Auckland City Council - City Scene

Auckland's Mayor, Chris Fletcher, says she has real concerns about the plight of the people of East Timor.

She has written to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs stressing the urgency of getting relief to people in desperate need.

"There is much public concern over this issue, and as the host city for APEC there is strong support for Auckland to do something practical to help."

The Mayor says setting up an Auckland City Relief Fund would demonstrate the city ' s support for the people of East Timor and for democracy.

People who wish to support this appeal can make a donation to the Auckland City Relief Fund, C/- the Mayor ' s Office, Private Bag 92516, Wellesley St., or by supporting other funds established by international aid agencies such as Red Cross, Oxfam etc.

The Mayor says all funds contributed to the city's appeal would be channelled through appropriate aid agencies to ensure they reach families in greatest need.

© 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>>