Federated Farmers has welcomed the appointment of Mr Murray Sherwin as chief executive of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Director General of Agriculture and Forestry.

"The Federation is delighted that the State Services Commission has appointed a person of Mr Sherwin's calibre and dedication to the agriculture sector," said Federated Farmers President Alistair Polson.

"The New Zealand economy is heavily reliant on international trade. The Agricultural sector contribution to GDP is 17% and 11% of the workforce are directly involved in agriculture. It is vital that New Zealand agricultural remains competitive." "Mr Sherwin's vast experience in international trade and agricultural economics, together with his solid international reputation will serve the agriculture sector well."

"I look forward to working with Mr Sherwin in his new position," concluded Mr Polson.

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>>