9 October 2001

National Party Leadership

United Future leader, Hon Peter Dunne, has congratulated Bill English and Roger Sowry on their election as the new leaders of the National Party.

"This new leadership provides National with the chance to move away from the hard right ideology of the last 15 years."

"However, the real test will be whether National now has the willingness to develop creative new social policies aimed at supporting families and communities."

"Only United Future is articulating such an approach at present."

"National's challenge now is to put its infighting aside and concentrate on becoming an effective Opposition, let alone an alternative Government."

"As far as future coalitions are concerned, United Future will work with those parties that share our commitment to advancing the interests of families and communities."

"These groups are the backbone of our country and only United Future stands four square for their interests, " Mr Dunne says.

Mr Dunne has also wished former leader Jenny Shipley and her family well for the future.

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>>