MP Phillida Bunkle will not be reappointed to a position in the Executive of the Government, Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton said today.

"I have made a recommendation to the Prime Minister and she has accepted it.

"While Phillida Bunkle has been cleared of any formal wrong-doing, there are still unresolved issues in the public mind following the review of her enrolment status by the Registrar of Electors.

"In my view it is not appropriate for her to hold Ministerial office while public perceptions remain that there has not been adequate political accountability.

"Phillida Bunkle has the opportunity now to prove herself, restore public confidence and be recommended for executive office in the future.

"She has considerable courage, dedication and insight as a political figure and I would hope this would again be available to the Alliance and the Government in executive office," Jim Anderton said.

Phillida Bunkle will not be replaced in the Executive at this point.

Jim Anderton will continue to hold Ms Bunkle's former portfolios of Customs and Consumer Affairs.

Any re-allocation of the portfolios will be considered in coming months.

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>>