28 October, 2004

$4 billion trade deficit a disaster

The Green Party has branded today's all-time record $4 billion September-year trade deficit a disgrace.

Statistics New Zealand reported today that the deficit for the year to September 2004 was $4087 million, the highest recorded. The September month deficit alone was $1020 million, or 47 per cent of exports.

"It's simply disgraceful that recent governments have transformed New Zealand from a self-reliant export-led economy into a country that imports more and more basic products that we used to make for ourselves," said Mr Donald.

"Instead of undermining New Zealand businesses by negotiating preferential trade deals with sweatshop economies the Government should be focusing its energy on boosting domestic production in order to reduce our dependence on imports."

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>>