11 June 2001 (for immediate release) Media Statement

Lee pledges to defend her political beliefs regardless of personal attacks

"The current attacks on my personal life are being driven by some who want to discredit me politically," said Cabinet Minister Sandra Lee today.

"I am also appalled that people close to me are being dragged into the political arena," she said. "I'm the politician, not them."

Ms Lee was commenting on recent media reports about her partner and her former senior private secretary.

"Whatever the personal attacks my opponents mount against me, I will continue to remain staunch in defence of my political beliefs and those of my party and the Labour-Alliance coalition government," she said.

"I am entitled to a personal life just like any other Member of Parliament."

Ms Lee said she would be making no further comment on these issues today.

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>>