A no-show from Labour at a paid parental leave rally at Parliament today speaks volumes about their commitment to paid parental leave, National MP Marie Hasler said.

On the steps of Parliament today Marie Hasler and Belinda Vernon, on behalf of National, received a message from the 'Coalition for 14 weeks' which represents advocates for 14 weeks paid parental leave.

"We were astounded that out of 49 Labour MPs not one was prepared to front up on behalf of their caucus to simply receive the message from the Coalition.

"Labour's no-show reflects ongoing tensions with their coalition partner over the Government's paid parental leave policy.

"Labour MPs are keeping their heads down because they are now starting to realise the spending constraints placed on them by the super scheme," Marie Hasler said.

The National MPs told the Coalition that they would take the message to their caucus and that it would be considered rationally by National's MPs.

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>>