Gerry Brownlee MP
National Party Deputy Leader

11 November 2004

Labour's Conference Blacklist

"It's the banned agenda that the public want to know about, but which the Prime Minister is desperately trying not to talk about at this weekend's Labour Party conference," says National Party Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee.

"While Helen Clark has managed to manufacture an excuse to run her republican agenda, there are other, far more pressing issues that she will be trying to keep out of the public spotlight.

"You can bet there'll be no mention of the unrelenting over-taxation, there'll be no mention of the planned law to allow prison inmates to claim compensation, and there'll be no mention about Labour's scandalous waste of public money.

"Hip-hop tours, sing-along courses and twilight golf will definitely be in the banned list.

"You can be assured Helen Clark won't elaborate on comments she made in Opposition about Maori being granted 'sovereignty' under the Treaty, and it's likely she'll steer clear of repeating questions like 'are they silent because a clear stand on the Treaty will alienate the rest of their constituency?"

"Golden handshakes are a taboo subject, as is the Maori Party, any discussion about hospital waiting lists, a US free trade agreement and returning New Zealand to the top half of the OECD within a decade.

"George Hawkins won't be explaining why we have to scream to get 111 service these days, and Steve Maharey won't be telling us why there's been an explosion in the number of sickness and invalids beneficiaries under his watch.

"Don't hold your breath to hear any mention of Lying in Unison, Paintergate or Corngate either, and of course a deafening silence will surround the possibility of a Labour, Greens, Maori Party coalition.

"Yes, there's plenty NOT to talk about this weekend," says Mr Brownlee.

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