10 October 2001 Media Release

Textile, clothing and footwear industry huge opportunities

“Huge potential for more jobs and economic growth,” is how Industry and Regional Development Minister Jim Anderton described the textile, clothing and footwear industry, following this industry’s first steering group meeting today at Vogel House.

"Today I was pleased to sit with key industry representatives and hear them share their ideas. We looked at information on how to create jobs and started to identify ways in which the industry can move ahead by removing barriers to growth.

"Today’s meeting was hugely encouraging as it shows this is clearly a dynamic and competitive sector.

“Textiles, clothing and footwear rely on two of our strongest competitive advantages; innovation and creativity. These industries have a bright future and the Labour/Alliance Coalition Government is committed to assisting industry to create growth.

“Textile, clothing and footwear will benefit from the whole-of-government approach where all Government agencies work closely together with industry to provide solutions.

“Like both of the Wood Processing and Manufacturing Industry Steering Groups this partnership between government and industry will now allow us to develop an action plan of what has to be done now, this week, this month, and this year.

“The Labour/Alliance Coalition Government is making this industry a priority along with wood processing, manufacturing, creative industries and tourism, as they are job-rich, high-skill, high-value export industries with the potential for rapid growth," said Jim Anderton.

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>>