Media Statement
For immediate release
Friday, 14 May 2004

Copeland compares apple ban to underarm bowling

United Future MP Gordon Copeland, born and raised on an apple and pear orchard in Nelson, believes that Australia's import ban on New Zealand apples is simply another case of underarm bowling.

"The scientific evidence has long since confirmed what New Zealand orchardists have always known, namely that our apples are free of fire blight.

"It is unbelievable that for no less than 80 years Australian apple growers have used a phantom unsubstantiated and therefore illogical excuse to keep our fantastic apples out of their market. I think they simply fear competition from a superior product.

"I can't help but think that the Australian consumer is being forgotten by the Australian Government in this instance; in terms of juice and flavour, there is nothing like NZ-grown apples.

"Australian consumers are the losers and it is time that their government gave away irrationality in favour of science."

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>>