The first vote in the Wellington Central electorate has been cast - for Richard Prebble - in Melbourne.

Former Wellingtonian Samantha Krafft has been the first person to cast a vote at the Victorian Electoral Commission in Melbourne.

Ms Krafft's vote went to sitting member Richard Prebble.

Mr Prebble says he expects a large vote in his electorate from Wellingtonians living overseas.

"The current high tax policy is driving successful people away from New Zealand," Mr Prebble said. "They are Kiwis who want to stay in New Zealand but who find the tax environment stifling growth in their chosen professions."

Mr Prebble said lowering tax rates would bring many successful Kiwis home again.

© 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>>