Labour's campaign spokesperson Pete Hodgson said today that Roger Sowry's continuing attempt to scapegoat a beneficiary whose only desire is to have an income-related rent she can afford for her family is despicable.

"I am disappointed that Christine Rankin has authorised Winz to depart from political neutrality and join the circus created by Mr Sowry on this issue.

"It was after all Mr Sowry who alleged that she could not be getting everything she was due. Winz now confirms that she is.

"None of this addresses the basic issue which is that this woman has difficulty in Auckland's highly-priced housing market finding affordable and adequate accommodation for her family.

"Labour's policy of income-related rents will make sure that these children, who are part of New Zealand's future, get access to the secure and affordable home that should be their birthright in this country."

© 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>>