Media Statement For immediate release Thursday, 22 January, 2004

Alexander: Kurariki decision the right one

Keeping New Zealand's youngest convicted killer, Bailey Junior Kurariki, behind bars was the right decision as it was important that the age of an offender in such a serious crime did not become a licence for leniency, United Future's Marc Alexander said today.

Applauding yesterday's Parole Board decision that will see Kurariki continue to serve the seven-year manslaughter sentence imposed in August 2002 for the slaying of Auckland pizza worker Michael Choy, Mr Alexander said that an early release would have sent all the wrong signals to both Kurariki and to society at large.

"The fact that this crime was committed by a boy of 12 rightly shocked the nation," Mr Alexander, United Future's law and order spokesman, said.

"There are two aspects to sentences - punishment and rehabilitation.

"This young fellow has not been away long enough on either count," he 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>>