Health Minister Annette King says she feels great sympathy for Gisborne women, and Patient A in particular, following the Court of Appeal decision yesterday that Patient A cannot claim exemplary damages from retired pathologist Michael Bottrill.

"That is certainly not a comment on the legal merits of the decision, of course, but I know it will be yet another emotional setback for women affected by the Gisborne Cervical Screening Inquiry.

"At the time of the release of the Inquiry report in April, I said the Government would consider any claims the women brought against us.

"Legal claims have been made by many women. The women's lawyers have requested a meeting and once they have provided more information, we will be able to meet to discuss the claims.

"Although I cannot make a unilateral decision, I can say the Government will consider all claims seriously."

Mrs King said that tomorrow she would release the second monthly update on implementation of recommendations from the Gisborne report.

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>>