25 November 2001

“The loss of 767s flying out of Christchurch is creating enormous pressure for exporters and I have asked Industry New Zealand and the Ministry of Economic Development to work with producers and manufacturers to see what solutions there are,” said Economic Development Minister Jim Anderton today.

“I met with Canterbury producers and manufacturers late last week and clearly this is a major barrier to economic development, particularly at the beginning of the major fresh produce exporting season.

“The reasons for the cutback of flights by Air New Zealand are unfortunate but understandable. 737s are much cheaper to fly and the airline needs to reduce costs. These factors coincide with a global reduction in passenger numbers and airlines are facing cutbacks in services,” said Jim Anderton.

“Industry New Zealand and the Ministry of Economic Development are expected to come back to me with some suggestions within the next week or so,” said Jim Anderton.

Air New Zealand has agreed to three 767 flights to Auckland for the next three months as a temporary solution.

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>>