Media Release
24 February 2004

New Cabinet - Can't Dance, Can't Sing

Rt Hon Winston Peters has described the Cabinet changes announced by Helen Clark as like the rearrangement of a row of chorus girls who can’t dance and can’t sing.

Mr Peters said the promotion of David Benson-Pope to the rank of Fisheries Minister was truly astonishing and would bewilder anyone who had watched him perform in the House.

“It is like putting a minnow in a fish tank of sharks. He will be out of his depth and quickly gobbled up by the industry.

“The appointment of Education Minister Trevor Mallard as Coordinating Minister For Race Relations, whatever that means, is a sign of panic among Labour’s politically correct upper echelons.

“This is another response to New Zealand First’s Treaty policies, but unfortunately, Mr Mallard has all the tact of a bull in a china shop and there is no doubt race relations are in for a rocky ride.

”The sideways shuffle of Margaret Wilson from the Labour portfolio was expected as she has long demonstrated a failure to grasp the basics of employment issues.”

Mr Peters said the Prime Minister gave Paul Swain a hospital pass as Minister of Immigration because he had to administer dishonest population policies with a department that created its own rules as it went along.

“We will be giving these Ministers a warm welcome when they start performing on the political stage,” pledged Mr Peters.

ENDS

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