24 June 1999
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MINISTERS' GAME OF DECEPTION

New Zealand First Leader, Winston Peters claimed that two senior Government Ministers "colluded in straight out deception in the House today."

Mr Peters noted that Tau Henare must have known that he was starting the deception when he asked Transport Minister Williamson "what was the position of New Zealand First on the sale of Paraparaumu Airport when it was part of the Government and when the sale went through?"

"Henare had to know that no such sale took place when we were in government. Worse was to follow. In his response Williamson claimed "at the time the Leader of New Zealand First was the Deputy Prime Minister and the Treasurer. He was also closely involved....."

"We are faced with the choice that he is plain stupid, or he didn't know what he was doing in 1995, or that this is a straight out lie. Williamson must have known very well that the airport was in fact sold when he was Minister of Transport in a National Government in 1995. Long before I became Treasurer," Mr Peters said.

"In fact it was Williamson who confirmed to the House on 30 May 1995 that the airport had been sold. Mr Henare was in the House that day.

"The Ministers have taken the recent Ministerial bungling to a new low with this charade of lies," Mr Peters concluded.

ENDS

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