Fitzsimons Votes With Lee Against Speedy Resolution

Jeanette Fitzsimons tonight abandoned her electorate's wish by voting with the Government and ensuring the Whitianga Waterways problem won't be quickly resolved, National's Caretaker MP for the Coromandel Lindsay Tisch said.

"This was the first test as to where Ms Fitzsimons' loyalties lie. Her party's vote could have seen the law changed this week, allowing this development to proceed. Instead she sold out on the people of Whitianga by delaying the legislation and opening up submissions to all and sundry.

"The submission delay means more uncertainty and costs for developers. Let's not forget that they've already been through three years of public submissions, hearings, and court appearances.

"Ms Fitzsimons should have joined National, Act and New Zealand First in saying enough is enough. Instead the Greens, holding the balance of power with seven seats, tonight secured the 66 to 54 parliamentary vote to send it to select committee.

"The Coromandel MP has completely misread her electorate. On top of not attending last week's public meeting, she has ignored that same meeting's motion to find a speedy resolution.

"The people of Whitianga will not forget this act of electoral betrayal," Mr Tisch 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>>