The Green Party today announced Lynne Dempsey as its Rotorua candidate.

Ms Dempsey is recognised nationally as a divorce law reform campaigner with Divorce Equity. She has been a social justice activist on a range of issues such as anti-apartheid, peace, women's issues and refugees for over 20 years.

She has driven the Green Party policy on gender equity and is the party spokesperson for Women's Affairs.

Ms Dempsey said she was happy to have been given the opportunity to represent the Green Party in Rotorua and said she would be campaigning vigorously to present Green solutions to the problems that faced the electorate.

"I think there is real scope for the Green message to be promoted in Rotorua," she said. "I will be focusing on social justice, environmental and social sustainability and will be campaigning for a moratorium on trials of genetically engineered crops until we have heard the views of both the experts and citizens."

Green Party Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said she "couldn't be more pleased" with the selection of Lynne Dempsey. "Lynne is a fine candidate who will have significant appeal with the voters of Rotorua. Lynne has excellent credentials and we are thrilled to have her on board," she said.

"Lynne has worked tirelessly on issues of justice for women and has led the Rotorua campaign against genetic engineering of food."

ENDS

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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>>