Tuesday 23 July 2002 Embargoed Until 7.30pm, On Delivery

Matt Robson, Deputy Leader

More Progress, no threats

Speech

Election rally

Otahuhu Town Hall

10 High St

Otahuhu

Auckland

Kia orana, Ni sa bula, Taloha ni, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Malo e lelei, Halo Oketa, Ia orana, Kia ora, Talofa lava, and warm Pacific greetings to you.

For those of you not from here - welcome to the Pacific centre of the world - South Auckland.

You’ve worked hard over the last eight weeks on the campaign trial for the Progressive Coalition.

And when we’re back in government with Labour in a few days time, New Zealand will thank you:

- for the stability

- for the progress we will make

- and for the many thousands of New Zealanders who will be in jobs in the coming months and years.

There is just one message to send to New Zealand today:

“From Kaitaia to Bluff - give your party vote to Jim Anderton’s Progressive Coalition and you will get more progress, and no threats’.

We won’t have to threaten Labour to get what we want.

We’ll get it in the same way that we got -

- 104,000 new jobs

- Kiwibank

- Paid Parental Leave

- Early intervention with young offenders

- A separate aid agency to focus aid on the Pacific

- through negotiation and working together.

We want more jobs - and we’ll get them.

We want free GP visits for all school children and all superannuitants - and with your party vote, we’ll get it.

We want safer communities.

We want to target kids in trouble before they become tomorrow’s criminals - and we will.

We want drugs out of the hands of your children for good - and we’ll do it.

We want everyone under the age of twenty in a job, in education or in training - and we’ll make it happen.

Without the Progressive Coalition around the cabinet table, these things will not happen.

With us there, they will. It’s as simple as that.

This is the most popular government in thirty years.

We are proud to be part of that government.

New Zealanders like it so far:

The lowest unemployment since 1987 is our success.

Jobs are the foundation of a secure society.

- People are worried about crime.

Full employment will go a long way to tackling crime.

- People are worried about the cost of health and education.

Full employment will mean we can afford free health care and free education.

- People are worried about their retirement.

Full employment will mean we can look after our seniors better.

There is no-one more suited in this government - today or in four days time - than Jim Anderton, to talk about the one thing that his name has been associated with for many years now:

- jobs.

It is with great respect that I give you New Zealand’s job machine - Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Progressive Coalition - Jim Anderton.

Ends

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