Wednesday 24 November 2004

Action taken to protect the integrity of Corrections Inquiry process

The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble, today said that he was very concerned at the publication in The Press of leaked extracts from the draft report of the Inquiry into the Department of Corrections Canterbury Emergency Response Unit.

"Extracts of the draft report, by Ailsa Duffy QC, had been sent to various people affected by the report for their comment.

The draft report was confidential, as was all evidence given to the Inquiry.

"In our view, publication of extracts of the draft report undermines the principle of natural justice as the people named in the report have not had the opportunity to respond to any adverse findings.

"I want people affected by the report to have an opportunity to correct inaccuracies. Publication of inaccurate information can irreparably damage reputations, in a way that is entirely avoidable.

"I have therefore today taken urgent action to prevent any further publication of the leaked draft material.

"As indicated at the beginning of this inquiry, I will publicly release the final report once the feedback process is complete," Mark Prebble said.

© 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>>