Green Party Protest Shows Contempt For Own Royal Commission

"Today's Green Party protest demanding a GE Free New Zealand shows total contempt for the Royal Commission which, on the very same day, is presenting its report to the Governor General," National's Environment spokesperson Dr Nick Smith said.

"It is an insult to the intelligence of ordinary New Zealanders who have paid $6 million for the four-volume report.

"This pre-emptive strike by the Greens shows they have closed minds. Considering they claimed credit for the Royal Commission, had input into the terms of reference and appointment of Commissioners, and commended the Commission for its thorough process, it will be totally hypocritical of them not to support its conclusions.

"The real reason for the protest is that the Greens know their 'fear' campaign on GE has not stood up to the scrutiny of their own Royal Commission. They are getting nervous about being hung by their own dreadlocks.

"It is my prediction that the Greens' claims for a GE Free New Zealand, an ongoing moratorium on field trials, a prohibition on GE food and a prohibition on GE vaccines will all be rejected. All will be revealed when the report is released on Monday.

"The Greens have had a field day with slogans like 'No toad genes in potatoes', but on Monday, their chickens will come home to roost.

"The Greens should call off their protest and recognise the Royal Commission report as an opportunity to move the issue on to reasoned debate. Their Party will be dismissed as 'Extreme' rather than Green if it does not change tack," Dr Smith 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>>