Despite desperate attempts by Labour to again attack the West Coast in Parliament today it was the Labour politicians who ended up with egg on their faces said ACT Rural Spokesman Owen Jennings.

The House was reminded of the very clear statement of the Rt. Hon Helen Clark in June 1990, when she said, "the West Coast accord would be honoured by the Government …….. it is absolutely essential that we keep faith with existing agreements".

"No amount of bluster from Labour MPs including Damien O'Connor, could hide the fact that Labour has done an about face and left the West Coast to fend for itself.

"The truth is a contract was put in place with the people of the West Coast. That contract was verified and supported by politicians from both the Labour and National parties.

"Neither Parties have stuck to the deal. Their word isn't worth a fig. Neither is the word of those Green lobby groups who were signatories to the Accord and have broken their contractual agreement.

"ACT Conservation Spokesman Hon Ken Shirley who was part of the Labour Government who signed the Accord has consistently campaigned for those who signed the Accord to honour their word to the people of the West Coast.

"ACT New Zealand is the only political party that defends private property rights and the sanctity of contracts.

"Successive governments have betrayed the West Coast by changing the rules. Timberlands beech scheme is in full compliance with the West Coast Accord signed between conservation groups and Government in 1987 and must be permitted to proceed," said Owen Jennings.

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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>>