1 May 2001 Media Statement

Minister Pleased With Response to Gaming Review

The Minister of Internal Affairs, George Hawkins, says he is pleased that over 1000 submissions have been received in response to the discussion document which was released as part of the Government's Gaming Review. Submissions on the Review closed yesterday.

The gaming discussion document was released in February and called for submissions on a number of issues surrounding the regulation of gaming, including:

- what effect internet gambling has on New Zealand
- what effect technological change has on gaming, and whether it is possible to regulate cross-border gaming.

"The discussion document was designed to gather the views of the wide cross-section of New Zealanders who have an interest in gambling" said Mr Hawkins. "I am impressed that over 1000 submissions have been processed and there are yet more to count. That is a great response."

Mr Hawkins said the next step in the Gaming Review is a careful analysis of all submissions by the Department. "I am looking forward to discovering what opinions New Zealanders hold on the regulation of gaming and why."

Mr Hawkins said that once submissions have been analysed, the Government intends to make decisions on gaming by July, and introduce a bill to Parliament by the end of this year. The intention is to enact new legislation by March 2002.

ENDS

© 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>>