Media Statement By:
Tony Ryall
Minister of Youth Affairs

16 August, 1999

Labour's Cannabis Pledge "Disappointing"

Minister of Youth Affairs, Tony Ryall, said today that he was disappointed at Labour's pledge to review New Zealand's cannabis laws.

Tim Barnett MP announced Labour's policy yesterday while opening the New Zealand opioid treatment conference in Christchurch.

"Young people need leadership and boundaries on the problem of drug abuse," said Mr Ryall.

"Schools, parents and communities up and down New Zealand are trying to deal with cannabis abuse and the effect drugs are having on our young people.

"This announcement sends exactly the wrong message to young people and undermines the efforts of those trying to deal with the problem. It's very disappointing," Mr Ryall concluded.

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>>