19 March 2001

Press Release

CLARK RESPONSE HIGHIGHTS LABOUR HYPOCRISY AND DOUBLE STANDARDS

The Rt Hon Winston Peters MP, Leader of New Zealand First, today said that whilst he agreed with Helen Clark that spouses and children should never be attacked for political reasons, Ms Clark and the Labour Party started using these types of sleazy campaign tactics in 1997 copying the Blair Campaign in the UK.

“Many of our politicians clearly need a reality check as to what the public thinks is important. These are not issues that concern the average New Zealander and they only serve to give politics and politicians in New Zealand a bad name. But the public also want consistency in their politicians and as much as they despise the dirty, low down tactics of the National Party and Peter Dunne, they can also see the hypocrisy in a Prime Minister who denounces these tactics in government, but was more than happy to use them in opposition.

“This was further illustrated over the weekend when the National Party criticised the Government for appointing Seafarers Union President Dave Morgan to the board of Pacific Forum Line calling it “jobs to the boys”

“Mr Morgan replaces Peter Kieley, an Auckland lawyer who has been a National Party appointment to the Forum Line for the last 10 years. Mr Morgan has been on a ship obviously, Mr Kieley has not - which again demonstrates the tawdry, tired tactics the old political parties employ,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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