16 October 2001

Media Statement

Reponse of the Minister of Local Government to media queries from Michelle Brooker, of "the Press"

"I do not think any single factor would necessarily have made a difference to the local authority elections turnout in Christchurch," Local Government Minister Sandra Lee said today.

"I am disappointed there wasn't a better outcome for all the work undertaken to lift the turnout.

"There was a huge publicity campaign run by Local Government New Zealand to boost voter participation, and the government changed the law to give people three weeks to vote instead of two.

"A candidates profile was sent out with the ballot papers, and we even amended the Local Electoral Act to make sure the results came through at a much earlier stage than before," Ms Lee said.

"In Christchurch, as with Auckland, the city council elections were hotly contested with high profile mayoral candidates. Unfortunately both cities still had their lowest election day turn-out in five elections."

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>>