1The next time the nation goes to the polls MMP will also be put to the vote. The Government has confirmed today that the first referendum on the Mixed Member Proportional system will be held in conjunction with the 2011 general election. The referendum will have two questions: one asking whether a change from MMP is desired; and a second on what an alternative could be from a list of options.
2The next time the nation goes to the polls MMP will also be put to the vote. The Government has confirmed today that the first referendum on the Mixed Member Proportional system will be held in conjunction with the 2011 general election. Peter Shirtcliffe, who in the early 90s unsuccessfully spearheaded the campaign opposing a change to MMP, joins Checkpoint.
3There have been more twists and turns today over controversial reforms to the ACC scheme, with the Maori Party and Labour offering their initial support to the legislation. National is still in talks with the ACT Party, who are pushing for the workers' account to be opened up for competition with private insurers.
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5Supporters of community night classes took their fight to parliament today backed by a 53-thousand signature petition. The Minister of Educaiton Anne Tolley however has remained firm, refusing to reverse her cut of 80-percent funding on community education courses.
6The police in Picton are investigating the death of a tourist, who apparently drowned while swimming with dolphins in the Marlborough Sounds.
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8The Minister of Finance Bill English has blamed the previous Labour-led Government for a forecast doubling in public debt over the next four years.
9In Queensland, Australia residents are preparing to evacuate as a major bushfire heads their way.
10The Auckland Grammar School boys who took photos of themselves posing with Nazi regalia have apologised and will do work at the Auckland War Memorial Museum to make up for their actions.
11The technology giant Apple has shrugged off the recession with profits surging on demand for its iPhones, laptops and desktop computers.
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13American pressure is mounting on the Afghan President Hamid Karzai to end the political uncertainty in his country by calling a run-off election. The United Nations commission on electoral issues has said that up to 1.3-million votes in the August election could be invalid.
14Big Brother-style snooping could be the latest way to fight crime in Whangarei, if a council plan to put webcams in shops goes ahead.
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16The next time the nation goes to the polls MMP will also be put to the vote. The Government has confirmed today that the first referendum on the Mixed Member Proportional system will be held in conjunction with the 2011 general election. The referendum will have two questions: one asking whether a change from MMP is desired; and a second on what an alternative could be from a list of options.
17The Christchurch City Council is fielding criticism over plans to fund a controversial new music conservatorium in the city.
18New research suggests more than a third of gay or bi-sexual school kids have seriously considered suicide. It also shows a high rate of alcohol and drug use. The report from The University of Auckland surveyed over 8-thousand secondary school students.
19Scientists from around the world are gathering in Paris for a conference that will take stock of the search for a vaccine against HIV/AIDS. There was delight amongst researchers recently when a vaccine on trial in Thailand appeared to show resilience against the virus.
20Police investigating an Auckland homicide say they're frustrated at the stonewalling tactics from the people living in the house where the deceased was found.
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23A United Nations backed Electoral Complaints Commission has declared that about 1.3-million votes in Afghanistan's August election were invalid. President Hamid Karzai has been urged to end the electoral chaos by calling a run-off election.
24A European Union investigation has found Sri Lanka in breach of international human rights laws, jeopardising more USD $100-million of concessions for its top exports to Europe.
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2629-percent of those surveyed in the Police force's annual satisfaction survey specifically mentioned feeling threatened by youths hanging around in groups, especially at night. The assistant police commissioner Grant Nicholls says while much of the public dissatisfaction raised in the survey was mostly about perception, he acknowledges the results shouldn't be ignored.
27The United States is offering Sudan incentives to end violence in Darfur and the semi-autonomous South ahead of elections next year.
28The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told a gathering of the world's biggest carbon emitters that pledges on emissions reductions by 2020 are inadequate.