits by oil companies and strong stock performance, proof positive that the invasion of Iraq has been successful. See... The Real Deal: The Great "Incompetency" Heist [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00350.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00345.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00345.htm

Immigration: Who's Afraid Of The Mexicans?

- Whenever a new crisis develops in an election year and it's not nature's or the stock market's fault, the odds are pretty good that it's not a crisis. Witness the sudden discovery of immigrants, a much more comfortable topic for some than Iraq, global warming, globalization, or runaway corporate greed. See... When Was The Last Time A Mexican Cut Your Pension? [1] MORE SAM SMITH:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00333.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00332.htm

MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00344.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00343.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00342.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00361.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00358.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00357.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00356.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00355.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00353.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00352.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00349.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00351.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00334.htm
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00340.htm
[15] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00339.htm
[16] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00338.htm
[17] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00337.htm
[18] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0605/S00336.htm

Leak Watch: Nats Cite Cunliffe's Leaky History

- National Party Leader Don Brash says David Cunliffe’s latest gaffe over Telecom shows he’s failed to learn from past mistakes after being told off by a judge last year over his handling of sensitive information. See... Cunliffe fails to learn from past mistakes [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00549.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00546.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00500.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00514.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0605/S00463.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0605/S00213.htm

Charity: Auction Sets Market Value of Brash Lunch

- With nearly 100,000 visits and 6,000 bids, the RNZFB's online charity auction, Blind Bid, raised over $50,000 for blind, deafblind and vision-impaired New Zealanders. "It was great to watch the bidding and the prices going up and up and a grand total of $50,615 is something to definitely write home about!" says Julie McMeeken, RNZFB National Events Co-ordinator and Blind Bid organiser. See... $50,000 raised in online charity auction for blind [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0605/S00154.htm

Race Relations: Clark Waxes Lyrical on Te Atairangikaahu Anniversary

- Te Arikinui, rau rangatira ma, tena koutou. It is good to be back on the mahau of Maahinarangi, at Turangawaewae, nestled on the banks of the Waikato River. I pay my respects to Te Ao Peehi Kara, Bishop Max Mariu, and all others who have passed away since my last visit here. See... PM: Address at 40th Koroneihana Anniversary [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00517.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00554.htm

Legislation: Smacking Proponents Sieze on Bradford Comments

- National Party Families spokeswoman Judith Collins says the public will want to know whether Helen Clark has also changed her view on the Green-sponsored bill to ban smacking. “In February, Helen Clark said the issue had been ‘crudely and wrongly represented in the media’. Now the Greens have accepted they were wrong, has the Prime Minister?” See... Has Clark changed her tune too? [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00532.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0605/S00248.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0605/S00244.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0605/S00238.htm
[5] - http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2006/05/23/its-only-what-shes-said-all-along/

MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00577.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00573.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00563.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00562.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00560.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00553.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00561.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00565.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00582.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00545.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00580.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00570.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00579.htm
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00555.htm
[15] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00552.htm
[16] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00557.htm
[17] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00539.htm
[18] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0605/S00538.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.

Contact Alastair Thompson

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