Claims by Max Bradford that the Dunedin line company - Dunedin Electricity - failed to give Labour an undertaking to enter the voluntary price freeze have been dismissed by Labour energy spokesperson Pete Hodgson.

"Mr Bradford's statements demonstrate once again his appalling lack of knowledge about his portfolio.

"Dunedin Electricity was one of two lines companies that did not immediately answer Labour's request for a freeze because they wished to first consult their shareholders. That consultation process has now been completed and they have announced publicly that they have joined the agreement.

"They made that announcement over a week ago but it seems only now to have reached the Minister's ears. He is out of touch, out to lunch, and - come the elections - will be out of office," Mr Hodgson 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>>