31 October 2001 Media Statement

Southland shows the way for New Zealand

Economic development Minister Jim Anderton is thrilled with Southland’s promotional campaign, and he says it’s an example to other regions.

The campaign was launched with newspaper inserts today. The inserts boast about Southland’s booming economy.

“It’s not very long ago that regional New Zealand was deeply worried about dwindling populations, declining services and struggling economic performance. Now that has all turned around and regions are bouncing back.

“Every region has unique advantages. Southland is building on its special qualities and growing faster than any other region in New Zealand. It is working to bring people, jobs, services and businesses back and it is succeeding.

“Southland has led the way in initiatives such as removing fees to attract students to its Polytech.

“I would like to see every region showing the self-confidence, growth and performance that Southland is showing,” Jim Anderton said.

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>>