Labour Party President Is Denying He Said Party Would Use Government Information To Campaign With.

Labour Party President Mike Williams says he believes he did not suggest party members hand out Inland Revenue pamphlets when they were campaigning. On TVOne’s “Agenda” today Mr Williams spoke publicly for the first time about the allegations which had led {Prime Minister Helen Clark to describe the suggestion as not a great idea.

Speaking about the closed doors session where the comments were allegedly made he said: “I take absolute responsibility to anything that was said there, but I do not believe anything like that was said and I certainly did not hear anything like that said and neither did I endorse it.”

He said he agreed the idea was a “bad” idea. “You can't hand out government information but it's also a damn silly idea, if you're going canvassing you don’t hand out IRD pamphlets that’s just dumb.” Mr Williams said that when the Prime Minister accused him of bad judgement she had not spoken to him bout the allegations. He said the whole affair was a “surreal experience, and something you'd tell your grandparents about.” .

Williams Endorses Andrew Little As Future Labour Party President.

Labour Party President Mike Williams wouldn’t be surprised if s EPMU Secretary Andrew Little succeeded him as president of the party. Speaking on TVOne’s “Agenda” today Mr Williams said: “I'd welcome that in the fullness of time yes I would.”

Asked by interviewer Guyon Espiner if this was his last election Mr Williams said: “Never say never, I make a judgement after each election, and it's a job I enjoy, it's very rewarding, it's high stress. “I'm up for election every year, I haven’t been challenged since I was elected, it's really up to party members and I'm not gonna appoint a successor because I think that would be utterly arrogant to do, it's their choice.”

List Of Strategic Assets An Oversight Says Williams.

Labour party President, Mike Williams, is at odds with Finance Minister Michael Cullen over whether the Government should have a list of strategic assets which it would refuse to allow to be taken over by foreigners. The call for such a list was made in the wake of the Government’s decision to turn down a Canadian takeover of Auckland Airport arguing that it was a strategic asset. Finance Minister Michael Cullen dismissed suggestions that clearer rules were needed. There were no plans to draw up a list of strategic assets, he said. But speaking today on TVOne’s “Agenda” Labour party President, Mike Williams, said: “I think we probably do need a list and I think that’s an oversight.” “But Helen (Clark) said you know we're not perfect and these things don’t arise very often, I mean we haven’t had major strategic assets that I'm aware of the people trying to take them over before.”

Roger Douglas Wants Four Or Five Ministers In A Future National Government.

ACT founder Sir Roger Douglas says that if ACT is to have a real influence in any future National Government it needs four or five Cabinet Ministers. Speaking today on TVOne’s “Agenda” Sir Roger described National as “pretty much like the present Government but with a fresh face.” Instead, said Sir Roger, if ACT reduced National’s share of the vote to 40% and it got 12% itself, it could have four or five Ministers in a National Government and a real influence. He confirmed that he would stand himself in one of four South Auckland seats, Hunua, Papakura, Manurewa or Botany. And while he declined to be precise about any ACT bottom lines in any future relationship with National he said educational scholarships and welfare and health reform were “important areas”.

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