The Labour leader’s peculiar statements on the appointment of Peter Biggs as Chair of Creative New Zealand illustrate a person who uses the left, unimaginative side of the brain rather than the right, visionary side, says Belinda Vernon MP for Maungakiekie.

“For someone who professes to be an advocate for the arts, Ms Clark has demonstrated incredible narrow-mindedness,” says Ms Vernon.

“The best thing to help the arts is a heightened profile leading to greater support and interest in the arts. How better to achieve this than to appoint someone of the calibre of Peter Biggs? - a man renowned for his outstanding record in advertising/public relations.

“Mr Biggs may not play the violin or tap dance very well, but he has proved himself to be an exceptional business person – with flair.

“The choice (of Peter Biggs) is an inspired one and will go a long way to boosting the arts in New Zealand.

“The arts have a ‘bright future’ as a result,” Ms Vernon concluded.

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>>