Alliance Party says Greens deal with Nats "political toxic sludge"

Alliance Party media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday 8 April 2009

The Alliance Party says the Green Party has betrayed its commitment to fighting for a sustainable and just world by signing a memorandum of understanding with John Key.

Alliance Party national spokesperson Victor Billot says that Green claims of standing for social justice had been torpedoed by cosying up to the National Party.

"They are now in a close working relationship with the people who are destroying the planet they say they care about."

He says that the news has been greeted with dismay by unionists, workers and activists.

"We now have a bizarre four colour combo running the country - blue for National, yellow for ACT, brown for Maori, and pale Green - add those colours together and what you get is something that looks and smells like toxic political sludge."

Mr Billot says the need for the Alliance to be back was greater than ever as a party that fought for the interests of working people.

"We invite all former supporters of the Green Party and the Maori Party who are disillusioned with their leaderships support towards a National Government to join the Alliance to fight for working people and the environment."

Mr Billot says there is one natural home for voters who wanted a society run for people not profit, and that was the Alliance.

"Many left wing voters have supported the Green Party as a default position and they will now have to rethink this."

"It appears the Greens are more concerned now with organic supermarket shopping tours for their well-heeled lifestyle supporters than food bank baskets at the front counter."

Mr Billot says the Labour opposition is in disarray and had failed to engage with its natural partners.

"The Labour Party blew it big time on issues such as free trade, casualization and student debt, and ended up coming across as a pale replica of National in a tax cuts competition in the last election."

Mr Billot says Labour had fouled in its own nest by disregarding and attacking its allies and was now paying the price, but the decision by the Green Party today showed a lack of political integrity and strategic thinking.

The energy efficiency measures were basically in the bag already and the deal over natural health products was hardly a vital issue for the future of the planet, he says.

"The Greens are cementing in a National Government dedicated to free market capitalism, a system that is socially and environmentally bad."

Mr Billot says the Greens deal with National reminded him of the famous quote from Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols - "never trust a hippy."

ENDS

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