Media statement

For immediate release

Monday, 7 July 2003

Political baubles overwhelm Green principles

United Future leader, Peter Dunne, said today it was becoming increasingly plain that the Green Party was in the process of abandoning its fundamental principles in favour of getting into power with the Government.

"Co-leader Rod Donald gave a speech a few weeks ago in which he intimated that if it came to choice between having his feet under the Cabinet table and having access to all the perks of being a Minister, against being implacably opposed to lifting the moratorium on growing GE crops, he would opt for the former," said Mr Dunne.

"This astounding weakening of the Green's fundamentalist, no-compromise, we'll fight them on the beaches position at the last election has been reinforced by the curious silence from the Greens on the latest report that five genetically-modified corn seeds might have been mixed in with every 10,000 in a trial shipment from Gisborne to Japan.

"Apart from a few timid mutterings from a Green backbencher about food labelling and testing regimes, there has been an eerie silence from the self-proclaimed passionate warriors for the environment. Despite the fact that the corn is safe to eat, normally the streets would have been littered with Green politicians protesting at this horrendous assault on our lives and safety.

"Plainly, in a contest between perks and principles, the Greens will go for the perks every time," said Mr Dunne.

Ends

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