Fri Oct 29 1999

'You're either part of the solution or part of the problem, and New Zealand First's refusal to rule out the possibility of forming a government with National makes it part of the problem,' Alliance leader Jim Anderton told New Zealand First's Winston Peters at a Grey Power meeting on Auckland's North Shore today.He said the only choice for anyone who wanted a change of government is the Alliance or Labour.'New Zealand First's failure to rule out going into Government with National means that a vote for NZ First is a vote for more of the same, tired, failed policies of National and Act.'The so-called 'signals' from Mr Peters that he could support a government from the cross-benches are a smoke-screen and shouldn't be treated seriously. If Mr Peters means to stay out of government altogether he should declare his intentions honourably. If he won't, then he is simply blowing smoke.'As recently as last month the Dominion reported, 'NZ First leader Winston Peters denied yesterday saying his party was more likely to form a coalition with Labour than National, then admitted saying it but denied meaning it.''New Zealand First is not committed to a change of Government. A vote for Mr Peters is therefore potentially a vote for any of National's failed policies - rising student fees, the abolition of New Zealand Superannuation, more privatisation of publicly-owned assets, open slather entry for genetically engineered foods and more job losses through rapid tariff removals,' Jim Anderton said.'For example, when Mr Peters was Treasurer student fees leapt. NZ Super came under sustained attack. Assets such as Auckland Airport were sold into private hands. Overseas owners bought up 166,800 hectares of our land and $11.7 billion of our assets. The Government refused to even label GE foods and Mr Peters announced that New Zealand had to win the race to remove tariffs first.'New Zealand First is part of the problem and it will remain part of the problem, because the solution is a change of government and Mr Peters won't commit NZ First to a change of government.'Anyo ne who wants a change of government therefore can't consider supporting New Zealand First because their vote could be used to keep National and Act in power,' Jim Anderton said.

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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>>