The Green Party is calling on State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall to initiate an investigation into Timberlands following accusations made today by author Nicky Hager in his new book Secrets and Lies.

Hager's book reveals how the SOE Timberlands and the public relations company Shandwick have orchestrated a campaign to gain support for native forest logging on the West Coast.

"If Hager's claims are true then a government-owned organisation has engaged in totally inappropriate behaviour," Mr Donald said.

"The lobbying, the manipulation, and activities which verge on the subversive are what you would expect of a trans-national corporation, not a state-owned enterprise. It is vital that Mr Ryall sets up an independent inquiry to carry out a thorough investigation of these extremely serious allegations.

"The timing is crucial as Parliament is currently considering legislation which would allow Timberlands to rip out thousands more trees from pristine native forest and permit the export of native woodchips.

"The Shandwick revelations also bring into question the integrity of Timberland's claims about the sustainability of their proposed beech scheme," he 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>>