Media Freedom? FART tax? Issues in NZ.

[Sheeana]

Over in New Zealand we've just had a ruckus due to Paul Holmes (News frontsman, and radio-show host) calling Kofi Annan a "cheeky darkie" (several times throughout the radio show, along with some sexism thrown in as well) with somewhat severe repercussions (boycotting, people resigning from his staff in protest, people registering complaints, bomb threats, etc). As far as I know, he hasn't lost his radio job over this (and I doubt he would given how high he is in NZ media), but do you think there should be repercussions for his acts of rampant racism and sexism, or is it okay for the media act thus (freedom of speech and all)?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2674734a10,00.html

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/con...03/s953628.htm



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Another big issue for NZ at the moment is FART tax, which is basically a levy the govt is trying to force upon farmers so that they can finance research pertaining to methane emissions from cattle. Understandably, farmers are up in arms over this, to the extent that one MP drove his tractor up the Parliament steps in protest. However, on the other hand, the methane emissions are causing more problems with pollution than emissions from cars and other related city pollutions. Are other countries considering a type of fart tax as well? (In line with the kyoto agreement?) I guess this particular question concerns those who've undersigned the kyoto agreement more than anything, but I'd be interested to see how non-kyoto-agreement countries are dealing with agricultural 'pollution'.

http://money.cnn.com/2003/09/04/news/funny/fart_tax/