Concern at disturbing attitude towards flagship cultural institutions

“I am deeply concerned at the actions of National and Act in voting against the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Bill today,” said Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Judith Tizard.

“It reflects a disturbing trend from those parties towards our flagship cultural institutions and is bad news for the development of New Zealand’s burgeoning arts and cultural sector.

“I worry that it foreshadows a move by any National-Act government – should they ever get into power – to abolish the Orchestra or cut its funding and restrict its opportunities in the way that National did in the 1990s.

“The NZSO was nearly destroyed by the last National-led government and it was only a review by Dr Graham Scott that saw barely adequate funding restored when the Orchestra was at a point of crisis.

“I would like to thank United Future, the Greens and New Zealand First for their support today.

“The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is a flagship performing arts organisation that makes a vital contribution to the development of New Zealand’s unique cultural environment, which is returning economic, cultural and social benefits to all New Zealanders.”

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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>>