Scoop Interview: Chewing The Fat With UF's Gordon Copeland
United Future's Gordon Copeland – a man comfortable in the jungle of parliamentary life
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Last year United Future's finance spokesperson Gordon Copeland told a Business NZ conference that there were "good
people" that he knew prepared to flee our shores should a Labour-Greens Government eventuate after the 2005 election. In
an effort to discover the fate of Mr Copeland's immediate social circle following the formation of the Labour
Progressive Government supported by NZ First and United Future Scoop took a trip to see Mr Copeland.
In a wide ranging discussion Scoop was able to ascertain that Mr Copeland's immediate social circle had no plans to flee New Zealand should National and
ACT have gained the Treasury benches. Also discussed was Mr Copeland's plans to flog off 40% of New Zealand's SOE's to
"mum and dad investors" – a plan described by Jim Anderton as "economic vandalism" and considered "naïve" by Winston
Peters. Mr Copeland however was able to defend his idea by pointing out that Margaret Thatcher had followed a similar
course in the UK.
Mr Copeland also clarified his current position regarding Dr Wayne Mapp's Probationary Employment Bill. At last year's
Business NZ conference United Future had proposed a period of six months probationary employment rather than Dr Mapp's
three months. An important point of difference however was that United Future's policy was only targetting those
employees seeking their first job rather than all employees as proposed by Dr Mapp's legislation.
Listen to Gordon Copeland discussing - Taxation, selling 40% of State Owned Enterprises, how United Future kept
beneficiaries from reaping the rewards of Working for Families, Dr Mapp's proposed employment legislation and his
relationship with former colleague Marc Alexander
Click here to download file (mp3)
ENDS