The WINZ conference at the centre of a public storm because of the $165,000 spent on chartered planes had an astonishing total cost of $247,000, said Labour spokesperson on employment Steve Maharey.

"The figures reported by TV3 show the all-up cost of the two-day one night conference amounted to $1764 per person.

"The WINZ story is becoming more outrageous with each new revelation. For $1764 each, WINZ could have taken its staff somewhere exotic like Bali.

"It is ridiculous," Mr Maharey said. "The Opposition will be demanding this week that the Minister of Social Services, Work and Income Roger Sowry comes off the sidelines and acts decisively.

"There is something seriously wrong with the management culture in WINZ that allows spending of this level on conferences. It is vital that staff get together, particularly during a time of transition, but $1764 per person for a one-night two-day conference is simply over the top. WINZ deals with the most vulnerable New Zealanders and its all-glitz style is inappropriate.

"If Christine Rankin doesn't agree she needs to be restrained by the Minister or fired."

© 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>>