Gordon Campbell: On The Demonising Of Iran

Gordon Campbell: On Housing, Exploding Lap-Tops And Jon Taplin

Evidently, only 13,500 of this new build will be state houses/social housing and much of that will be catch-up, since the government will reportedly be demolishing 8,300 state homes over the same period. The other 20,600? About 80% will be sold privately, at the going market rate. More>>

Peter Dunne: Where To Now For Drug Policy?

Recently, the Police, with significant sponsorship from the Ministry of Health, hosted a major Australasian conference on alcohol and drug policy... In my own remarks to the conference I spoke about New Zealand’s National Drug Policy, and where it might head in the future. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Dunne: Keynote Address - Drug & Alcohol Strategy Conference
• NZ Police - Working towards influencing attitudes
• Greens - Green Party puts forward medicinal cannabis Member’s Bill
• Faculty of Pain Medicine - False hope driving claims medicinal cannabis is magic pill
• The Opportunities Party - The Opportunities Party REAL DEAL Cannabis reform policy
• NORML - The Opportunities Party releases cannabis reform policy
• Family First - TOP’s Dope Policy – Charities As Drug Dealers
• USA: NAACP - DOJ Reversal on Drug Prosecutions Will Fuel Mass Incarceration and Undermine Public Safety

Tobacco Sticks: Charges Laid Against Philip Morris

The Ministry of Health has laid charges against tobacco company Philip Morris (New Zealand) Limited relating to the importation and selling of its tobacco sticks known as HEETS. More>>

ALSO:

• Philip Morris - Action On IQOS Demonstrates Urgent Need for Reform
• Science Media Centre - Legal action against tobacco 'sticks' - Expert reaction

MPI: Myrtle Rust Appears In Taranaki

The nursery in Waitara (just north of New Plymouth) reported suspected myrtle rust symptoms on young plants to the Ministry’s 0800 number yesterday (Tuesday). More>>

ALSO:

• Greens - Movement controls critical to stop myrtle rust spreading
• Earlier NZ First - NZ First Casts Doubt on Myrtle Rust Incursion Theory

Aged Care Survey: Job Stresses Put Pressure On Workforce

Staff in the aged care sector are stressed, struggling with work hours and aren’t feeling financially rewarded for their efforts. More>>

ALSO:

• E tu - Aged Care Survey Results Ring True for E Tū Members
• NZ Nurses Organisation - NZNO call for an update of Aged Care Standards

De-Sanctioning: First Iran Meat Shipment Welcomed

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has welcomed the first export shipment of meat to Iran, scheduled for processing and export later this month by Wellington company Taylor Preston. More>>

ALSO:

• Federated Farmers - Reopening of meat exports to Iran is like a new market

Binoy Kampmark: Anzac As Apologia And Religion

Each year, the secular religion of Anzac (the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) receives more adherents, gathers a few more followers, and nabs a few more converts among the young. More>>

Anzac Day:

• NZ Govt - Hon Amy Adams: Dawn Service, Gallipoli - Speech: Bennett - Address to Porirua City Anzac Day Service - Kiwis encouraged to recognise service with service - Adams to commemorate Anzac Day in Gallipoli
• United Future - ANZAC Day a day for tolerance and understanding
• NZ First - ANZAC Day Protests
• NZ Defence Force - Remembrance for Navy Chaplain on Western Front - ‘Always Take the Weather with You’ – an Anzac Garden in Iraq
• Peace Action Wellington - Wreath laying for Afghan civilians
• Auckland Peace Action - Alternative Anzac Day Event
• Christchurch Progressive Network - Silent vigil and wreath laying at Burnham Military Camp
• Auckland Transport - Use public transport to get to Anzac Day Dawn Service
• MetService - A Showery Start to a Fine Week - 23 April 2017
• Department Of Corrections - Community Offenders Contribute To Anzac Day Commemorations
• NZ Police - ANZAC ‘friendly’ for Kiwi and Aussie rugby-playing cops
• Returned Services Association - Wounded Warrior new RSA patron
• Events - Thames - Auckland - Auckland War Memorial Museum - Maungakiekie-Tamaki - Sky Tower - Ports of Auckland - St David’s, Auckland - Hastings - Waikato - Palmerston North - Hutt - World Masters Games - Marlborough

Gordon Campbell: On The Snap Election In Britain

The election call is entirely opportunistic and self-serving and will – regardless of the outcome – put Britain in a worse negotiating position for managing its Brexit. More>>

Turkey: Observers Say Erdogan’s Constitutional Referendum Flawed

Lack of equal opportunities, one-sided media coverage and limitations on fundamental freedoms created unlevel playing field in Turkey’s constitutional referendum, international observers say. More>>

ALSO:

• Martin Doyle - Martin Doyle Cartoon: YES to Repression

Westminster: NZ PM Condemns London Attack

“London is a place many thousands of New Zealanders have visited and called home, and where many more have friends and family based, so this attack feels very close to home,” Mr English says. More>>

ALSO:

• Out-Link - Guardian Updates - London terror attack
• Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at NZ - Statement following attack in Westminster, London
• British High Commission - Condolence book to open
• US Out-Link - Attacker in Midtown stabbing admits he wanted to kill black men - NY Daily News

Scoop Review Of Books: What’s Fair? Tax and Fairness

This is an excellent and timely book, since apart from general statements about increasing or mostly reducing tax, there has been very little comment or debate as to whether we should pay tax at all and how much tax should each of us pay. More>>

Ockham Awards: Globally Lauded Novelist Wins NZ’s Biggest Fiction Prize

Internationally renowned Ngāruawāhia resident Catherine Chidgey has won New Zealand’s richest writing award, the $50,000 Acorn Foundation Fiction Prize, for her novel The Wish Child. More>>

ALSO:

• Bridget Williams Books - Barbara Brookes’ History of NZ Women Winner! Ockham Award
• Huia Publishers - Black Ice Matter wins Best First Book Award