Labour Sacrifices Families To Cling To Power

Any party that can spend $28 million in taxpayers' money to curry favour with its political ally while a proven community agency struggles to help parents in crisis does not deserve to ever be in government, ACT New Zealand Families Spokesman Heather Roy said today.

"Media reports today show that a third of calls for assistance to Plunket - more than 2,000 a month - go unanswered because it lacks the resources and staff to handle them," Mrs Roy said.

"Meanwhile, Labour is pouring $28 million in taxpayers' money - the very taxpayers Plunket cannot help - into a politically correct talkfest that will do nothing to help at-risk children or struggling families.

"The Families Commission shows just where Labour's priorities lie - and they're not with the best interests of Kiwi families. They're about keeping United happy, to ensure it gives the Government the numbers it needs in Parliament. This is not about helping people; it is about clinging to power.

"Labour and United think they know what's best for families. United Future Leader Peter Dunne has advocated support for the many community-based groups providing services for struggling families and at-risk children - groups like Plunket. Now, he doesn't care.

"When National and ACT become the government at the next election, New Zealand can breathe a sigh of relief. The Families Commission will be gone, and Plunket can get on with its good work of helping Kiwi families - and there'll be no need to pander to United Future's foolish whims," Mrs Roy said.

© 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>>