Rights must be respected – Cullen

“The government will uphold equally the rights of access to the foreshore and seabed and the right to lawful, peaceful protest by those who wish to express opposition to the new legislation,” says Acting Prime Minister Michael Cullen.

“New Zealand is a democracy in which we are governed by the rule of law.

“That means that once the new Foreshore and Seabed Act comes into effect, the rights of access contained within it will be enforced. Attempts to prevent that will meet the full force of the law.

“Equally, people have the right to peaceful protest. Provided that protest does not interfere with the rights of others, it should be respected and it is the government’s duty to uphold it.

“People should also remember the new law provides access rights in, on, over and across the foreshore and seabed. It does not provide access to it across privately held land, including that held in Maori freehold or customary title. Landowners still have their existing rights in that respect.

“I urge all politicians to avoid provoking people into breaking the law,” Dr Cullen said.

© 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>>