Wednesday, 21 July, 2004

Turner congratulates Govt for taking up UF initiative

United Future Bay of Plenty MP Judy Turner today congratulated the Government for taking up her call to match public donations for victims of this week's flooding dollar for dollar.

"I am delighted to see the Government take this step among others," the Whakatane-based MP, who found herself in the midst of helping evacuees this week, said.

The Government announced this morning that it will match the Whakatane and Opotiki Mayoral Relief Fund appeals dollar for dollar, after Mrs Turner called for just such an initiative on Monday.

"When you actually see the devastation to property and lives first hand, you really appreciate just how much help is needed," she said.

Earlier this year, the Government responded similarly to a United Future call for similar help for the victim's of huge flooding in the Manawatu and Wanganui regions.

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>>