Of interest in today's SST

Not much. But in case you missed it there was a tiny snippet saying National would not adopt the kind of welfare get-tough policies the Howard government are planning. No surprises there. National's welfare policy will be a 'status quo' policy craftily disguised as reformist by revisiting (but renaming) 90s policies.

Speaking of re-naming things the editorial calls for the term "Nanny State" to be dropped . Fine. But it has to be replaced because the existence and growth of the pernicious, interventionist state is REAL. "Grand-nanny state perhaps."

Harking back to the Aussie reform plans I see they are talking about food stamps in the form of EFPOST cards. Cards that can only be used for certain items. They tried this in the US. One word for the Aussies. Corruptible. It only takes one or two store-owners who are prepared to swipe the card for 'goods' but return a lesser amount in cash and your scheme is shot to pieces.

One article worth a thorough reading is the Braunias interview with John Tamihere. Darren Hughes is described as a "little tug-muscle", H2's glasses clouded up when she met with JT and about being associate Maori Affairs Minister, "I used to be Parekura's viagra!"