Hon Roger Sowry MP

National Party Industrial Relations Spokesman

15 June 2004

More flip-flopping from anti-business Government

"Labour Minister Paul Swain must act immediately to amend the Holidays Act to ensure the law is clear by Labour Weekend," says National Party Industrial Relations spokesman Roger Sowry.

"We all know the law is ambiguous - the minister has even admitted it himself.

"Requiring employers to prove there is abuse is plain stupid; all it has done is highlight the ambiguity and encourage more sickies on public holidays.

"Making employers jump through hoops is simply more posturing from an anti-business Government.

"Instead, the minister should be expending his energy on ensuring the law is clear.

"Surely, passing a quick amendment in time to ensure this grey area is cleared in time for the next public holiday is simple enough.

"The Government must act quickly so employees and employers know where they stand," says Mr Sowry.

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>>