Tuesday, 16 November 2004

Dunne applauds Nats’ generosity to Blumsky

United Future leader Peter Dunne is “genuinely bemused” at former United Future President Mark Blumksy’s selection yesterday as National’s Wellington Central candidate.

“Mark formally resigned as President of our party in August because he told us that he was considering job offers that would conflict with his political role.

“Presumably either those employment opportunities have changed, or the job offer in question was from the National Party.

“But one thing that hasn’t changed is Mr Blumsky’s membership of United Future. Our records show that he hasn’t resigned from the party and is a paid-up member until 31 December.

“On my cursory glance at the National Party constitution, one of the criteria of eligibility to become a member of the party contained in Section 5(a)(ii) is that “The person is not a member of any other registered political party”.

“I congratulate National for their open-mindedness in over-looking this.

“Clearly Mr Blumsky continues to believe, as he stated upon resigning as President, that United Future has a huge contribution to make to New Zealand, and that “this is the party that has made and is making MMP work, where all others have previously failed.

“Presumably “all others” includes the National Party?” asked Mr Dunne.

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>>