27 August 2001 Media Statement

Anderton rejects privileges claim

Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton is dismissing as 'nonsense' Act Party claims of a breach of privilege for distributing pro-kiwi bank leaflets.

"Richard Prebble thinks it should be against the rules to ask New Zealanders to sign up to their own bank. If it were a breach of privilege to be in favour of the bank then it would be a breach of privilege to be against it, too.

"The Act Party is scared that the bank will be successful. Their worst nightmare would be to see New Zealanders signing up to the bank in droves. But New Zealanders will join the bank and I am delighted about it.

"Coming from the party that hold meetings to promote pyramid schemes in its own offices, the Act allegations are laughable."

Jim Anderton said Mr Prebble's claims of a breach of privilege are desperate.

"Mr Prebble did not raise a single ground from Standing Orders for his argument."

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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>>