New growth figures prove there is no doubt the Labour-Alliance regime has been left a strong growing economy by the National Government, Opposition Finance spokesperson Bill English said today.

"The economy is the strongest it has been for years. It should create at least another 50,000 jobs for New Zealanders in the next year.

"We will be seeing the benefits of the policies and settings of the National Government in the growth figures for some time yet.

"Treasury has advised the new Government they have inherited an economy on the upswing of the business cycle and that the New Zealand economy is on a growth track that is more sustainable than in the past.

"We've got figures out today showing manufacturing sales are taking off

"New Zealanders have worked hard to get the economy growing again. The National Opposition will fight hard to stop the Labour-Alliance Government from turning the clock back and squandering the benefits.

"The Labour-Alliance Government is already putting blocks in the path of growth when they should be moving to make it sustainable.

"The tax legislation in front of Parliament today and the re-nationalisation of ACC yesterday will put more costs on business and industry.

"The best way to stifle growth is to increase costs and prevent businesses from being innovative."

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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>>