New Zealand First Defence spokesperson, Ron Mark, says National’s acknowledgement that Operation Grapple and Vietnam veterans children were affected by their fathers’ exposure to chemicals and radiation is last-ditch electioneering and doesn’t go far enough.

“While I welcome that finally something is being done for these children, the government is still failing to recognise the effects that exposure has had on veterans’ health,” said Mr Mark.

“Veterans who were exposed to chemicals like Agent Orange are facing shortened life expectancy. Many of them have cancer.

“Given that the Government accepts that their children were affected, free health care for veterans should be included in these recommendations.

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>>