New Plymouth public meeting postponed

National Party Leader Don Brash is postponing his planned visit and public meeting in New Plymouth on Monday.

"Helen Clark and Television New Zealand are in the throes of negotiations for a debate between the Prime Minister and me on Monday night.

"If she finally decides to take part, it will be the first time she has agreed to a debate - despite numerous invitations - since her 'Bring It On' speech at the Christchurch Cathedral.

"Unfortunately at this stage the Prime Minister has been unable to confirm her availability and we, like TVNZ, are waiting for her answer. "In the meantime, I feel that it is prudent to postpone my appointments in New Plymouth on Monday.

"I wish to apologise to all those who were already making plans to attend the public meeting and I'm making a firm commitment to reschedule my visit at the earliest opportunity," says Dr Brash.

© 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>>