New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters MP, today contrasted the National Government’s willingness to assist North Korea’s nuclear industry with it’s refusal to assist New Zealand veterans of British nuclear tests.

“ Having reneged on the Coalition Agreement to fund a $ 200,000 class action against the British Government by the New Zealand Nuclear Test Veterans Association, the National Government is helping pay a former enemy to rebuild it’s nuclear reactors.

“ I doubt that many New Zealanders appreciate how the latest grant of $ 1.5 million of taxpayer money, and an earlier grant of $ 2.5 million is being spent. It is not being spent on humanitarian aid, or on agricultural or educational development, or on emergency food supplies. Our taxpayer money is being spent on buying oil to enable a corrupt, second generation dictatorship to stay in power.

“ I called in the British High Commissioner the other day to express my concerns about the health of our veterans. I was told that it would be an “ unfriendly act” if I pursued the matter.

“ I was distinctly unimpressed by that comment. I am sending the British High Commissioner the latest research.

“ His Government’s concern, of course, is not our sailors but the 23,000 or more British personnel affected by various nuclear tests who are pursuing claims at the European Court of Human Rights.

“ Our Government has clearly sold out on this whole issue. I can guess why.

“ I reiterate that after the upcoming election New Zealand First will restore the funding provision for legal action by the NZVTA,” concluded Mr Peters.

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>>