Redevelopment of the Napier-based National Aquarium of New Zealand came a step closer today when Prime Minister Jenny Shipley handed over a cheque for $23,000 for the project.

Mrs Shipley presented the cheque to Napier Mayor Alan Dick. The money was made available from the Tourism Facilities Grant.

"The National Aquarium is a special tourist attraction for visitors to Napier from New Zealand and overseas," Mrs Shipley said.

"It has always been a popular place for families passing through Napier and I'm sure the upgrade will further increase its popularity and general appeal to tourists."

Mrs Shipley said the cheque would help to made the aquarium a world class facility providing both educational and recreational value.

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>>