Ashraf Choudhary MIA (again)

National Party Families spokeswoman Judith Collins says she is disappointed that Ashraf Choudhary has again failed to do his democratic duty.

"If Mr Choudhary is unable to do his duty as an MP, he should resign."

Ms Collins is referring to Mr Choudhary's decision last night not to vote on the controversial Civil Unions Bill.

"This is the same Labour List MP whose abstention legalised prostitution. It seems that on these difficult conscience issues Mr Choudhary has no conscience.

"The Moslem community will undoubtedly have questions about his decision and taxpayers deserve to know why they continue to pay this man's salary if he is unable to form an opinion on anything important," says Ms Collins.

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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>>