Where are the Iroquois when we need them?

Storms that have caused havoc throughout the lower North Island have uncovered more holes in New Zealand's Air Force, says National's Defence spokesman Simon Power.

"While the region is in desperate need of helicopters to help rescue people and survey damage, the Air Force has been able to contribute only three operational Iroquois helicopters.

Mr Power says of our 14 Iroquois helicopters, two are serving in the Solomon Islands and nine are not available to help with relief efforts.

"One of the fundamental roles of our Defence Force is to help in times of national emergencies.

"And now, when we are facing one of the nations' worst floods in 100 years, one has to ask where are the other helicopters?

"In a time of civil emergency the Iroquois fleet has gone AWOL. The Government's insufficient defence spending has let down our closest allies, and now it has let down the people of New Zealand," says Mr Power.

© 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>>