Labour's claim that it consulted with other parties on the appointment of the Human Rights Commission demonstrates the arrogance of this Government, Opposition Leader Jenny Shipley said today.

"Associate Justice Minister Margaret Wilson wrote to all parties as follows: 'I am writing to advise you that Cabinet has resolved to recommend the following appointments to the Administration of Government...'

"This does not constitute consultation," Jenny Shipley said.

"The Human Rights Commission needs to enjoy the confidence of the whole House, not just the Government.

"When in Government, National advertised for, then appointed, an independent panel which made a unanimous recommendation. We then approached all parties with the preferred candidate. Ms Clark from Labour objected to the appointment, as did the Alliance. In accordance with those objections National did not proceed with the appointment.

"I should note that this did not occur in the three-month period prior to the general election, when convention dictates that no new appointments will occur.

"National and Labour have both been involved in developing New Zealand's Human Rights framework over the last 20 years.

"It is important that the Human Rights Commission enjoys the confidence of Parliament and that they can oversee this framework in a non-partisan way. Sadly, because of Labour's arrogance, that is now unlikely to be possible," Jenny Shipley 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>>