United Future: making MMP work

On the eve of Parliament resuming for the 2003 session, United Future New Zealand leader, Peter Dunne, today drew attention to the very positive effect the party was having on stable government in New Zealand and the gains the party was achieving for the people of New Zealand.

"It's a mere seven months since United Future and the Labour-Progressive coalition Government signed the confidence and supply agreement," he said. "Already the major terms of that agreement have been achieved or well-advanced.

"We have new transport legislation that will allow alternative funding methods for new roading infrastructure. The Families Commission has been agreed upon and is in the Budget funding round for this year. Stronger crime victims' rights legislation has been passed. The Government has not moved to change the legal status of cannabis.

"These are all solid policy gains for United Future and New Zealand," said Mr Dunne.

Other policy gains claimed by United Future are

* Tidying up the clumsy and expensive board structure originally proposed for Television New Zealand and its subsidiary companies

* Initiating a select committee inquiry in the implementation of the NCEA examinations system

* Speaking out clearly and knowledgably over the leaky homes affair

* Bringing corporate expertise to the Securities Amendment Bill to clarify the disclosure regime on the New Zealand Stock Exchange

* Pressing for major changes to the tax system in order to help small business and their families.

"These are no small achievements for a party most of whose MP's were only elected last July," said Mr Dunne, "and we are determined to keep up the pace over the next two years.

"I am particularly pleased the United Future has shown it is perfectly possible for MMP to work. Labour still leads the Government - which is what the voters wanted - and United Future has been able to influence and moderate the Government's more radical proposals through hard work, relationship-building and commonsense.

"Where other parties are focussed on whether or not to expel caucus members or who should be the leader, United Future is busy doing the job it was elected for - bring sensible stable government to New Zealand," concluded Mr Dunne.

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