Government members of the Commerce Committee this afternoon blocked a National motion to call New Zealand Post officials before the committee to discuss the People's Bank proposal.

"This is the number one political issue in the country. Members of Parliament will have no opportunity to question NZ Post in a multi-party parliamentary environment," National's Commerce spokesman Tony Ryall said.

"It's clear that the Greens still have questions about the briefing NZ Post provided them. Discussing the matter before the select committee would have seen the issues debated clearly and informatively.

"Labour and the Alliance voted to protect Dr Armstrong and Mr Toime from Opposition questioning. This move by the Government means the select committee will not be able to question NZ Post until November.

"This is what select committees are for and the Government is using its numbers to prevent NZ Post facing tough questioning in public," Mr Ryall said.

Ends

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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>>