18 June 2004

National And Labour Both Botch Maori Marine Farming

New Zealand First leader Rt Hon Winston Peters has accused both National and Labour of botching Maori involvement in marine farming.

This follows the Government allocating 20 percent of new marine farming space to Maori and also 20 percent of the area allocated since 1992 when National negotiated the Waitangi Fisheries settlement.

The new marine farming plan will be administered by the Waitangi Fisheries Commission.

“This latest plan stems from National’s unsatisfactory settlement in 1992 so it is a bit rich that Gerry Brownlee is now kicking up a fuss. To now criticise a policy they set in place is simply another example of their hypocrisy.

“When I objected to this policy in 1992 I was kicked out of the National caucus!”

Mr Peters said it was also wrong for the Waitangi Fisheries Commission to administer the marine farming allocation.

“This matter should be handled region by region through local regional councils, just like the rest of the marine farming industry,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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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>>