Katherine Rich MP National Party social Services Spokeswoman

01 July 2004

Labour finally axes 'hip-hop fund'

National Party Social Services spokeswoman Katherine Rich says it is hardly surprising the Government has acted to end the farce that was its Social Entrepreneur Fund.

"Labour's flagship scheme has been an abject failure and I'm pleased the Government has finally taken on board the Opposition's concerns."

Mrs Rich is referring to the Government announcement today, which was buried at the tail end of a Department of Labour media statement.

"The low-key ending is a far cry from the way in which the Government launched the scheme, hailing it as a 'hand-up' for 'community champions' back in 2003.

"The writing has been on the wall for the Social Entrepreneur Fund from the very beginning.

"It could not continue wasting taxpayer money on things like hip-hop tours, which involved chill-out sessions in Hawaii and Paris.

"When this fund's mission in life was to promote 'stunning examples of human innovation' it is hardly surprising it has fallen over.

"All the public got were stunning examples of waste of time projects with the vaguest of objectives," says Mrs Rich.

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>>