Censoring smoking in movies is a ridiculous idea that highlights the extremism of antismoking zealots, ACT MP Penny Webster said today.

"Where will this nonsense stop?

"For ASH director Trish Fraser to even suggest this absurd proposal would be put into the Smokefree Environments Amendment Bill highlights her complete lack of common sense.

"Many movies that feature smoking are portraying an historical accuracy. Are we going to sanitise history and get rid of all the parts we don't like? Do we ban documentaries about Winston Churchill, who was partial to a cigar?

"Next will come book-burning. Does Ms Fraser want to stamp out literary characters such as pipe-puffing Sherlock Holmes?

"This is a frightening idea with far-reaching implications. Many people don't like smoking, but lots of us don't like other behaviour on film and TV either.

"Health Minister Annette King must immediately dismiss this preposterous idea," Penny Webster 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>>