26 June 2002

“I think he’s got it!”

“I think he’s finally got it,” the New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters said today in response to Labour’s Cullen belatedly suggesting it was time for the Government to look at the Reserve Bank’s policy target agreement.

“What was Mr. Cullen saying when New Zealand First broadened the inflation target in 1996? While Brash and National have been away with the fairies the Bank has been overly cautious and conservative in its positioning. Why has Mr. Cullen been so strangely silent until now?

“New Zealand First has consistently espoused the following monetary policy position:

- the promotion of a balanced and flexible monetary policy of low exchange and interest rates conducive to real export and employment growth; and,

- amendment of the Reserve Bank Act and making export, growth, and employment objectives part of the policy targets agreement between the new government and the Governor of the Reserve Bank.

“We welcome Mr. Cullen’s Damascus experience but note that his tax and regulations policies continue to fail to support our exporters. Perhaps we can expect a new announcement on that front as he adopts more of New Zealand First’s good ideas? Let us hope that he does for the benefit of producers, exporters and all New Zealanders” Mr. Peters said.

ENDS

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