“An article in this morning’s NBR is a very mischievous piece of writing
highlighting only the lighter aspects of a serious departmental restructuring
programme,” Secretary for Internal Affairs Dr Roger Blakeley said.

“The article contains inaccuracies, is biased and selective and is a lot of old
news. It ignores the positives from the Department’s change programme and
confuses change programme activities with staff Social Club activities.”

“The change restructuring programme was carried out within the Department’s
baseline funding approved by Government. Not only was it carried out within
existing budgets but it resulted in a $749,000 permanent reduction in the annual
baseline line funding of the Department. This means that savings from the
programme are being returned to the Government on a permanent on-going basis.”

“There are many other benefits from the programme for example enhanced services
to the public, better business performance and improved systems within the
Department.”

© 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>>