Transfund's approval for State Highway 2 Route J bypass of Waihi Road is great news for Tauranga, particularly when coupled with Tauranga District Council's commitment to proceed with Route K, according to local ACT MP Ken Shirley.

"With Tauranga's explosive growth there is a narrow window of opportunity to establish the roading network to provide the framework for orderly growth well into next century.

I commend the Tauranga District Council for their progressive attitude towards local roading that is complementary to the state highway project.

"With this level of combined commitment we can relieve congestion and ensure an efficient transport network serving the city, port and hinterland," Mr Shirley said.

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>>