John Carter MP National Defence Spokesman

7 October 2004

National MP instigated Agent Orange inquiry

Contrary to what George Hawkins says, everyone knows it was Judith Collins who instigated the latest Agent Orange inquiry and took it to the parliamentary health select committee, says National's Veteran's Affairs spokesman, John Carter.

He is commenting on claims by Veterans' Affairs Minister Mr Hawkins that it was the Labour-Progressive Government that 'insisted on a proper investigation'.

"This investigation was held by a parliamentary select committee - it had nothing to do with this Government," says Mr Carter.

"Judith Collins brought the map scoffed at by Mr Hawkins to the notice of the select committee and convinced it to conduct the inquiry.

"For Mr Hawkins to claim this as a victory for his Government is an insult to the Vietnam veterans and to the efforts of my colleague.

"If this is his attitude he should resign."

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>>