August 1 2005

NZ First's record speaks louder than its words

The NZ First Party can only be judged by its record in government, not by its latest rhetoric, says Progressive leader Jim Anderton.

"Mr. Peters is reported today to have said at his party's campaign launch that his party will promote New Zealand's exporters but what did Mr. Peters do when he was the Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister inside the last National-NZ First government?

"Did the National-NZ First government set up a one-stop shop for our exporters,
like NZ Trade and Enterprise, in order to assist their global reach? Did it set up a framework to promote industry and regional development to broaden our productive capacity as an economy and help create 260,000 new jobs?

"The answer is no. New Zealand had to wait until the election of the Labour-Progressive government for these positive developments.

"Did the National-NZ First government put a halt to the sale of strategic national assets, like Auckland International Airport?

"The answer is no. Mr. Peters was the Treasurer in the government that sold the government's shareholding in Auckland Airport and a big part of that company's large dividend flow now goes straight out of our country to its new owners thanks to National and NZ First.

"New Zealand had to wait until the election of the Labour-Progressive government to halt the strategic asset sales programme.

"No matter what Mr. Peters says in 2005, the only thing that anyone needs to know is NZ First's record in government and its record shows that it is a party that will always choose National and its asset sales policies if it should ever get the chance to choose another government for New Zealand in the future," Jim Anderton said.

ENDS

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