robson-on-politics, a weekly newsletter from Matt Robson MP Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party www.progressiveparty.org.nz

More than 1,000 early childhood education centres will benefit from the first stage of a new http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1393

Progressive Party billboards paid for by our members are going up in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch today. They feature our new initiatives for 2005, including returning the drinking age to 20. This is one billboard:

Our campaign for a law change to raise the age, regulate ads, and enforce the age limit is gathering momentum. Public health experts agree that one of the most effective ways to reduce alcohol abuse and to protect young people is to put the age of purchase at 20. Our Member's Bill does that and is backed by a recent Ministry of Health report to the Ministerial Committee on Drugs and Alcohol.

Click here for Latest news and for the Campaign home http://www.progressive.org.nz/drinking-age page If you like the ad, forward it to your friends and tell them the URL is http://www.progressive.org.nz/drinking-age

Research by the Maori Tertiary Students' Association reveals that Maori are taking longer than other students to pay off their debt. They take an average of 9.2 years while non-Maori take an average of 8.7 years.

At the Maori Student Debt Summit in Wellington on Monday, I'll make it very clear that a key Progressive Party policy in the next Cabinet will be for government to meet student loan repayments for three years after graduation for people working in New Zealand. Educational success is essential for Maori development and for the development of New Zealand.

Our jobs policies are working too - there are more opportunities here at home for new graduates.

In an important decision for the rule of law and democracy the Supreme Court refused to allow the mantra of 'national security' to sweep away basic rights.

Ahmed Zaoui, the Queen of England, Uncle Tom Cobley and all are entitled to procedural fairness and the full protection of the law. The full bench declared:

"This is a case where national security issues arise. It is also a case about the liberty of someone who has refugee status in New Zealand and who is entitled to the benefit of the Refugee Convention requirement that only such restrictions upon his liberty as are necessary should be imposed upon him. The applications fall to be considered against the background of concern for liberty recognised by the Bill of Rights Act and the common law"

In a historic step, the Supreme Court will hear the bail application next
Thursday, Dec 9. Freedom or a fair trial!

See Amnesty http://amnesty.org.nz/ and statement
http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1390
on the decision

Young Progressive representative Karin Reinholt did us proud on TV1 news advocating for the Civil Union Bill. She http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1403 said "Young Progressives believe that strengthening of meaningful relationships deserves support. The proposed Civil Union legislation represents a step by Parliament to reject persecution, oppression and discrimination. It also meets our obligations under international law to remove discriminatory legislation."

Janet Mackey, President of the NZ-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship group is hosting MPs next Wednesday, meeting Cuban literacy tutors working with Te Wanaga o Aotearoa. The Greenlight programme, 36 video-based modules based on the world-famous Cuban literacy model, is being taken up by companies including Carter Holt Harvey. Yours truly will be offering one Cuba Libre (responsible drinking) to each MP to mark the evening.

On The Robson Hour on 531AM, Sun noon - 1pm: UK policeman Sir Charles Pollard, Haikiu Baiabe on Pacific health, and Karlo Mila, advisor to the inquiry on Tonga.

This week on www.progressive.org.nz http://www.progressive.org.nz/ there are over 14 new stories, including Progressive http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1408 getting funding for Murupara's anti-drug action, fair http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1407 trade with Thailand, and why it's curtains http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1401 for the Nats - they can't deliver on company tax but Progressive can.

Subscribe to robson-on-politics by fax to 04 472 7620 or email to matt.robson@parliament.govt.nz
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>>