Media Release

Hon Jack Elder

Minister of Internal Affairs

14 November 1999

CLAIRE ELDER

Mrs Claire Elder, wife of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Jack Elder, died in Auckland yesterday after a long battle with cancer. She was 49.

Mrs Elder, a former schoolteacher, had been with Mr Elder for almost 20 years. They have one son, Edward, aged 13.

"Claire was a reluctant politician's spouse but she always helped me, while making strenuous efforts to avoid publicity herself," Mr Elder said.

"On behalf of Edward and myself I would like to thank the nurses, doctors and staff at St Joseph's Hospice and our many friends, relatives and political colleagues who have offered help and support through this difficult period."

© 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>>