4 October 1999

MP numbers debate welcome

The initiative of the group of academics campaigning against the referendum to reduce the numbers of MPs in Parliament is warmly commended by Waitakere MP and Chair of the Electoral Law Select Committee, Hon Marie Hasler,

"This particular referendum proposal seems to have no basis other than a deeply cynical view of parliamentarians," Ms Hasler said.

"The almost complete lack of a reasoned case for fewer MPs amounts in itself to a contempt for our democracy and is also an abuse of the referendum system.

"This referendum assumes no goodwill exists at all between the public and their representatives.

"I look forward to a good cross-section of New Zealanders taking part in this timely debate," Ms Hasler said.

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>>