"If Labour's science policy is a pillar for a knowledge economy, then for your own sake don't stand underneath the overhang," says Libertarianz spokesman Robert Winefield.

Their plans to introduce a 'Science and Innovation Council reporting directly to the Prime Minister - yet another quango -are intended to demonstrate that Labour takes science and scientists seriously. Instead it merely demonstrates Labour's intentions to spend even more of other peoples money (OPM).

Ostensibly, the intention is to 'pick winners', yet the closest any politician should ever get to picking a winner is on the first Tuesday in November when they get to put a dollar each way on any New Zealand horse.

Instead of spending other peoples money (OPM).on politicians' grandstanding the answer lies in slashing bureaucracy and regulation, and reducing tax to zero. And as quickly as possible.

ENDS

© 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>>