Miserable sods!

“At last the Labour Government is getting the message that they must reduce the crippling tax burden afflicting New Zealand business,” said Brian Connell, MP for Rakaia and National’s Commerce spokesman.

“However they are hitting the elephant with a twig,” he added practically.

“Rather than offering 6.7% discounts on provisional tax as though they were doling out manna from heaven, why not simply meet the real needs of business? Offer a permanent reduction in taxation and compliance costs so that our businesses can survive and prosper!”

“This would be a much smaller about-face than the rest of Labour’s u-turns in recent weeks and it would be an immediate shot in the arm for our economy. A nice change from Labour’s normal shoot it in the head approach!”

“Who knows?” said Mr Connell. “Business might actually start to believe this Government really does listen.”

© 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>>