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MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, 9 August 2004

DEMOCRATS DELIGHTED WITH DECISIONS

Following the Democratic Party's Annual Conference held in Christchurch over the past weekend, the Leader Stephnie de Ruyter expressed her delight at the numbers attending, the harmony displayed in discussing policy and direction and the renewed commitment to the reforming foundation on which the party stands.

"Again the resilience of the Democrats in New Zealand politics has been demonstrated in the decisions made at this conference" said Ms de Ruyter "In the face of the derision and doom casting when we decided to go it alone in 2002, this conference saw over 80 delegates and observers set the scene for our resurgence as the only party with a focus on addressing the key issues of rising debt, growing local and national infrastructural problems and poor outcomes in essential services like health and education"

The Democratic Party clearly recognises the problems being raised as key issues in 2004 as the same ones discussed in the economic summit of 1984 and unfortunately the same tried and failed solutions are being proposed by the Clark led coalition government and the Brash led opposition.

"If the solutions proposed by the Democrats are implemented we will not see a continuation of our family silver being sold off to overseas investors" continued the democrat Leader "The sale of another power company to a group of Australian based investors, without a word of protest from our self professed peoples government, is a clear indication that there is no intention at all to deviate from the increasingly discredited market driven dogma of the 1990s.

"How far do we let Labour and National go in allowing the assets built up by successive generations of New Zealanders to be flogged of to foreign owners or is this part of a long-term strategy of forming a pacific bloc of nations under the control and domination of Australia" said Ms de Ruyter "Recently for one example, Annette King signed off a deal with Australia that will adversely affect the marketing of alternative health products. Proposals for a 'common' currency is another"

"We call for the people of New Zealand to support our stand for dumping the Student Loan scheme, debt free funding for essential national and local infrastructure to ensure the delivery of good healthcare and improved education for all and an end to the mindless selling off of the nations assets" concluded the Democrat Leader.

ENDS

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