Anderton mystified by unfounded report on Whenuapai air base

Minister for Regional Development Jim Anderton says he is mystified by a news report in Friday's edition of 'Trans Tasman' that speculates on the future of Whenuapai airbase.

"In the twenty years I have been a Member of Parliament, I don't believe that I have ever been interviewed by Trans Tasman.

"It has been brought to my attention, however, that the latest edition of the newsletter alleges that I have a strong view on the future use of the land upon which the Whenuapai air base currently sits and that the Cabinet is about to make an announcement.

"In reality, I have never expressed any view in support of, or in opposition to, a commercial operation at the Whenuapai air base. Any suggestion to the contrary is totally erroneous," the Progressive leader said.

"For the record, I have received a report prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development on the potential future use of the Whenuapai air base which I am considering with an open mind.

"In due course, I expect to discuss the issues raised in the report with my ministerial colleagues," Jim Anderton said.

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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>>