Prime Minister Helen Clark today expressed her sadness at the death of Sir Robert Mahuta and passed on her deepest condolences to his family and to the Tainui people.

"Sir Robert was one of Maoridom's most prominent figures and has made a huge contribution to its development throughout his life.

"Even when suffering from very poor health, Sir Robert continued to work tirelessly on behalf the Tainui people he had served, in various ways, all his life.

"Sir Robert Mahuta's work to advance the landmark Tainui settlement with the government in 1995 was his crowning achievement.

"On behalf of the government I extend my condolences to my Parliamentary colleague Nanaia Mahuta, to all Sir Robert's family and to Tainui, which has lost one of its greatest sons.

"Our thoughts are with them at this saddest of times," Helen Clark said.

Aue taukuri e. Kua whati te tauihu o te waka o Tainui

The bow of the canoe of Tainui has broken

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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>>