New Chief Executive For Auckland’s StarDome Observatory

Peter Thomson has been appointed Chief Executive of the StarDome Observatory.
He brings extensive experience to the role from the exhibition industry, where his past responsibilities have included organising the London Motor Show, major sporting events and the Big Boys Toys Expo, which he sold last year to DMG World Media.

“StarDome Observatory is a unique resource for the Auckland region” he said. “The planetarium was built five years ago at a cost of $3 million to bring the facility up to world standard, but it’s no secret that we’ve had serious funding difficulties since then. The main challenge now is to ensure a sustainable future for the Observatory and, happily, we’re on target for a record attendance of around 58,000 this year.”

Mr Thomson said many people were unaware that the StarDome is operated by a charitable trust.

“Research shows strong public support for the Observatory and the Auckland City Council has now provided some much needed financial assistance. “This means we can focus on improving the visitor experience and there’s still plenty to be done to reach the standards we want to achieve.

“StarDome Observatory is the most popular public astronomy facility in New Zealand and we are determined the Auckland region will continue to enjoy it for many years to come.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>