Media Release

11th October 2001

Government Won't Guarantee Deduction Of Teacher Salaries

"The government is giving no guarantee that teachers who withdraw their labour by refusing to teach specific scheduled classes will have their salaries deducted accordingly," New Zealand First Education Spokesperson, Brian Donnelly said today.

"When asked about this in the House, Associate Minister of Education, Steve Maharey, prevaricated and would not give a straight answer.

This is a disgrace. Teachers have the right to strike but should not be paid at the same time. Taxpayers will be paying and getting nothing for it.

The government has a responsibility to taxpayers to ensure the deduction of salaries of teachers for their hours of withdrawn labour," said Mr Donnelly.

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>>