Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says Cabinet has today agreed to extend New Zealand’s contribution to the joint New Zealand-Australia mission to train Iraqi Security Forces until November 2018.
Also agreed was an amendment to the mission’s mandate to allow small numbers of our training and force protection team at Taji to travel for short periods to Besmaya, a secure training location about 52 kilometres south east of Taji...
Finally, Cabinet has also agreed in principle that New Zealand personnel be authorised to provide training to stabilisation forces, such as the Iraqi Federal Police, in addition to the Iraqi Army. More>>
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Gordon Campbell: On The RCEP Trade Deal And Other Entanglements
So China and the US both have competing trade deals on offer, each of which pointedly exclude the other superpower. That fact alone should signal that these deals are not primarily about mere trade access. More>>
OIA Data: Massive Extent Of Water Crime In Canterbury Revealed
Information sourced by Forest & Bird details the massive scale of water-crime in Canterbury, with hundreds of instances where irrigators were engaged in brazen and often repeat offending, and the lack of credible enforcement action from ECan, despite officers having caught many offenders red-handed. More>>
Children's Commissioner: Move To Child-Centred Culture Must Begin Now
Moving to a more child-centred culture within Child, Youth and Family can and must start now if we want to see better outcomes for children currently in care and build a strong platform for the reforms to come, says Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills. More>>
26 Weeks Parental Leave Vetoed: Bills' Sponsor Not Pleased
New Zealanders will have the final right of veto on a Government that has ignored democracy and is out of touch with the pressures and demands on families, says Labour MP Sue Moroney. More>>
Gordon Campbell: On The Teina Pora Payout
Back in the late 1990s, the Cabinet guidelines set $100,000 a year as the appropriate level of compensation when the state jails an innocent person. In the Pora payout, this amount has not been inflation adjusted to reflect what $100,000 back then would be worth today. More>>
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Mediaglommeration: APN Gets OIO Approval For Demerger Plan
APN News & Media has received Overseas Investment Office approval for its plan to split out its NZME unit ahead of a potential merger with rival Fairfax Media's New Zealand operations. More>>
New Paper: Ninety-Day Trial Period Has No Impact On Firms' Hiring
The introduction of a 90-day trial period has had no impact on hiring by New Zealand companies although they are now in widespread use, according to researchers at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research. More>>
Corrections: Serco Exits Equity Stake, Remains As Operator
Serco has sold its equity stake in the company that holds the contract to design, build and run Wiri Prison in South Auckland but continues as sub-contractor to operate the facility. More>>
GDP: NZ Economy Grows Faster-Than-Forecast 0.7%
New Zealand's economy grew at a faster pace than expected in the first quarter of 2016 as construction expanded at the quickest rate in two years. The kiwi dollar jumped after the data was released. More>>
WHO: Hot Drinks Classed As 'Probably' Causing Cancer
The World Health Organization's cancer agency has found no conclusive evidence that coffee causes cancer but that drinking very hot drinks (65 °C or above) probably causes cancer of the oesophagus. More>>
MPI: NZ Primary Sector Export Goals Remain A Stretch
The Ministry for Primary Industries says its goal of doubling New Zealand's primary sector exports by 2025 will require the annual growth in the value of exports to almost triple starting this year. More>>
Surreal Estate: National House Price Median Passes $500k For The First Time
New Zealand’s national median house price has reached a new record high, passing the $500,000 mark for the first time to hit $506,000, according to the latest figures released today by REINZ, source of the most recent, complete and accurate real estate data in New Zealand. More>>
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Alastair Thompson: Jo Cox's Killing Looms Large As Brexit Heads Down To Wire
The mourning period for the brutally slain pro-remain Labour MP and mother of two Jo Cox was always going to be brief. Today, Sunday 19th June, with four days to go till polling, the Brexit campaign resumed. More>>
Pledge Me Goal Met!
On Scoop's Current Journalism Project
Gordon Campbell: Before this crowd funding effort wraps up tonight, I thought I should provide an update on the mental health journalism project that Scoop – and its readers – are funding. More>>
Thanks Joining Us! Scoop Turns 17; Has Party
Margaret Thompson welcomed visitors to Scoop's birthday celebration on Wednesday night and reflected on the state of the media during a year in which Scoop formed its new structure... More>>
New In Werewolf: Britain On The Brink
Gordon Campbell: Later this month, Britain will be voting on whether to remain in Europe, or take the exit door from the European Union and all its rules, obligations, and advantages. For now, many Britons are walking in circles, unsure about how to vote in the Thursday, June 23rd referendum. More>>
Announcement: Werewolf Changes Shape – Into A Daily Destination!!
After six years as a monthly online magazine. Werewolf marks its evolution today into a daily, ever-changing forum for long-form journalism about politics, art and culture. More>>
Howard Davis: Lest We Forget - Scoop As A Digital Archive
Scoop performs a sadly overlooked and tragically undernourished, but nevertheless extraordinarily vital function. Over the past 17 years, it has evolved into a unique digital archive conserving millions of items of truly national significance. More>>
UK Labour Statement: The Shooting Of MP Jo Cox
Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party said: “The whole of the Labour Party and Labour family - and indeed the whole country - will be in shock at the horrific murder of Jo Cox today. Jo had a lifelong record of public service and a deep commitment to humanity." More>>
Wellington.Scoop: Rainbow Colours On MFC In Sympathy For Florida Killings
Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre will be lit in colours of the rainbow Monday as a gesture of support for the LGBTI victims of the Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando, Florida. More>>
Gordon Campbell: On How Obama’s Supreme Court Choice Says Everything (Bad) About His Presidency
Nothing has epitomised the presidency of Barack Obama quite like his Supreme Court nominees. Time and again, Republican presidents will blithely nominate right wing ideological extremists (Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas) who only sometimes misfire and turn out to be liberals in disguise (David Souter). Yet Obama has consistently skipped over the judicially qualified liberals and gone for a succession of centrists... More>>
Turkey: UN Secretary-General On The Terrorist Bombing In Ankara
The Secretary-General condemns the terrorist attack in Ankara earlier today. According to the latest reports, the explosion in the Kizilay district killed and wounded dozens of people. More>>
Five Years On: Fukushima And New Zealand
Science Media Centre: It was the worst nuclear event since Chernobyl. In the wake of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, a crippled Japanese nuclear powerplant went into meltdown, and the world watched as emergency workers scrambled to shut down and contain the reactors. More>>
UNICEF: 1 In 3 Syrian Children Has Grown Up Knowing Only Crisis
An estimated 3.7 million Syrian children – 1 in 3 of all Syrian children - have been born since the conflict began five years ago, their lives shaped by violence, fear and displacement, according to a UNICEF report. This figure includes more than 151,000 children born as refugees since 2011. More>>
Franklin Lamb: Syria’s Truce Bodes Well For Salvaging Our Cultural Heritage
The tentative cessation of hostilities in Syria, which came into effect on 2/28/2016, brokered by Washington and Moscow, is only in its second week... It is well documented that there have been daily incidents of artillery shelling, airstrikes and clashes. Yet, for the nearly 12 million displaced civilians, half of Syria’s population, it’s a much welcomed respite. More>>
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Art: ‘Holiday’ Wins IHC Art Awards
An intricate embroidered cushion by Wellington artist Jo-Anne Tapiki has won the 2016 IHC Art Awards and $5000. Jo-Anne started working from IHC’s Arts on High studio in Lower Hutt 18 months ago and this is the first time she has entered the competition. More>>
‘Quasi’: Christchurch Art Gallery Reveals Rooftop Sculpture
Christchurch-born and internationally renowned artist Ronnie van Hout has had a huge hand in Christchurch Art Gallery's latest outdoor installation. More>>
Obituary: Last 28th Maori Battalion A Company Veteran Dies
Charlie Petera, the final surviving member of A-Company of the 28th Maori Battalion has died at his home in Ngataki, Northland last night surrounded by his whanau. He was 91 years old. More>>
Jazz Festival Review: Firmly In The Spotlight - Lisa Fischer
Lisa Fischer is rightly celebrated for her far-reaching vocal range and remarkable grace as a hugely accomplished session singer... Fischer has provided the vocal backdrop to some of the best-known songs of the past four decades. More>>
Jazz Festival Review: Mr. Weird - Wayne Shorter
Year after year, the Wellington Jazz Festival attracts jazz luminaries from around the globe. Last year, we were treated to the mellifluous duets of Chick Corea and Gary Burton on piano and vibraphone. This year, the opening night headliner at the Opera House was Wayne Shorter's quartet. More>>
Gordon Campbell: On Muhammad Ali
As with Bob Dylan, Muhammad Ali changed the times in which he lived so thoroughly that anyone coming along afterwards will probably struggle to understand the scale of his achievement...More>>
Majestical: The Queen's 90th Birthday Honours List 2016
The Queen has been pleased, on the occasion of the celebration of Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday, to make the following appointments... More>>
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